The Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Statistics and Programme Implementation Shri Srikant Kumar Jena has said that as on 1st June 2013, 569 Central sector projects costing Rs. 150 crore and above are on the monitor of this Ministry. Of these, 277 projects are running behind schedule.

In a written reply in the Lok Sabha today Shri Jena said, as reported by the project implementing agencies, the main reasons for delay in implementation are law and order problems, delay in land acquisition, rehabilitation and resettlement problems, fund constraints, delay in forest and environment clearances, right of way/right of use issues, delay in supply of material, contractual issues, etc.

Shri Jena said, in respect of key infrastructure projects executed by Ministries of Railways, Road Transport and Highways, Shipping, Civil Aviation and Power, the Planning Commission, in consultation with the Ministry concerned, prepares annual / quarterly targets, especially in respect of more critical areas of performance. High-level performance reviews against these targets are carried out on quarterly basis.

He said, the target dates for completion of infrastructure projects costing Rs. 150 crore and above are fixed by the project approving authorities. These projects are monitored closely by the concerned Ministry with respect to the target dates of completion. A Standing Committee has been set up in each Ministry to fix responsibility for cost and time overruns, where cost overruns are over 20% and are accompanied by time overruns of over 10%.

Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation monitors the Central Sector Infrastructure Projects costing Rs. 150 crore and above (Rs. 20 crore and above before 31st March 2010) on the basis of information uploaded by the project implementing agencies on the Online Computerised Monitoring System (OCMS) of the Ministry. Over the years, projects having time overruns have decreased from 62% in 1991 to 49% in May 2013, the Minister added.

Infrastructure project monitoring ensures central projects meet completion targets through oversight and accountability. The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation monitors Central Sector infrastructure projects above the monetary threshold via the Online Computerised Monitoring System (OCMS), relying on implementing agencies' uploads to track delays caused by factors such as land acquisition, rehabilitation, funding constraints, environmental clearances, right-of-way issues, material supply and contractual problems. Project approving authorities fix completion targets; the Planning Commission and Ministries set annual and quarterly targets with high-level quarterly performance reviews. Standing Committees in each Ministry assign responsibility where cost overruns exceed twenty percent accompanied by time overruns over ten percent.