SFailure of the state authorities to submit utilisation certificates (UCs) on time for various schemes, projects funded by central government is marring the developmental prospect of Jammu and Kashmir.
According to a senior government official,the failure of various head of the departments to submit UCs for work done onprojects, schemes funded by the central government is hampering the progress ofdevelopment.
“Several projects under PM developmentpackage of Rs 80,000 crore are also facing delay due to failure of theauthorities in J&K to submit UCs to the central government,” he said addingthat “onus lies on the state government to get the work done on time, and thenseek funds. There is laid proforma for funding in the central government, if wefinish one step and submit its UCs only then we can get more funds.”
Angry with the approach of the various heads of the departments,Finance Department has issued an order asking HODs to submit UCs on time, asnon-submission of utilisation certificates by various departments has beenimpacting the Centre’s fund flow, which in turn hampers J&K’s developmentscenario.
According to Finance Department, some departments either avoidfollow up or are indifferent towards submission of utilisation certificates tothe concerned ministries in Government of India, which “adversely impacts flowof funds and thus hampers the development of the state”.
The order read: “Centrally sponsored schemes play a pivotal rolein achieving desired levels of development in the state, therefore, importantto ensure expeditious implementation of such projects, which necessitatestimely submission of UCs and timely achievement of physical and financialmilestones.”
The government has directed the departmentsto ensure “regular follow-up” with the concerned ministries in the Governmentof India for accessing funds under centrally sponsored schemes and ensuretimely submission of utilisation certification.
Last year, a parliamentary standingcommittee had in its report said the progress on implementing the PrimeMinister’s development package was slow and a “poor outcome” had been achievedin the past 12 months.
“Observing this pattern of poor outcome in the past 12 months, thecommittee recommends that the Ministry of Home Affairs intensify efforts toachieve measurable outcome under the PM’s development package by speeding upthe work in the upcoming fiscal and implement all the projects at theearliest,” the panel had said.
The central government has so far sanctioned projects worth Rs66,300 crore as part of the Rs 80,068-crore special package for development ofJammu and Kashmir announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in November 2015,the Union Home Ministry had said in a statement.
Out of the 63 projects in the package covering various sectorslike road, power, health, education and tourism, a total of 13 projects havealready been completed, 44 are under implementation and six “verycomplex” projects are under various stages of processing, a ministrystatement had said.