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Accounts / Audit

Pune Municipal Corporation plans audit of IT network

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The Times of India                29.10.2013

Pune Municipal Corporation plans audit of IT network

PUNE: The civic administration has planned a cyber audit of its entire network to make its information technology systems safe and hack proof.

"This is the first time such a comprehensive audit will be carried out in the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC). The network system, internet network and system applications will be assessed. The aim of the project is to protect and enhance data security. The project also aims to guide the civic administration to make the computer system hack proof," an official from the civic IT department told TOI on the condition of anonymity.

The official added that the auditors will study 120 locations from where the computer systems operate. The 40 server rooms will also be scanned in the process. "Key establishments, including ward offices, hospitals and important PMC offices will be assessed. International experts accredited to carry out such operations will work on the project," he said.

The PMC also plans to have a cyber security audit system in place to curb misuse and avoid inaccuracies in its online services. The civic administration has tabled a proposal before the standing committee, seeking approval to allocate the audit work order worth Rs 67.41 lakh to a private IT agency. The proposal will come up before the standing committee on Tuesday.

A cyber security audit is a review and analysis of management, operational, and technical controls. The auditor can obtain valuable information about activity on a computer system from the audit trace. It will provide solutions to help accomplish several security-related objectives, including individual accountability, reconstruction of events (actions that happen on a computer system), intrusion detection, and problem analysis according to the PMC.

The official added that the agency will have to carry out an audit of online issuance of birth and death certificates, water billing, property tax assessment and collection system, building permission, Auto DCR system, e-tenders and local body tax systems. Following the audit, the department concerned will carry out the necessary changes and update their computer system as per the recommendations of the audit report.

The PMC is implementing an e-governance project under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission. As part of the project, it plans to provide online services where citizens can get birth and death certificates, water bills, property tax documents and building permission online. The civic body wants an audit system in place to make the service flawless. 

 

PCMC to conduct audit of civic buildings

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The Times of India            12.09.2013

PCMC to conduct audit of civic buildings

PUNE: The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) will conduct a structural audit of its properties that are more than 30 years old. The assessment of other important civic properties will be carried out in the second phase.

Speaking to TOI, engineering department spokesperson Shirish Poreddy said, "PCMC will soon start the audit work. It has also finalised a panel of seven structural engineers who will be authorised to conduct the structural audit of private buildings in the municipal limits at the rates approved by the civic body. The standing committee on Tuesday approved the panel and the audit rates for various types of buildings."

He said the civic body will only assess the buildings it owns. Owners of private buildings will have to do the exercise at their own expense. "The civic body cannot force them to carry out the audit, but it is advisable for owners of old private buildings to get the buildings assessed so that strengthening measures can be taken to avoid any mishap," Poreddy said.

A civic official said citizens who think their building is too old and needs to be strengthened can approach the engineering department for details of the structural audit rates and the panel.

The resolution approved by the committee also said in the second phase, the civic body will conduct a structural audit of the PCMC main office building, zonal offices, property tax divisional offices, hospitals, dispensaries, auditoriums and municipal schools, among other buildings.

 

BMC to carry out fresh structural audits of 959 dilapidated buildings

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The Indian Express              27.06.2013

BMC to carry out fresh structural audits of 959 dilapidated buildings

The BMC standing committee has asked the administration to undertake a fresh audit of the 959 structures declared 'dangerous and dilapidated' within 15 days. The decision comes after complaints by citizens that their recently renovated structures have been categorised as dilapidated to favour builders.

"We have asked the civic administration to look into these complaints and give us a report in 15 days. We have also asked the BMC to conduct another structural audit of the buildings categorised dangerous and dilapidated," said standing committee chairman Rahul Shewale.

The committee also proposed that dilapidated chawls in the suburbs be allowed an FSI of 3 for redevelopment. Currently, an FSI of 1 is granted to chawls which can be increased to 2 after builders pay a premium and transfer of development rights (TDR).

"The redevelopment of chawls in the suburbs is hampered as the structures get an FSI of 2. Chawl redevelopment in the island city is given an FSI of 4 while slum redevelopment gets 3. Because of this discrimination, people continue to live in dilapidated structures. The state must take a serious view of this," said BJP leader Dilip Patel.

"With the Rs 300 crore allotted for repairing dilapidated structures, the corporation can undertake the repairs of even privately-owned extremely dilapidated structures under section 353 (B) of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act. As a policy, we have asked the BMC to carry this out," he added.

The committee has also asked the corporation to survey all buildings and present a 'white paper'. "We want the history of the building, its current status, information on owners, tenants, and structural audits. The report should be given to us in a month. The committee believes a separate department should be created for looking at these issues," said Shewale.

The committee has also urged the urban development department to approve a pending policy which would empower BMC to register and regulate builders.

Additional municipal commissioner Rajeev Jalota said, "BMC is working on a policy for redevelopment of private dilapidated structures. Currently, over 60 engineers from the Building Proposals department are looking into the issue. There is no need to form a new department."

 


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