Data from a nationwide audit has revealed that 23.7 percent of key construction projects necessary for China's economic growth are behind schedule, according to a report by China Daily.
According to the National Audit Office, the 193 slow-moving projects include key railway, road, telecommunications and infrastructure programs worth 286.9 billion yuan ($45.2 billion).
The office has monitored 29 province-level regions, 29 central departments and seven state-owned enterprises during the month of August to assess their efforts in stimulating growth in the economy.
The development comes amid the central government's increased spending on major infrastructure projects to counter the relatively slow economic growth.
As of the end of August, only 99 out of 333 railway projects have been initiated so far and they are currently halfway through the construction process. These projects alone involve 173.7 billion yuan in planned spending for 2015.
Furthermore, progress in state highway systems, telecommunications and in agricultural improvements has failed to meet expectations.
According to the State Council inspection team, poor preparation is to blame for the current delays in the projects. The team also cites a report by Xinhua News Agency which revealed the case of a subway construction team encountering unexpected problems. The team states that setbacks could have been avoided with better planning.
In big cities, the problem is exacerbated when the application for project permits constantly goes through a lengthy and tedious process.
With a property market entering a cool down phase and external demand in free fall, China's economy has hit a relatively low spot. It has incurred a growth of only 7 percent in the first six months.