(a) whether the construction and maintenance of national highways stretches across the
country is plagued by poor utilization of funds;
(b) if so, the details thereof alongwith the funds allocated and spent on each of such
highways;
(c) whether there is a monitoring mechanism to track the proper utilization of funds; and
(d) if so, the details thereof?
THE MINISTER OF SHIPPING,ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS(SHRI T. R. BAALU)
(a) to (d) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 440 TO BE ANSWERED ON 23RD APRIL,
2008 ASKED BY SHRI RAYAPATI SAMBASIVA RAO REGARDING UNDER-UTILIZATION OF FUNDS ALLOCATED FOR
HIGHWAYS PROJECTS.
(a) No, Sir.
(b) Does not arise.
(c) & (d) Regular monitoring of progress of work pertaining to all National Highways projects
for the construction and maintenance is carried out and action are taken to remove the bottlenecks.
Quarterly review meetings are being held with the officers of the State Government at the level of
Chief Engineer for monitoring of physical and financial progress. The Contracts are regularly
monitored at various levels such as by Supervision Consultant, Project Directors and Senior
Officers of National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). In addition, progress reviews are also
held at the level of Chairman, NHAI and Secretary, Department of Road Transport & Highways. State
Governments have appointed senior officers as nodal officers for resolving state related problems
associated with implementation of the National Highway Development Project. Further, a Committee
of Secretaries has been constituted to address inter-ministerial and Central-States issues which
help in monitoring of fund utilisation.