JK governor seeks list of pending development projects

Jammu and Kashmir Governor N N Vohra today asked the Planning, Development and Monitoring Department to urgently prepare a comprehensive state-wide list of development projects pending for want of financial resources.

The direction was issued at a high level meeting convened to review the status of public works here this afternoon.

The governor also called for an assessment of the total funds required to complete all such projects in the next two years.

Vohra said he would request the government of India for a one-time sanction of a special grant to complete all pending projects after a reliable assessment was drawn up by the chief secretary.

He recalled that during recent visits to various districts in all three regions of the state, he had observed a number of long-standing projects were pending for want of resources.

There are a good number of projects which were taken up without the requisite approvals but need to be completed to salvage the large expenditures already incurred, the governor said.

He asked the chief secretary to study the aforesaid two categories of cases, involving very large expenditures already made, and advise on the kind of systemic procedures to be put in place to ensure against unauthorized sanctions of building works in the future.

He advised all administrative secretaries to maintain strict fiscal discipline and ensure that a development work commences only after accord of financial approval and availability of adequate financial resources.

The governor asked the chief secretary to evolve a scheme for instituting annual awards to recognise and reward engineers, construction companies and contractors whose work was commendable.

He also called for incentivising executing agencies for completion of developmental projects ahead of the scheduled time while maintaining the requisite specifications and quality of work.

Such a move, he said, will go a long way in encouraging best practices in the execution of construction works.

The governor also called for installing plaques on building complexes which give the cost of the project, the construction agency/ name of contractor and the dates of commencement and completion.

In the context of his review of the upcoming Government Medical College at Doda, Vohra asked the chief secretary to urgently constitute a committee to coordinate all activities relating to the timely completion of five medical colleges that are coming up at Anantnag, Baramulla, Kathua, Rajouri and Doda.

This committee would supervise construction work, timely procurement of medical equipments, engagement of faculty, nursing and paramedical staff.

He also asked the chief secretary to examine the legal requirements to ensure that a certain number of medical graduates are liable to serve in J&K for a specified period.