Thiruvananthapuram: Despite serious lapses in the time-bound implementation of the e-Niyamasabha project and issues related to fund management, inspections and review meetings have not been conducted effectively. The high-power committee of MLAs, constituted to monitor the performance of the implementing agency, Uralungal Labour Contract Co-operative Society, has not met even once in the last two years.                                                   

No action has been taken on a letter submitted by MLA Roji John to the Speaker on June 12, demanding that the committee meeting be convened immediately, citing Uralungal’s repeated failure to complete the project despite several extensions. The project was initially scheduled for completion by June 30, 2020. The Assembly Secretariat claims no lapses, but questions persist.

The Legislative Assembly Secretariat has stated that there has been no lapse in the implementation of the e-Niyamasabha project, calling the allegations baseless. However, it has indirectly admitted that the ₹9.40 crore advance given to Uralungal has not been properly accounted for. Authorities now claim that the process of adjusting the advance is in its final stage. This amounts to an indirect admission that the advance paid in March 2019 has remained unadjusted even after six years.

There has also been no explanation regarding the 11 contract extensions granted over the last six years. It has further come to light that the software for the Assurance Implementation Desk, meant to track follow-ups on assurances made by ministers on the Assembly floor, is still not fully developed. According to a Manorama report, the software, which was supposed to be ready by 2020, remains incomplete.

A press release stated that all Assembly-related expenditures, including those for e-Niyamasabha, are subject to audit by the internal audit wing and the Accountant General. This raises the question of how the Accountant General failed to notice that Uralungal has not submitted accounts for the ₹9.40 crore advance in over six years.

Authorities added that various software tools are already being used for file movement within the Legislative Assembly, and that the warranty for the hardware, including the Data Centre, is still valid. They also noted that no maintenance payments have been made to Uralungal and that only 30 per cent of the total project cost for software development has been disbursed.

It is stated that Information Kerala Mission Deputy Director Dr K P Noufal has now been given additional charge to complete the pending software modules and steps in that direction are said to be in the final stages. The appointment of Dr Noufal is being seen as an acknowledgement of Uralungal’s inability to complete the project.