The Bhutanese Leading the way.
The Royal Audit Authority (RAA) in its 2014 Annual report has carried out a limited review of 10th plan activities covering 14 Dzongkhags and found wasteful expenditure, planned activities not being carried out and delays in various projects like farm roads, BHUs, school, irrigation canals, local government offices etc.
Waste
The biggest category of wasteful expenditure was found in the area of farm roads and roads.
Farm roads constructed in Trashigang during the 10th five year plan were found to be unusable due to damages caused by the monsoon in the absence of proper draining systems and other essential permanent structures.
A 32 km road stretch in Haa Dzongkhag between Dorikha and Khamina could not be used as it was left after formation cutting works.
Nechula Gewog in Dagana was not connected with the exiting farm roads due to the lack of a bridge. Similarly a 3 km road from Hiley to Char in Sarpang was not pliable due to landslides and lack of a bridge.
A 4 km farm road in Punakha built at accost of Nu 1.32 mn remained abandoned due to land disputes. An unstable slide area cost the Lumang-Dungmanma farm road Nu 4.48 mn die to some realignment for an 800 meter stretch. A realignment of 250-300 meters was carried out on the Nimshong-Therang road in Zhemgang due to loose soils.
Two grade one BHU’s were constructed at a cost of Nu 32.01 mn in Singey and Taraythang Gewog. RAA says given the number of households a grade 1 BHU was not necessary and as a result the facilities are underutilized.
The Samrang irrigation canal under Samdrup Jongkhar renovated at a cost of Nu 5.12 mn had not been put to use as it was damaged by mudslides at various stretches. Irrigation canals in four gewogs of Dekiling, Shompangkha, Singey and Gelephu under Sarpang remained non functional even though Nu 3.32 mn had been spent in restoring them.
In spite of a water supply system being constructed three villages of Gawathang, Norbuthang and Yangchenphug under Sarpang faced drinking water shortages. Water supply constructed for Yonphula-Dramtshang, RNR Center and three unit staff quarters and BHU II Pasaphu at a cost of Nu 12 mn under Trashigang Dzongkhag were found to be non functional or unutilized. A Nu 400,000 irrigation water tank at Gongza Toetsho under Trashiyangtze Dzongkhag was not found used.
Community Information Centers (CIC) constructed in all gewogs under Trashiyangtze had not been put to use due to lack of internet connectivity. Similarly 10 CIC centers in 10 Gewogs under Mongar Dzongkhag remained underutilized. A CIC center and cheese cellar in Bji Gewog under Haa remained under utilized due to lack of electricity connection.
A newly built Nu 1.40 mn Gup office of Dzomi gewog in Punakha remained unutilized and instead Nu 1.72 mn was spent to renovate another house from which the Gewog office operates. A pack house in Lugni Gewog and a collection depot in Dogar Gewog under Paro remained abandoned.
Three piggeries cum fisheries constructed in three gewogs of Serzhong, Umling and Chuzagang in Sarpang remained underutilized. A milk processing unit in Gelephu Gewog was not put to use though it had a milk processing machine, air conditioner, computer and furniture.
Non-execution of planned activities
Punakha Dzongkhag had not executed 42 planned activities, Paro dropped 26 activities, Lhuentse dropped 13 activities fully or partially, Thimphu dropped or deferred 11 activities and Zhemgang dropped 10 planned activities.
There were several planned activities not executed by the Mongar Dzongkhag administration. Haa had not executed 8 plan activities. Six of the activities pertained to construction of grade II BHUs, one was up-gradation of grade II BHU and one was feasibility study of Jenkana town.
Bumthang Dzongkhag had not executed preparation of the master plan for town development and construction of Kurjey Zhabkor.
Delays and deferments
The construction of the Resa-Kalapang farm road under Mongar Dzongkhag which started in 2008 had not been completed even after the plan period.
The Tsamgang-Ganglapong farm road under Mongar Dzongkhag was found discarded without fully completing the envisaged stretch of roads.
Construction of a motor-able bridge at Tshorimo to connect the Gewog Center with other villages and a 12 km Sechina farm road under Punakha Dzongkhag had not been completed.
The Dolunggang-Pangkhay farm road, Jigmecholing-Gong farm road and Muga farm road under Sarpang Dzongkhag were not completed and deferred to the next plan.
Expansion of Dekiling Lower Secondary School, construction of six classrooms at Norbuling Middle Secondary School and four unit staff quarter at Shershong Community School were not completed and deferred to the next plan.
The RAA pointed out that the common factors behind all of the above issues were lack of coordination between agencies, lack of preliminary studies, lack of budget and manpower and execution of ad-hoc activities not envisaged during the planning phase.
The RAA in its report says that it originally wanted to do a detailed review on the implementation of the entire 10th plan with a dedicated review team to identify issues and bottlenecks but could not do so due to resource constraints.
The report will be presented as part of the Annual 2014 Audit report to the winter session of the Parliament.
