The Deccan Herald  11.11.2010

Palike to have project watchdog

Bangalore, November 10, DHNS:

To usher in greater transparency in functioning of civic agencies, the State Government has proposed to set up a Project Management Unit (PMU) at the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).

A Government Order (GO) is being drafted in this regard, said the sources adding the unit is likely to come up by next month.

Speaking at a public meeting organised by the Task Force for Quality Assurance in Public Work, Economic Advisor to Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, Dr K V Raju said the PMU will be an answer to the much-needed transparent system of working in engineering departments of various State departments.

“The unit will help design projects qualitatively for timely implementation. It will also emphasise on adopting new technologies and mobilising funds either from government sources or through a public-private partnership,” Raju said.

The PMU initiated in the Palike Budget - under the head of Bharat Ratna Sir M Visvesvarayya Infrastructure Development Plan - will try to provide ideas besides identifying various aspects of projects that can ensure revenue for civic agencies. It will also oversee the quality of the work and the timely implementation of the projects. It will help civic agencies and the State Government enter into MoU with other public or private sector units to execute public works.

It is learnt that the PMU was proposed at a recent meeting organised at the consulting panel consisting of Dr K V Raju, Mayor S K Nataraj, BBMP Chief Accounts Officer and BBMP Engineer-in-Chief. The panel decided that the PMU will have experts from Infrastructure Development Corporation of Karnataka Limited (iDeCK) who will initiate more revenue generating programmes.

“The main aim of the PMU in this case would be to ensure that the unit does not eat into the BBMP revenues but generate funds from outside, by way of its own indigenous projects,” said a BBMP source. The PMU functioning will be overseen by the Special Commissioner assigned from the BBMP, added the sources.

Contractors pay for delay

What is common between three grade separators at Kadirenahalli, Puttenahalli and Tagore Circle? All the three projects were so much behind schedule, the lackadaisical Palike was upset enough to levy hefty penalties on them.

Palike authorities have so far levied a penalty of Rs 1.05 crore on the contractor constructing Puttenahalli underpass. The cost of the project given to a construction company on turn-key basis is Rs 23 crore. Contractor of the Kadirenahalli underpass was recently fined Rs six lakh,  The penalty is the sixth he has been slapped with.

He has paid so far Rs 55 lakh. The contractor for Tagore Circle Underpass, where the work commenced a year ago, recently received his penalty notice for Rs 15 lakh for delay in the work, said the BBMP sources.

The Times of India                11.11.2010

BMC to tender dialysis plan again

 MUMBAI: Two months ago, the BMC floated tenders for dialysis centers to be set up on a 'charity basis' in the city. The idea was to offer the life-saving treatment at a minimal cost, even lesser than that of civic hospitals. However, the BMC didn't receive any response and is being now forced to float tenders based on the business model. The new tenders will be floated by the end of the month.

Tenders for four such locations where these standalone dialysis centers were expected to function and be run on a lease by registered private trusts and medical institutions were floated on August 20. The plan was to seek private partnership to overcome resource and manpower crunch for dialysis. According to officials of the public private partnership (PPP) cell, only two parties showed interest. However, they were rejected because they were declared ineligible as they did not meet the criteria.

"As we didn't get a good response for the charity model, we have decided to go for the business model. Now, the private trust will have to give some percentage of treatment at rates lower than BMC hospitals. For the rest, they can charge an amount and then cross-subsidize. Priority will be given to the trust that will offer the maximum percentage for cheap treatment," said additional municipal commissioner Manisha Mhaiskar.

The civic corporation will, for now, not completely abandon the charity model. However, it will be reintroduced in new locations, which they feel will be more "viable" options. The centers will come up on civic plots, including three in the western suburbs and one in the eastern suburbs. There are existing unoccupied buildings in Millat Nagar, Andheri (W), a maternity home in Mulund, Ek ar Village at Borivli W) and Chakala. The BMC decided to do away with earlier plans of erecting the centers on the premises of existing hospitals at Rajawadi in Ghatkopar and Shataabdi in Govandi.

Currently, the civic body has 600 dialysis machines, which can perform up to 10,000 dialysis sessions in a month. The demand, however, according to BMC records, is above 40,000. As a result, the burden on private hospitals increases thus increasing the cost as well, added officials. As against Rs 1,200 charged for each session in a private set-up, centers based on the charity model will charge a nominal fee of Rs 350 or even less.