DNA SPECIAL: CIDCO to appoint 2 monitors to review integrity pact

The state-run City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) will soon appoint two independent external monitors (IEMs) with a mandate to critically review the implementation of integrity pact with the contractor awarded the contract worth more than Rs 5 crore.

CIDCO's move to put in place third-party monitoring is crucial, especially since the undertaking has proposed an investment of Rs 32,000 crore in the development of a greenfield airport, Metro rail and construction of 52,000 dwelling units by the year 2025 in Navi Mumbai and surrounding areas.

CIDCO formulated its own integrity pact in 2015 which was developed by Transparency International as a tool for preventing corruption in public contracting.

An integrity pact is both a signed document and approach to public contracting which commits a contracting authority and bidders to comply with best practice and maximum transparency.

Such pacts have already been put in place with the appointment of IEMs by various central ministries and undertakings.

However, three years after such a pact, CIDCO has invited a bid for the first time for appointment of IEMs in consultation with the managing director and chief vigilance officer.

Retired civil servants from the Centre and the state government, retired judges of the Supreme Court and the high court and former chiefs and directors of public sector enterprises will be entitled to participate in the bidding process.

CIDCO's chief public relations officer Mohan Ninawe told DNA, "Integrity pact is binding between CIDCO and contractor for all contracts above Rs 5 crore. Transparency International monitors this activity. Now CIDCO proposes to appoint two IEMs as envisaged in the integrity pact.''

IEMs would have powers to review whether and to what extent parties have complied with their obligations under the integrity pact. They would have access to all contract documents and account books of the bidders.