The Andhra Pradesh Assembly on Friday passed a bill that allows a judicial commission to review all infrastructure projects in the state valued at Rs 100 crore and above before inviting tenders. The Andhra Pradesh Infrastructure (Transparency through Judicial Preview) Bill, 2019 was passed by a voice vote.
According to the provisions of the bill, a sitting or retired High Court judge will head the commission. The government will submit all documents related to the project to the commission. The commission will then place tender-related documents in public domain for a week and invite suggestions. The modifications suggested by the judge will be binding on the government. The entire process will take a fortnight, said Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy.
Reddy said the government was determined to create world-class infrastructure while following the principles of equal opportunity, cost and quality consciousness, reported IANS. Reddy said the judicial review will ensure proper utilisation of public resources. The government wants to fast-track infrastructure development with transparency, he added.
During a debate on the bill, Finance Minister B Rajendranath Reddy alleged that there was corruption and irregularities in awarding contracts by the previous Telugu Desam Party government headed by Chandrababu Naidu. He called the bill a historic move by the government to root out corruption.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!