Srinagar, July 29: In a glaring instance of laxity, Jammu and Kashmir Government has miserably failed to set up infrastructure in educational sector under centrally sponsored program - Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) - despite massive funding from the Centre. The official documents reveal that meager 43 percent civil works have been completed under Centre’s flagship scheme in the state, since its inception here in 2002-03.
 The state’s tardy progress in undertaking civil works under SSA has come under sharp criticism at the Project Approval Board (PAB) meeting for Jammu and Kashmir for the year 2011-12. The meeting was held in New Delhi in May this year.
 “Cumulative completion rate is only 43 percent whereas the expenditure is 96 percent. This implies that there is possibility of substantial funds remaining parked at district and sub-district levels. The works sanctioned since 2002-03 are also pending. The progress with regard to civil works is very slow,” reveal the minutes of PAB meeting.
 According to the document, 5951 primary school buildings have been constructed in the state under the program against the target of 10178.
 Similarly, out of 1119 upper primary school buildings only 723 have been completed and only 6239 additional classrooms have been constructed against the target of 15354.
 Pertinently, thousands of students in the state are craving for infrastructure in government schools and the report submitted by Ministry of Human Resources Development to the Prime Minister’s office says that 6985 schools are building-less (without own buildings) in the state .
 However, the performance in construction of Block Resource Centers and Cluster Resources Centers has been slightly better. Against the target of 119 and 681 BRCs and CRCs, 89 and 546 have been respectively set up in the state.
 The documents also bring to fore the hotchpotch planning of the State Government in setting up the infrastructure under SSA.
 According to the documents, although State Project Director, SSA, had apprised the Centre that the State Government would bear the extra cost for purchasing timber, but the plan submitted during PAB meeting was different.
 “After a detailed discussion, PAB decided that MHRD will fund only school buildings sanctioned in 2010-11 and 2011-12 on which work had not commenced, provided the state supplies the estimates and design of steel trusses for sanction within a week from date of PAB. Schools sanctioned in earlier years, and which are at the various stages of construction, should be completed by additional resources from the State Government,” the documents further reveal.
 “The state was to supply the estimate and design of steel trusses within a week, which has not been received though time limit has elapsed. Hence it is not included in the costing, and will be considered separately.”
 Ironically, while other states have ensured Third Party monitoring of civil works under SSA, Jammu and Kashmir Government is yet to do the same.
 “State has not shown any progress in Commissioning Third party evaluation since inception of SSA,” the documents read.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 29 Jul 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 29 Jul 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 30 Jul 2012 00:00:00 IST