Smart City scam: Davidar Committee report submitted to CM

The IAS officer, PWC Davidar, the chairman of the committee constituted to probe the irregularities in the smart city project has completed his inquiry and submitted the report to the Chief Minister MK Stalin. 

In March, 2022, based on the directions of the chief minister, chief secretary 
V Irai Anbu issued an order constituting a single-member committee with IAS officer Davidar to inquire into the smart city projects. The committee was directed to submit the report within three months. 

The committee would look into various aspects like whether the selection of works under the project was implemented in accordance with the guidelines, whether the project was being carried out in public interest, the extent to which the works selected under the mission impacted the cities’ development as envisaged under the mission’s guidelines, whether the smart cities’ purpose vehicles were set up as per the guidelines and whether the union and state government grants were used as per the guidelines. 

The committee would also check whether due procedures were followed while awarding contracts for the works under the mission, whether sufficient measures were taken to ensure the quality of works and whether any major flaws had been pointed out by any statutory authority. 

Subsequently the committee had inspected the smart city projects and reviewed its works at Chennai, Madurai and Salem. Now, he has submitted his report to the chief minister.