Srinagar, Sept 23: A high-level central team is visiting Jammu and Kashmir shortly to review implementation of various centrally-sponsored schemes on which the state’s performance has been dismal.
Sources told Greater Kashmir the cabinet secretary, KM Chandrasekhar, would be arriving here on October 5 over the head of a dozen-strong multi-discipline team of secretaries.
“The purpose of the visit is mainly to asses the implementation of central projects executed by state agencies in different sectors. It will take review the pace of works,” sources said, adding the team was earlier scheduled to visit on 25th of this month.
Talking to Greater Kashmir, a senior minister said the team would review the pace of work on central projects being executed by both central as well as state agencies. “There should be checks and balances on implementation of the schemes,” he said.
In a self-indicting revelation, the state government had admitted during the recently held   assembly session the dismal performance in implementation of the flagship Prime Minister’s Reconstruction Program since its launch in 2004-05. Out of Rs 30,000 crore, the state had spent only Rs 6,000 crore.
Giving the break-up of funds earmarked and spent under the PMRP, the government had said that only Rs 2,789 crore out of Rs 6,052 crore had been spent by the state under the state sector projects and  Rs 734 crore out of Rs 4,751 crore had been spent under the central sector projects.
Shockingly, under central sector projects to be implemented by the central agencies, the expenditure on different projects has been the lowest with only Rs 2,814 crore out of Rs 18,455 crore.
Sources said said there were many central sector schemes to be executed by the state agencies like lifting of drinking water from Jehlum River at Tangnar in Pantha Chowk coming up at as cost of Rs 140 crore besides Rafiabad lift scheme at a cost of Rs 70 to Rs 80 crore.
The state agencies, sources said, were yet to start work on many projects under the sector which included Rs 1,470 crore and Rs 1,741 crore Swerage and Drainage for Greater Greater Jammu and Greater Greater Srinagar respectively besides a project of Rs 552 crore for augmentation of water supply in Jammu.
“Obviously, the state government will have to explain the reason for slow or no work on different projects,” sources said, adding the lack of funding for the projects was one of the reason for delay in their completion.
Pertinently, the PMRP had expired in March 2009. However, the government is hopeful that government of India will extend it.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 23 Sep 2009 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 23 Sep 2009 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 24 Sep 2009 00:00:00 IST