HOW TO SAVE TIME, MONEY AND LABOR IN EXECUTION OF PROJECTS

Why project cost increases?

Big projects need to be planned and executed in time for two important reasons. One is the earlier it is done, the less it will cost. Execution in time is also very important so that not only the project starts yielding its fruits as planned, but also again to save cost escalation due to inflation and price rise. Besides having to pay additional amounts for the labor retained and loss of interest on investment till it becomes operational could be avoided.

Project Planning:

If a study of project implementation is made of various projects undertaken in the last decade it will be seen that not one project was implemented in time. One of the many reasons, but found in every project report, for increase in the project cost enormously will be delay in the START of implementation. If you again check the reason for this delay one reason will stand out: DELAY IN ENVIRONMENTAL CLEARANCE.
Projects in India are implemented somewhat in this manner: Project is visualized; decision taken to implement it; location decided; a rough estimate is made; financial & other sanctions are obtained; Ministry concerned appoints executing authority and staff appointed, detailed plans are made and executed.

Role of Environment Clearance

One of the very important clearances is from Environment Ministry. After receiving the project report it holds its own investigations and surveys and decides about the feasibility of the location, extent etc. taking into consideration all factors which are likely to be affected by the project if fully implemented. It takes into account a large number of issues affecting environment though the most important are how much natural environment will be affected like forest, rivers, population around, etc. Every project implemented after this Ministry came into being will show it had taken more than a few YEARS to clear any project.

HOW ENVIRONMENTAL CLEARANCE AFFECTS PROJECT COST:

Often it raises serious objections to the project at the place decided. If the objections are serious a couple of years take in back and forth  correspondence between the ministries or the project is shifted to another place and fresh investigation starts taking a couple of years more. By then project costs increase enormously and project is re-worked to suit the cost! The senior staff appointed for the project just waste their time.

HOW TO AVOID THIS BOTTLE NECK:

How can this situation be avoided and projects implemented faster? I will not mention again the advantages in faster implementation. One of the reasons often mentioned is delay in obtaining Environmental Clearance (EC). How can this be expedited?
I believe we are not properly prioritizing our requirements. Imagine if at all EC could be obtained almost immediately or the project could be planned for the most suitable place right in the beginning? I have a solution. Let’s not match the head to cap. Let’s match the cap to head.  
Environment Ministry’s only job is to match the environment at the projected place and which are the factors that will be affected by the project and to what extent. Instead of beginning the match making job AFTER project report is finalized, how will it be it had a number of different caps, one of which might suit the head?

SOLUTION:

India’s rivers, forests, beaches, etc. have been the same for decades, if not for centuries. Why not the Ministry computerize all the details in one programme, so that the computer can say in a minute which will the best place for the project or if any place is preferred, if that place will suit the project or not? If this information could be made available to planners, they will have alternative sites in mind while planning and the most suitable place could be selected. It would be sufficient for the Ministry just to make sure there are no other factors about which only they might know, which may affect the project.


This process will save a lot of time while planning, deciding and execution which will save a huge lot of money also.  

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