Dhaval Desai May 1: The World Bank-aided India Population Project - V (IPP-V) undertaken by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) since eight years to improve public health infrastructure in the metropolis, has incurred losses to the tune of crores of rupees.

A substantial amount of the precious WB aid remains unutilised, imported hospital machinery remains idle and the pulse polio and AIDS awareness programmes show a negligible performance rates. Of a total target population of 108 lakh under the IPP-V, only 36.27 lakh persons (33.60 per cent) were covered over a period of eight years.

Of the 97 civil works envisaged under the programme at an estimated cost of Rs 1.53 crore, only 53 were completed, and that too, at a cost of Rs 3.69 crore. The remaining 44 targeted works were not even started till last year, resulting in further cost escalation by Rs 2.16 crore. Final bills for 11 completed works were not prepared and settled even after a lapse of two to six years. The IPP-V, first planned for a period of seven years, was initiated in October 1988 with a WB loan of Rs 43 crore. However, at the end of the seven-year-period on March 31, 1996, the BMC decided to extend the project by a year, as most of targeted works remained incomplete, and many had not even started. The BMC also availed of further WB assistance-a whopping sum of Rs 15.50 crore for the extension period. The project also includedareas like reducing the infant mortality rate, family planning, prevention of malaria and jaundice and eradication of polio and tuberculosis and several municipal hospitals were planned to be equipped with wards for premature babies and children.

Even more shocking revelations are made in the audit report on the IPP-V (1995-96) submitted by municipal chief auditor P C Piloskar. The report, tabled before the standing committee recently, states that due to delay in completion of the project works, bills to the tune of Rs 59 lakhs were not finalised upto March 31, 1996. ``The outstanding liabilities of Rs 58,56,314 will have to be incurred from BMC funds,'' the report states.Hospital machinery imported at a cost of Rs 1.88 crore were found lying idle or underutilised, and premature baby wards and paediatric wards were not started till the submission of the report. Detailed account of 80 cases amounting to Rs 1.06 crores was not submitted even after lapse of four to six years.

On the pulse polio immunisation the report states, ``It is surprising to point out that in spite of massive programmes, actual performance against the annual target with regard to Polio (III) is 88 per cent and Polio (B) is 75 per cent. This shows an increase of one per cent and two per cent respectively over the last year.''

Ironically, while the BMC has allocated Rs 14 crore for IPP-V in the budget estimates for 1997-98, the audit report has cautioned against its continuation with 100 per cent financial burden on the civic body. It is suggested that the project works should be continued further by availing of grant-in-aid from third parties.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.