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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