276 projects running behind schedule: Govt

NEW DELHI: As many as 276 projects of 566 projects that are under monitoring of Statistics and Programme Implementation Ministry are delayed due to a host of issues, including environment clearances.

Among 276 projects, 43 projects are held up due to pending environment and forest clearances, Minister of State for Statistics and Programme Implementation Srikant Kumar Jena said today.

"As of January 1, 2013, of a total of 566 projects on the monitor, 276 projects were delayed with respect to their original dates of commissioning. In these 276 projects, delay in clearances relating to environment and forest were reported by the project implementing agencies in 43 projects," Jena said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.

Of these 43 projects held up due to environmental and forest clearances as many as 15 projects are of road transport and highways sector, 10 in coal sector, 8 each in railways and power sector and 2 projects in petroleum sector.

Jena said his ministry monitors central sector infrastructure projects costing Rs 150 crore and above on time and cost overruns. The monitoring is done on the basis of information supplied by the project implementing agencies, he said.

He said the government, however, has taken a number of measures to ensure timely completion of projects including rigorous project appraisal, on-line computerised system, setting up to standing committees in the ministries for fixation of responsibility for time and cost overruns.

Besides, steps like regular review of infrastructure projects by administrative ministries concerned, setting up of Cabinet Committee on Investment ( CCI) to review and monitor implementation of major projects, including issues relating to clearances or approvals are also taken.