BRO gets more financial powers

BRO gets more financial powers

Context

• The Defence Ministry has deputized administrative and financial powers right up to the level of Chief Engineer and task force commander to improve the efficacy of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and speed up works.

Bringing in the transformational change

• The aim is to bring in transformational changes in the BRO, various powers of delegation have been revised for this.
• Improving the powers at all levels in the BRO, the Ministry of Defence has now approved that for both departmental and contractual mode of execution, a Chief Engineer of BRO can accord administrative approval up to Rs. 50 crore, Additional Director-General (ADG) up to Rs. 75 crore and Director-General (DG) up to Rs. 100 crore.
• The BRO, involved in constructing roads to provide connectivity to difficult and inaccessible regions, was brought under the control of the Defence Ministry in 2015.
• Completion of strategic border roads has been delayed as was emphasized on various occasions by the Comptroller and Auditor-General and the Parliamentary Standing Committee.