In a major push to infrastructure development in Kashmir, Governor Administration has allocated Rs 548 crore for completion of 221 languishing projects which have been abandoned due to paucity of funds by previous regimes.
A senior Public Works Department official informed that of221 languishing projects sanctioned for completion, 123 bridges, 86 roadprojects and 12 incomplete buildings are to be completed with the amountearmarked by the government in Kashmir division.
“Some of these projects are pending for over two decades.Governor Administration decision to fund these projects under JKIDFC (Jammu andKashmir Infrastructure Development Corporation) funding will give impetus toinfrastructure upliftment in the valley,” he said.
Speaking to Greater Kashmir, Chief Engineer, Roads andBuildings Department, Sami Arif said that Rs 548 crore have been earmarked forKashmir region to complete work on 221 languishing projects.
“We have set 2021 as deadline for completing all theseprojects. However, some of these projects would be completed by the end of thisyear,” he said, adding that major thrust has been given to bridges and roadconnectivity projects.
Under JKIDFC funding, Governor’s Administration has set anambitious target to complete 1717 languishing projects under various governmentdepartments by the end of this year.
An order issued by the Finance Department has asked all theadministrative secretaries to give monthly progress report of the work done onlanguishing projects taken up for completion under Jammu and KashmirInfrastructure Development Corporation (JKIDFC) funding.
According to the details of 1717 languishing projects to becompleted by the end of this year, major share is of Public Health Engineeringand Irrigation and Flood Control Department having 700 languishing projectsfollowed by Public Works (R&B) Department 300 and Power DevelopmentDepartment 168.
A total of 111 projects of School Education department, 103of Health and Medical Education department, 79 of Industries and Commerce, 73of Rural Development Department, 65 of Youth Services and Sports and 62projects of Ladakh Affairs Department are also in the list of 1717 projects tobe completed by the end of 2019.
These 1717 languishing projects will be completed underlanguishing scheme funded by the Jammu and Kashmir Infrastructure Finance. TheState Administrative Council (SAC) in order to complete the languishingprojects has established JKIDFC to raise loan of Rs 8000 crore.
An order issued by the Finance Department has asked all theadministrative secretaries to give monthly progress report of the work done onlanguishing projects taken up for completion
A tentative assessment by the planning, development andmonitoring department indicated that incomplete projects worth over Rs 10000crore were at various stages and that over Rs 6000 crore would be required tocomplete all of them in one go.
Planning Department has further analyzed that sixdepartments namely PW(R&B), PHE/I&FC, School Education, Higher Education,Youth Services and Sports, Health and Medical Education and Tourism takentogether accounted for nearly two thirds of the total unfunded burden. Theprojects in these six departments alone account for nearly Rs 4000 crore.