RailEnquiry

Union minister of state for statistics and programme implementation Srikant Jena has pulled up the state government for its apathy towards projects executed by Central PSUs like Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) and Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL).“We have repeatedly urged the state government to constitute Central Sector Project Coordination Committee (CSPCC) under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary, like other states, to review the projects of Central PSUs on a monthly basis. But no such committee has been formed so far,” said Jena.The minister reviewed the Paradip refinery project of IOCL and also projects being implemented by RVNL in the state. Pankaj Jain, special secretary, ministry of statistics and programme implementation (Mospi) said, the ministry had written for formation of the coordination committee in May 2011, but to no avail.Jena who reviewed the progress of 15 million tonne per annum (mtpa) Paradip refinery project of IOCL, said the Rs 30,000-crore project is already delayed by two years and now IOCL is targeting to commission it by September 2013. The cost of the refinery project has escalated 2.5 per cent mainly due to delays over issues pertaining to sourcing of water from Jobra barrage of Mahanadi river as well as law and order problems.Similarly, the 1,065 km Paradip-Raipur–Ranchi pipeline of IOCL, planned for evacuation of final products, is facing problems in obtaining forest clearance in Odisha. The proposed pipeline would cover 657 km in Odisha.While the Chhatisgarh stretch of the pipeline has already got the forest approval, the Jharkhand government has submitted recommendations to MoEF for the Stage-I forest clearance for the pipeline. After reviewing the status of long delayed Paradip-Haridaspur railway link, Jena said that work will be completed by 2015 at an investment of Rs 1,167 crore. The minister urged the state government to take proactive steps to expedite the land acquisition for the pending 12-km stretch out of the 82 km long rail corridor.Jena who reviewed the progress of the central infrastructure projects on Wednesday, said three national highways, three railway projects, two coal projects and a petroleum sector project have been delayed in the state.He attributed the delay in project completion to delay in land acquisition and obtaining environmental clearances. The average time over-run in these projects was 67.77 months.The three national highway projects come under the Golden Quadrilateral Scheme. The Ganjam-Ichhapuram, Sunakhala-Ganjam and Balasore-Bhadrak stretches have been delayed by about 100 months. Twenty-seven central sector infrastructure projects, each costing Rs 150 crore and above were under execution in Odisha.