Over 40% of big infrastructure projects behind schedule

NEW DELHI: Over 40 per cent of big projects under the monitoring of central government are running behind schedule, Parliament was informed today.

As of May 1, 2015 a total of 758 projects were on the monitor and of these 323 were showing time overruns against their original dates of commissioning, Minister of State for Statistics and Programme Implementation V K Singh said in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha.

He said review of project implementation for cost effective and timely completion is regularly undertaken on a continuing basis.

"Every project is given the specific attention that it requires," he said.

Singh said major steps undertaken to ensure timely completion include rigorous project appraisal, on-line computerised monitoring system, setting up of standing committees in the ministries for fixation of responsibility for time and cost overruns, regular review of infrastructure projects by concerned administrative ministries and setting up of Central Sector Projects Coordination Committees in the states.