No exact time-frame for completion of 45 other infra works
Over 17,000 UDAAN trained youth yet to get job offers
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Oct 26: In a testimony of dilly-dallying approach, only 18 out of total 63 infrastructure projects sanctioned under the Prime Minister’s Development Package (PMDP) have been fully or substantially completed during the past nearly three and half years while as no exact time-frame has been fixed for the completion of remaining 45 projects of immense public importance.
Rs 80,068 crore worth Development Package for Jammu and Kashmir was announced by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 7, 2015 in order to meet special developmental needs of the State (going to be formally bifurcated into two Union Territories on October 31 as per the provisions of Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act).
A total of 63 infrastructure projects concerning various sectors such as road, power, new and renewable energy, tourism, health, education, water resources, sports, urban development, defence and textile etc relating to 15 Ministries/departments of the Government of India were identified under the Prime Minister’s Development Package.
It was announced at the time of sanctioning of PMDP that the package will be executed over a period of five years in a phased manner with annual disbursement depending on the spending capability of the State Government and the implementing agencies.
As on March 31, 2019, an amount of Rs 65,461.71 crore was sanctioned and Rs 30,049.05 crore was released under the package. However, out of 63 projects only 18 have been fully or substantially completed by the concerned implementing agencies, read report of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, the copy of which is available with EXCELSIOR.
About remaining 45 infrastructure projects, the report simply states: “These projects are at various stages of implementation”. “This clearly indicates that no exact time-frame has been fixed for the completion of remaining projects”, official sources said.
It is pertinent to mention here that EXCELSIOR a number of times highlighted dilly-dallying approach in the execution of the projects sanctioned under the Prime Minister’s Development Package despite repeated directions from the concerned Union Ministries.
On October 19, 2019, EXCELSIOR had exclusively reported that despite lapse of considerable period of time, work on Ladakh connectivity projects sanctioned under PMDP was going on at snail’s pace and are unlikely to be completed within the fixed time-frame leading to strong resentment among the people.
“If the concerned agencies could complete only 18 projects in nearly three and half years when the remaining 45 projects will be completed to provide benefit to the people remains a million dollar question”, sources said.
They further said, “the slackness is notwithstanding the fact that teams of several Union Ministries during their visits to Jammu and Kashmir not only conveyed displeasure over slow pace of work but also issued instructions to the implementing agencies and concerned bureaucrats for gearing up the activities”.
Pointing towards sanctioning of Rs 65,461.71 crore under the PMDP as on March 31, 2019, sources said, “had the necessary formalities been completed by the concerned officers of Jammu and Kashmir and implementing agencies entire amount could have been released by the Union Ministries so far”, adding “there may be some delay on the part of the Union Ministries in accord of approval but the concerned bureaucrats of Jammu and Kashmir are required to maintain regular contact with the Ministries so as to timely answer their queries/clarifications”.
As per the MHA report, over 17,000 youth trained under Special Industry Initiative titled “UDAAN” have yet not been offered jobs.
Under the scheme aimed at enhancing the skills and employability of unemployed youth of the State, as on March 31, 2019, 48,584 candidates were selected for training out of which 44,369 candidates joined the training.
Out of this, 38,798 candidates completed their training but jobs were offered to only 21,088 candidates and remaining over 17,000 candidates have yet not been offered jobs although scheme came to an end on December 31, 2018.
It is pertinent to mention here that based on the recommendations of the expert group constituted under the chairmanship of Dr C Rangarajan, the Government of India had launched UDAAN scheme in the nature of Public Private Partnership with the corporates of India.
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