PAC body slams performance of Housing Ministry

[Salman]

PAC body slams performance of Housing Ministry

ISLAMABAD: A sub-committee of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Tuesday slammed the performance of Ministry of Housing and Works and referred some of its cases to NAB for enquiry.

The sub-committee of PAC held a meeting on Tuesday in the Parliament House with Syed Naveed Qamar in the chair. An audit official informed the PAC that a contract for construction of flats in G-8 Sector was given to a company without any bidding process. Later three times’ enhancement was made and escalation was also granted to the construction company.

The official said physical work was not carried out. Several rules were violated and the Ministry of Housing and Works made extra payment of Rs4.811 million during the year 2002-03. Ministry of Housing and Works secretary told the committee that this was a 1985 scheme and was delayed several years and at that time there was no PPRA rules.

The PAC sub-committee formed a committee consisting one member each from PAC, Audit, and Ministry of Housing and Works to hold a meeting and resolve the issue and also fix responsibility if someone was involved in it.

Through another audit para, the committee was informed that the Ministry of Housing and Works (Estate Office) had been unable to collect standard rent of Rs2.870 million due to unauthorised retention of government-owned houses till 2002-03. The same illegal occupants were still residing in the government houses without paying any rent to the ministry.

Ministry of Housing and Works secretary said that mostly police personnel were occupying these houses; the issue was raised several times to Police high-ups but no action had been taken. “We made all efforts, but the result was zero,” he admitted. The PAC sent the matter to NAB for proper enquiry against those who are residing in government houses as well as the officials who could not take proper action to evacuate them.

The audit officials raised another para relating to unjustified expenditure of Rs19.085 million due to excessive payment. Pak PWD DG Attaul Haq informed the committee that the department has huge staff and for repair and maintenance the government provided block allocation. The maintenance and repair works pertained to PM House, Judges Colony, SC and many other VIP places and the whole amount usually is spend over there.

Haq said that the small government houses were totally neglected with regard to repair and maintenance and claimed that these assets of the government are going to destroy. The PAC directing the Ministry of Housing and Works to get regularise the expenditure from the Ministry of Finance and also prepare a summary for the cabinet to reduce the unskilled staff.

Through another audit para, the PAC was informed that Pakistan Housing Authority (PHA) made payment in excess to a marketing agency amounting to Rs2.674 million. The PAC directed the ministry to contact the marketing company and recover the extra money immediately. In case of non-payment, it was suggested to blacklist the company for any future contract of the government. The PAC also asked for registration of a case against the official involved in the excess payment and put him behind the bar.

Convener of the committee Naveed Qamar said the Ministry of Housing and Works could not perform rightly and directed the secretary to tighten control in the ministry as well as attached departments.