Each deptt to appoint nodal officer for effective follow-up
Efforts being made to overcome problem of low funding
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Sept 9: Government of Jammu and Kashmir has directed all the Administrative Secretaries to present report card about the implementation of Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) and the future plans before the Union Ministers visiting the Union Territory as part of Phase-II of Public Outreach Programme.
Further, they have been asked to ensure that there is proper follow up with the concerned Union Ministry after the winding up of Ministers’ visit so that there remains no hurdle in release of funds, which at present are relatively low.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that detailed discussion on the visit of Union Ministers as part of Phase-II of Public Outreach Programme was held in a high-level meeting chaired by the Chief Secretary Dr Arun Kumar Mehta few days back and accordingly a strategy was chalked out so that performance in the implementation of Centrally Sponsored Schemes ever since the creation of J&K Union Territory is effectively projected for appraisal of the Union Government.
“The Chief Secretary has directed all the Administrative Secretaries to prepare a note highlighting achievements of their respective departments in the implementation of the Centrally Sponsored Schemes and present the same before the concerned visiting Union Minister”, sources said, adding “moreover, the Administrative Secretaries will also project before the Ministers the issues being faced in effective implementation of the schemes and programmes of the Government of India and the future plans within and beyond the scope of the schemes”.
Further, the Administrative Secretaries will project the areas in which the assistance is required from the concerned Union Ministries. “A detailed exercise is already on in this regard in the respective departments at the Civil Secretariat level and Planning Development and Monitoring Department is coordinating with all other departments”, sources said.
They (Administrative Secretaries) will also apprise the concerned Union Ministers about the steps being taken in their respective department for implementation of Centrally Sponsored Schemes strictly as per the new guidelines issued by the concerned Union Ministries as well as Department of Expenditure of the Union Finance Ministry.
“The Chief Secretary has further asked the Administrative Secretaries to vigorously project before the visiting Ministers the problem of relatively low funding for J&K UT under various Centrally Sponsored Schemes so that all the impediments are removed in a time bound manner and flow of funds increases to the desired level”, sources informed.
Moreover, all the Administrative Secretaries have been explicitly told to designate nodal officer so that at the end of the visit, issues on which follow-up is required to be taken by the Government of Jammu and Kashmir with the concerned Ministry in the Central Government are properly recorded and timely chased.
“While the nodal officers will coordinate in the Union Ministries as the lower level the concerned Administrative Secretaries of J&K will be in constant touch with the Union Secretaries so as to obtain optimum benefit of the opportunity of flagging achievements and issues before the Ministers during the Public Outreach Programme”, sources said.
Apart from the Administrative Secretaries, the District Development Commissioner of the concerned district will also apprise the visiting Union Ministers about the developmental activities going on the field in coordination with all the three-tiers of the Panchayati Raj System.
It is pertinent to mention here that a dedicated cell has already been constituted in the General Administration Department to coordinate the visits of Union Minister and Planning Department is compiling the department-wise presentations and plan project inaugurations.
During the visit, the Union Ministers will have direct interaction with the people and representatives of the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and on the conclusion of their visit a detailed report will be submitted to the Ministry of Home Affairs and Prime Minister’s Office.
While issues pertaining to the Centrally Sponsored Schemes will be resolved by the concerned Ministries, those to be raised by the people and fall purely in the domain of the J&K Government will be communicated to the Lieutenant Governor and the Chief Secretary.
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