Jammu, Dec 2: To ensure social audit of development projects by the people, the Finance Department on Friday directed all the Drawing and Disbursing Officers (DDOs) to immediately update details of works in rural and urban areas on its Janbhagidari (empowerment) e-portal.
It also asked all Deputy Commissioners and Accounts Officers to update these details in respect of works taken under District Capex including that of DDC, BDC and PRI grants.
The directives have been issued after it has been brought to the notice of the department by the people that the details of projects are not being updated by the DDOs, neither in rural nor in urban areas on the BEAMS (Budget Estimation, Allocation and Monitoring System) portal.
Empowerment/Janbhagidari drive – a web-based initiative to bring transparency in the execution of works by enabling citizens to overview works or projects being implemented in their areas and become a partner in the process of development has been launched by the J&K government over the last one year.
It is a one stop interactive and user-friendly digital platform. It provides detailed insights to people into nature, status as well as number of developmental works that are being executed in their areas. Works can be searched with respect to their location in each block or municipality, villages and district.
The idea is to make the entire project planning and implementation process open to the general public who will be ultimate beneficiaries of the projects.
“However it has come to the notice of the Finance Department through general public that respective DDOs are not updating the details of the projects block or village wise in the rural areas and Municipal Committee or Council wise in the urban areas on the BEAMS portal as such people face difficulty in identification of the works location wise on the Empowerment/Janbhagidari portal,” Director General Budget, Finance Department stated.
“It is accordingly enjoined upon all the DDOs to immediately update block or village wise information of the works in the rural areas and Municipal Committee or Council wise works in the urban areas on the BEAMS portal enabling people to view projects that are being funded in their area, so that they can actively participate in the process of development,” DG Budget instructed.
He directed that the Treasury Officers would also ensure that complete location details along with geo-tagged photographs through PROOF APP should be uploaded on the jKPaySys portal by each DD0 while preferring bills in the treasuries.
“The information available on this one-stop platform can be accessed through www.janbhagidari.jk.gov.in and can be utilized by the people for social audit and timely feedback or suggestions or registering their complaints for improving expenditure outcomes in spirit of togetherness,” he said.