Sometime back it was pointed out that there are many projects all over the valley started at various times which have remained unfinished. It had been pointed out that some of the projects had remained unfinished due to change in political set ups.
It was suggested that there is urgent need to complete these projects especially those having public utility such as bridges, hospitals and so on.
It is most welcome that the government has taken notice and it has been decided to complete these unfinished projects. However, it has been mentioned in the government statement that most of these projects have remained unfinished because of the shortage of funds. Now, it has been proposed to borrow rupees 8,000 crores from various financial institutions to ensure completion of these projects through a newly created infrastructure development corporation. It has also been decided that only those projects which are essential and deserve completion should be taken up. Also a high powered committee of Administrative Secretaries has been constituted to oversee the completion of the deserving projects. It has also been decided that strict guidelines would be followed for selecting projects which are essential from a public standpoint.
These are all very appreciable steps and would give a boost to proper infrastructure development. In order to prevent similar situation in future, it is essential to incorporate various guidelines for such projects undertaken by different departments. It has been observed that most of these engineering projects do not have a strictly followed completion schedule. These are quite often converted into what the engineers and planners call, the on-going schemes without any specific completion date.
Strict guidelines need to be issued for completion of all these projects and any deviations should involve heavy penalties both for the executing agency and the officers of the concerned department. In fact, if possible, the government should constitute an independent authority of technical experts on the pattern of a consulting agency not connected with any particular department to check and oversee various infrastructural projects. This is the pattern followed in many countries especially in the Middle East. In addition, there is need to prioritize various projects from the point of public need and urgency. There are many projects which have lesser priority from the view point of the public need. As regards funding, it also needs to be ensured that the borrowed money does not get these projects mortgaged. The loans raised need to be liquidated regularly and on a fixed time schedule.