*Key deptts’ slackness puts brakes on implementation of policy
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Apr 24: The much talked about policy of taking up infrastructural projects under Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode in view of scarce resources of Jammu and Kashmir has failed to take off as Administrative Secretaries of eight key departments are soft-paddling on the decision of the State Cabinet, which was taken nearly five months back.
The State Cabinet in its meeting held on December 2, 2015 under the chairmanship of the then Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed had given nod to the implementation of Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode for funding infrastructure in key sectors so that scarce resources of the State don’t create any more impediments in the development and augmentation of infrastructure.
It was observed by the Cabinet that projects under PPP mode would boost the infrastructure development by bringing additional resources, technical expertise and efficiency in project implementation. It was decided that all the line departments would immediately identify the projects to be undertaken in PPP mode.
In order to facilitate development of infrastructure under this mode, a PPP cell was established in the Finance Department to coordinate all infrastructural projects to be taken in the sectors of roads, tourism, housing, urban, sports, technical education, health, horticulture and industries and mining.
Taking a leap forward in implementation of the PPP mode in the identified sectors, on December 9, 2015 the Government constituted a Steering Committee with Chief Secretary B R Sharma as its Chairman and Administrative Secretaries of Finance, Planning, Revenue and Law as its members. The mandate of this Committee was to oversee the selection, formulation and implementation of the PPP within the laid down time lines.
Despite all these initiatives, the policy has failed to take off during the past nearly five months mainly because of the slackness of the Administrative Secretaries of 8 key departments, highly placed official sources told EXCELSIOR.
Only Estates Department has identified two projects and submitted the details to the Finance Department for concurrence while as none of the other eight departments have come up with projects to be taken up under PPP mode.
“It is a matter of serious concern that eight Administrative Secretaries have taken the decision of State Cabinet, a highest body to decide on important issues, so casually”, sources said, adding “the Steering Committee cannot absolve itself on the issue as it had the mandate to oversee the selection and formulation of projects for PPP mode”.
Disclosing that even the Steering Committee has not met even once since its constitution, sources said, “due to soft-paddling on the part of eight Administrative Secretaries the initiative of fast tracking development and construction of projects in various sectors has suffered a setback”, adding “it is matter of serious concern that this mode to cope up with infrastructure deficit in crucial sectors, which is widely accepted in many States of the country, is not being followed in Jammu and Kashmir till date”.
When contacted, a senior officer in the Finance Department confirmed that only Estates Department has submitted details of two projects while as other identified departments have yet not come up with the projects. “This is notwithstanding the fact that assistance is also available from the PPP Cell as well as Steering Committee”, he added.
According to the sources, Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti may take serious note of slackness in identification of projects for PPP mode and explicit directions for adherence in time-bound manner are likely from her Secretariat in near future.
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