To Control Corruption In UP, Yogi Adityanath Orders Third-Party Audits For Projects Over Rs 50 Crore With On-Site Checks

In order to control corruption in Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has ordered that all construction projects worth more than Rs 50 crore be subject to monthly third-party audits by technical institutes.

In a meeting on Thursday (26 December) evening, the UP CM assessed the progress of residential and non-residential structures being built for police lines, transit hostels, and training institutes under the Home Department's purview.

Adityanath mandated that a secretary-level officer from the Home Department should conduct weekly reviews of these projects, while the additional chief secretary should carry out fortnightly reviews.

In third-party audits, the technical bodies are required to perform on-site checks and provide comprehensive reports, inclusive of photographs, to ensure transparency, Indian Express reported.

This comes after the UP government came under criticism for alleged corruption in construction works across the state. The facepalm moment happened when newly built roads in Ayodhya caved in within months.

The CM underscored the criticality of quality and noted a lack of specialist engineers in construction firms. To effectively bridge this gap, he proposed the involvement of retired professionals with considerable experience or competent experts from renowned technical schools.

During the evaluation of budget distribution across zones and the advancement of construction projects, the CM emphasised the necessity of providing sufficient living accommodations for on-duty police officers. To tackle this issue, high-rise residential buildings are being erected within the police lines.