LG draws 22 days schedule for high-level meetings
*Strengthening Panchayats high on agenda
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Nov 11: With a view to get feedback of all Government Departments in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, Lieutenant Governor Girish Chandra Murmu has initiated 22-day long exercise to review and boost their working, give pace to developmental projects and release additional funds wherever required.
Investment Summit, Prime Minister’s Development Package (PMDP), Issue of Kashmiri Pandits, Panchayats, Jammu and Kashmir Bank and Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) were among the major issues and Departments whose working will be reviewed and issues addressed by the first Lieutenant Governor of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, sources told the Excelsior.
The review of Departments that began today will last till December 2, they said.
Worthwhile to mention here that the District Development Boards have already been dissolved in Jammu and Kashmir while the District Planning and Development Boards (DPDBs), which would form third tier of the Panchayati Raj System, are yet to be constituted in the Union Territory.
Additional funds for the developmental projects and the Departments could be released depending upon projection given by the Administrative Secretaries and other senior officers of the Departments, sources said.
This is for the first time that the head of the Union Territory (erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir) has himself initiated such a major exercise to review working of each and every Department. Generally the district wise working was reviewed by the Chairpersons of the District Development Boards (DDBs).
“Review of flagship programmes of the Central Government is top priority of the Union Territory Government,” sources said, adding the Government wants that projects shouldn’t miss deadlines.
The Lieutenant Governor will be reviewing holding of `Investment Summit” in Jammu and Kashmir by the Industries and Commerce Department on November 14. The Government had announced holding of first-ever `Investors Summit’ in Srinagar, the summer capital of the Union Territory, in the month of October, but later deferred it to 2020.
Only the other day, Himachal Pradesh, the neighbouring State of Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory, had organized the ‘Investors Summit’ which was addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Sources said the Lieutenant Governor could discuss venue and timing for the ‘Investors Summit’ as situation was gradually returning to normal in the Kashmir valley but it will be harsh winter ahead in most of the parts of the Union Territory till March next.
Prime Minister’s Development Package (PMD) is slated for review on November 28. The Planning, Development and Monitoring Department is the nodal agency for implementation of the PMDP.
There have been reports that several projects under Rs 80,068 crore worth PMDP have jumped timelines and their cost has gone up manifold. Even Rs 80068 worth PMDP, which was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in November 2015, has already crossed Rs one lakh crore mark, sources pointed out.
The Central and State Governments proposed to give major boost to the projects under the PMDP to ensure that they don’t miss further deadlines, they said.
Strengthening of Panchayats, which has been major priority area of the Central Government for Jammu and Kashmir especially after successful conduct of Panchayat elections followed by the Block Development Councils (BDCs), will be reviewed by the Lieutenant Governor on November 20 with top officials of the Rural Development Department.
According to sources, the Government proposed to hold elections to vacancies in the Panchayats as well as the third tier of Panchayati Raj System, and the District Planning and Development Boards (DPDBs).
Never in the history of Jammu and Kashmir, elections have been held to the Block Development Councils and District Planning and Development Boards.
Murmu will also be reviewing working of Jammu and Kashmir Bank and Anti-Corruption Bureau jointly on November 26, sources said, adding the joint review was necessitated as the ACB has registered number of cases against former top brass of the Bank pertaining to scams running into hundreds of crores.
Metro network for Jammu and Srinagar will also come up for high-level review on November 26, sources said, adding the Central Government’s prestigious scheme of `Har Ghar Nal (tap in every house)’ will be reviewed on November 26 in the afternoon.
Power sector is schedule to come up for a review on November 14.
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