Jammu, May 26: J&K government has created a Project Monitoring Unit (PMU) in the Finance department for maintenance; up-gradation and modifications of its (department’s) IT enabled systems.
PMU, being created initially for five years, is also tasked to look after the affairs of the Jammu and Kashmir Infrastructure Development Finance Corporation (JKIDFC) for payment of bills for the completion of the projects implemented through it (JKIDFC), debt servicing and other statutory compliances.
It (PMU) will be under direct control of Administrative Secretary, Finance Department, with an officer of the level of Additional Secretary or Joint Director well versed with these systems as the Nodal Officer.
Along with it in another significant decision, the government has also accorded sanction for funding of JKIDFC projects through budgetary route out of surplus revenue accruals (of JKIDFC with the government). It has also decided that after completion of the projects, the JKIDFC will cease to take any further languishing project in J&K.
JKIDFC was created by the J&K government in July, 2018 to raise loans up to Rs 8000 Cr to fund completion of over 6000 identified languishing projects. For servicing of the loans raised from various Financial Institutions or Nationalised Banks, dedicated revenue streams of Road tax, Electricity Duty, Toll Tax, timber extraction and water connections were streamlined for JKIDFC in particular.
In pursuance of the Administrative Council decision No 36/3/2023 dated April 25, 2023, PMU will be responsible for IT enabled systems being implemented in the Finance Department viz., Budget Estimation, Allocation and Monitoring System (BEAMS), JKPaySys, PROOF, EMPOWERMENT portal, E-Audit portal, Mera Vetan, GRAS, GPF system, DBT, PFMS and E-Billing System etc.
As per Secretary Finance Department Nitu Gupta, the manpower for the PMU will be hired on outsourcing basis as per S0-58 of 2019 dated December 31, 2019 and under the relevant provisions of the GFR 2017 through outsourcing.
“The PMU shall also look after the affairs of the JKIDFC as per existing structure for payment of bills furnished by PIAs on JKIMS portal for the completion of the projects implemented through JKIDFC, debt servicing and other statutory compliances. The services of the programmers or staff already hired on outsourcing basis on JKIMS or IFMS or JKIDFC projects shall also be taken in the PMU for immediate setting up of the PMU,” Gupta instructed.
The Secretary Finance Department has specified that the PMU will be created initially for a period of 5 years and as per the requirement of the department extended further with the approval of the competent authority.
“Further sanction is also accorded for funding of JKIDFC projects through budgetary route out of the surplus revenue accruals of JKIDFC with the Government. The procedure for day to day functioning of JKIDFC will remain as per the existing structure. After completion of the projects, the JKIDFC shall cease to take any further languishing project in J&K. The PMU or such other structure after five years, as deemed appropriate as stated above, shall service the debt repayments of loan taken by JKIDFC,” it has been directed.
