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To ensure tranparency in infra projects
The State Cabinet on Friday approved the Judicial Commission Draft Bill, which will review tenders floated in the last five years. Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy made an announcement on setting up Judicial Commission when he took oath as Chief Minister on May 30. The Cabinet, in a meeting chaired by Mr. Jagan, gave its assent to the draft Bill. The proposed Judicial Commission would be chaired either by a sitting High Court Judge or a retired senior judge. The objective of the Commission is to ensure transparency in awarding all infrastructure projects valued over Rs. 100 crore. The quality, costs and other parameters would be examined by the Commission. Details pertaining to the projects proposed by departments concerned would have to submit documents to the judge for perusal. The State government would appoint experts to assist the commission. The departments which were proposing the projects would have to follow the recommendations of the Commission. The Commission would also review all Public-Private Partnership (PPPs), special purpose vehicles and joint venture agreements, etc. before they were finalised. The idea is to ensure that everyone gets a fair chance in the tender process. The Commission can ask the government for specific assistance and experts based on the project. It may be recalled that Mr. Jagan had met Acting Chief Justice (CJ) of Andhra Pradesh C. Praveen Kumar to discuss the matter. He explained the the CJ about the need for a Judical Commission to eradicate corruption in the tendering process. “A.P. has become the most corrupt State and the government wants to bring in reforms in the process and the judicial body headed by a HC Judge could play a crucial role. All expenses and salaries would be born by the State,” he told the CJ.
