Madam Speaker, the Land Drainage Authority Act 2017 was proclaimed on 22 May 2018, and the Land Drainage Authority became operational on 01 June 2018. Madam Speaker, I wish to highlight that the LDA does not implement drain projects. Rather, it is the spearheading body of the National Flood Management Programme. As such, it allocates drains projects to implementing agencies, which are the National Development Unit, the Road Development Authority, the Drains Infrastructure Construction Ltd and local authorities. Madam Speaker, with regard to the DICL, I am informed that a total number of 58 drain projects had been allocated to it by the LDA. A status on the project is as follows – (a) 4 projects for a total amount of Rs281,735,292.99 have been completed; (b) 10 projects for a total amount of some Rs1.4 billion are under construction; (c) 11 projects estimated at Rs2.4 billion are at bidding stage; (d) 20 projects estimated at Rs2.1 billion are at design stage, and (e) the remaining 13 projects, financial clearance of approximately Rs2.1 billion is awaited from the Ministry of Finance. Thank you.

Yes!

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Merci, Madame. I would like to ask the hon. Minister whether he is satisfied with only 4 projects completed to date since the inception of the LDA and the structure that has been established for executing the drain projects?

Obviously, I am not satisfied with only 4 projects. But we have to realise also that it is quite complex. There is a complexity in the designing and the bidding process because we are talking of billions of rupees. We have a land drainage master plan, on which the Land Drainage Authority based itself to prepare all the plans and where we are going to construct the drains. So, obviously, I am not satisfied, and we will review things.

Hon. Minister, I would humbly request you, whether it is possible to speed up, especially in terms of allocation of resources to executing bodies like the NDU, RDA, DICL and the local authorities, which very often tend to rely on financial resources from the LDA to execute the projects?

I must say they do not rely on financial clearance from the LDA. They rely on financial clearance from the Ministry of Finance because we must get finance first to undergo projects. But we must also be fair; at times, we get many complexities, like the right of entry on the lands and the acquisition of lands. All these take time. At times, you get owners who are reluctant to put their land at the disposal of government. So, all these make the project delayed.

Okay. Next question, hon. Third Member for Port Louis South and Port Louis Central! CWA – CHIEF INTERNAL AUDITOR & OTHER STAFF – RESIGNATION CAUSES