Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Oct 11: Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo, today chaired a review meeting of the Public Works Department (PWD) to assess the progress of road and bridge construction works being executed under various phases of the Pradhan Mantri Gram SadakYojana (PMGSY) across J&K.
The meeting was attended by Additional Chief Secretary, PWD; Development Commissioner (Works); Chief Engineers; and other senior officers of the department. All Deputy Commissioners participated through video conferencing.
At the outset, the Chief Secretary emphasized the critical importance of timely completion of road projects under PMGSY Phases I and II. He directed the concerned officers to make every possible effort to ensure the execution of all pending works within the stipulated timelines. He further instructed that clear responsibility be fixed in cases where works remain incomplete or unexecuted due to any avoidable reasons.
Underscoring the need for stronger on-ground supervision, the Chief Secretary called for the designation of senior officers to oversee the progress of PMGSY works on a regular basis. These officers, he directed, should undertake frequent site visits and ensure that site engineers maintain daily monitoring of both the quality and quantity of work being executed.
The Chief Secretary also directed that Executive Engineers and Assistant Executive Engineers be required to conduct regular field inspections, with their movements and site visits tracked and monitored at the highest levels within the department. He remarked that the role of engineers lies more in the field where the work is executed than in the confines of their offices.
During the meeting, the Chief Secretary reviewed the status of works taken up under later phases of PMGSY, seeking detailed information regarding projects sanctioned, completed, ongoing, and pending, along with their physical progress and expected dates of completion.
He also reviewed in detail the works proposed under PMGSY Phase IV, including those aimed at connecting vibrant villages in frontier areas. He took stock of the status of forest clearances required for several such road projects to ensure that procedural delays are minimized.
Meanwhile, Chief Secretary chaired a high-level meeting to review the measures being taken by the Industries & Commerce Department for promotion and development of the handicrafts and handloom sectors in J&K.
The meeting was attended by Commissioner Secretary, Industries & Commerce; Director, Handicrafts & Handloom, Kashmir/Jammu; Director, Indian Institute of Carpet Technology (IICT); and other senior officers of the department.
At the outset, the Chief Secretary took stock of the initiatives undertaken to support local artisans and weavers, strengthen testing facilities, and promote genuine hand-made products across the UT.
He underscored the importance of enhancing the testing capacity of existing laboratories and directed for establishment of a robust mechanism for traceability and QR-code based tracking of all Geographical Indication (GI) tagged items. He asked the department to ensure implementation of this digital traceability system by the end of the year without fail.
The Chief Secretary also stressed upon timely grounding of key projects including Ekta Malls in Srinagar and Jammu, besides taking forward other branding and promotion initiatives aimed at giving global recognition to J&K’s traditional crafts.
While reviewing the progress on creation of Wool and Silk Villages, Common Facility Centre for Yarn Dyeing, establishment of the Indian Institute of Textiles at Basohli, Sericulture Park, and Craft-based Resource Centre, the Chief Secretary directed the concerned officers to expedite completion of these projects.
He also advised the department to explore possibilities of NSQF accreditation for its training centres, courses, and trainers to enhance employability and credibility of skilled trainees.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
