No follow-up action on Govt directives, CAG’s report
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Nov 28: Notwithstanding repeated directions from successive R&B Ministers and recommendations of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, the much-needed revamp of Jammu and Kashmir Projects Construction Corporation (JKPCC) has not begun so far due to sluggishness on the part of those who remained at the helm of affairs in this Corporation.
This clearly indicates that nobody in this Corporation wants to run it on professional lines and everybody is content with its present status despite the fact that it has huge potential to become major profitable company of the Government.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that the then Minister for R&B Altaf Bukhari while chairing the review meeting of Jammu and Kashmir Projects Construction Corporation on July 10, 2015 had underlined the need for running the Corporation on professional lines to increase its profitability. He had even directed the senior officers of the Corporation to expand its ambit by participating in national level biddings.
As there was no follow-up action the then R&B Minister, while chairing Board of Directors meeting of JKPCC on December 30, 2015, reiterated his earlier directions. He explicitly told the JKPCC that instead of only looking towards the State Government for contracts, the Corporation should immediately set into motion the process for participation in various competitive biddings at national level.
“There is much scope for the Corporation to execute major infrastructure development projects within the State like development of Cluster Universities, power and road projects as this will immensely help in increasing the income of the Corporation”, he had stated.
However, neither revival or growth plan was prepared nor interest was shown in bidding process for mega projects within and outside the State, which was viewed seriously by the present R&B Minister Naeem Akhtar while chairing meeting of JKPCC on February 18, 2017. “This Corporation has a huge potential to become a mega job provider in the State by utilizing the services of large pool of unemployed engineers for the development of State”, Naeem Akhtar had told the JKPCC top brass.
He had directed the officers of JKPCC to prepare a growth plan and provide a sketch to the Government on how the organization could be revamped on a large scale. “An organization of this side which has been able to generate Rs 400 crore could be pushed to generate Rs 4000 crore revenue if Corporation starts laying hands on the national and international projects”, the R&B Minister had stressed.
“But till date neither any comprehensive revival or growth plan has been prepared till date nor modalities worked out for creating separate divisions each for bridges, buildings, roads and mechanical works”, sources informed, adding “it is a matter of concern that while numerous private companies have won contracts for mega developmental projects in the length and breadth of Jammu and Kashmir the Corporation is content with the works being awarded by the Government agencies only”.
“At a time when Union Government is very liberal in providing funds for overall development of J&K the Corporation has a golden opportunity to provide its worth”, sources said while regretting that on one side it is claimed that engineers of J&K are best in the country and on the other side their services are not being used for infusing new lease of life in the Corporation.
“The intensity of sluggishness on the part of JKPCC authorities can be gauged from the inordinate delay in execution of many projects awarded by the Government”, sources regretted.
When contacted, Minister for R&B Naeem Akhtar said, “the Corporation had conducted some exercise vis-à-vis revival/growth plan but I was not satisfied with the same”, adding “in the last meeting some outlines were given to the officers and now Corporation has been asked to complete the assigned task within shortest possible time so that necessary steps could be taken for making it a most profitable venture”.
He said that for achieving the objective behind directions issued from time to time Advisor Infrastructure to the Government has also been included in the Board of Directors of the Corporation. “His services would be of immense help in much-needed revamp of JKPCC”, he added.
It is pertinent to mention here that Comptroller and Auditor General of India, while dealing with certain aspects of JKPCC some years back, had also laid stress on complete revamp of the Corporation in order to make it a most profitable venture. The CAG too had suggested participation of Corporation in the national and international level biddings.
Follow our WhatsApp channel