The government of Jammu and Kashmir has spent only 28 percent or Rs 2300 crore during the last financial year out of the Rs 8000 crore released under the Prime Minister’s Developmental Program, pointing to a high degree of inefficiency.
The information came to fore during a recent meetingconvened by advisor to Governor K Skandan to review the capex budget of thefinancial year 2019-20.
In the meeting, the government departments were slammed overdismal performance under PMDP during the last financial year. Theadministrative secretaries were asked to identify and remove bottlenecks fortimely execution of developmental works budgeted for current financial yearunder PMDP.
“The government departments were asked to furnish timelyUtilisation Certificates (UCs) to government of India for leveraging more fundsunder centrally sponsored schemes,” read the minutes of the meeting released bythe government.
The meeting was convened on May 7 and was attended by alladvisors, chief secretary and administrative secretaries of variousdepartments.
Principal Secretary, finance department raised concerns overthe slow pace of developmental works and expenditure during the first month ofcurrent financial “primarily due to model code of conduct” and askedthe departments to make up the lost time.
“The administrative secretaries were asked to point outissues faced in execution of works in timely manner,” the meeting minutes read.
The state’s chief secretary has expressed concern over slowpace of development works and asked the government departments that theproblems caused due to past legacies need to be addressed.
“New works need to be completed timely while ensuringcomplete adherence to the pre-requisite formalities,” read the minutes.
The district deputy commissioners were also asked toidentify the cause of delay in works in consultation with all the governmentdepartments.
In the meeting, the advisors have opposed allotment of worksgiven on nomination basis and asked the departments to strictly avoid thepractice.
“Such practice is highly undesirable and defeats the purposeof actual discovery of price. It is against norms and canon of financialpropriety,” read the minutes.
It was stated in the meeting that allotment of works onnomination basis was also against the law as laid down by the Supreme Court.
In wake of this, the government departments includingcorporations, JKPSCC, Police Housing corporations were asked to followtendering process for allotment of works.
The administrative secretaries were also slammed for notfurnishing bills of the works approved under languishing projects.
According to the minutes of the meeting, the government haslaid down the target of 1000 project to be completed during the currentfinancial year.
The advisors and the chief secretary also pulled up theadministrative secretaries and deputy commissioners for not submitting stateplans and district plans of developmental works.
Meanwhile, the deputy commissioners who attended the meetingthrough video conference raised concern over dismal allocation under districtcapex budget particularly under agriculture and allied sectors.