The government on Monday proposed to cut down the role of babus in overall running of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to ensure efficiency and prevent nexus between bureaucrats and contractors. It has decided to induct professionals on the board of the authority to enable it manage the increasing number of projects and facilitate faster approach to 20-km a day road construction target. The current pace of road construction is under 10 km a day and road ministry expects to achieve the goal by 2014.
The government has indicated that even the position of NHAI chairman could be given to a technocrat, thus moving away from the current practice where the post is held by a civil servant. ?The chairman can be a person with past experience in a private company,? road transport and highways minister C P Joshithe told FE.
The Centre sought to appoint experts in financial management, transportation planning, project monitoring and law on NHAI board as full-time and part-time members through a Bill introduced in Lok Sabha on Monday. ?Induction of outside professionals will enhance the capacity of the authority to take strategic decisions, widen its perspective, bring in the best management practices, and assist in achieving the goal of higher private participation,? the Bill entitled National Highways Authority of India (Amendment) Bill, 2011, stated.
The Bill was introduced by Joshi to make the necessary changes to the National Highways Authority of India Act, 1988. After the passage of the Bill, NHAI would have six full-time members instead of five at present and six part-time members against four currently.
After tabling the Bill, Joshi told FE, ?The ministry is looking to award a higher number of projects going forward. So, we require experts in the fields of finance, planning and litigation. This will lead to better planning and management of the projects.? In the current financial year, the ministry plans to award projects for construction of close to 7,900 km, way higher than last year?s 5,100 km.
The Bill has been introduced after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh asked Joshi for an expedited implementation of a 2007 Cabinet decision to restructure NHAI to instill efficiency in the authority. In 2008 also, the government had introduced a Bill to restructure NHAI but the same lapsed due to dissolution of the 14th Lok Sabha.
Joshi also said that the Department of Personnel and Training is considering changes required to appoint a person other than an Indian Administrative Services officer as chairman of NHAI. ?The chairman can be a person with past experience in a private company,? the minister said.
However, the ministry has suggested strict condition to prevent any give-away to interested parties. ?We have created a condition that this person should not be affiliated with any interest party till at least two years before his appointment as NHAI chairman,? he said.