Planned with an estimated cost of Rs.4.78 crores a new campus for the District Institute of Education and Training (DIET) for providing training to teachers was sanctioned for Pulwama nearly more than eight years ago. The construction of this campus was started in the year 2011 by the Roads and the Buildings (R&B) Department and all went smoothly till 2014 after which as usual with such projects, it started ailing on various counts.
Here the case in respect of the finances is different from the usual ones as full money was paid to the executing agency by the Government quite against the rules as the entire cost cannot be paid in one go and in advance but commensurate with stages of construction. Despite this relaxation, the executing agency faltered and failed to carry on the construction with the required pace. Since the period of construction got protracted, the cost escalation part of the finance is reported to have been not cleared by the Education Department, hence hiccups in the rhyme and rhythm of the construction work. Clearance of the pending bills is reported to be coming in between the handing over the building completed and the present position. Once it was done , the building is expected to be fully completed within three months period. There are other speculations namely about the political factor as reportedly there was some unwillingness on the part of the present Government to complete the project started by the earlier Government. Whatever the reasons, the matter needs to be sorted out and ensured that the building was completed at the earliest so that teachers are adequately trained in a good campus within a reasonable time.
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