Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, July 25: Positioning vital organs of the administration closer to the people and at centralized location, which was planned several years back, has yet not become reality in many districts as slackness and constraints of funds have been creating hurdles in the completion of work on Mini-Secretariats. Despite being aware of the fate of these buildings, the Government has not initiated any major step for their completion in a time-bound manner.
Following creation of new districts during the Congress-People’s Democratic Party Coalition Government headed by Ghulam Nabi Azad, a concept of constructing Mini-Secretariats in these districts was proposed so that the administration is located closer to the people.
Moreover, the concept was aimed at housing all the major Government departments under one roof in order to expedite file process, which in turn will expedite the pace of projects and programmes implementation.
Accordingly, the process of creation of Mini-Secretariats in these districts was set into motion from the year 2008 and funds were earmarked for the same. In the year 2011, the process to establish such Mini-Secretariats was also initiated in respect of tough terrain districts under State Task Force funding. In Jammu province, Doda and Poonch districts were selected under this source of funding.
As far as newly carved out districts are concerned, the construction of Mini-Secretariats in Kishtwar, Ramban, Reasi and Samba was started with much hype and even adequate funds were placed at the disposal of executing agencies. However, only Mini-Secretariat of Samba and Reasi could be completed almost on time but the fate of Mini-Secretariats at Kishtwar and Ramban is still hanging in balance despite lapse of more than six years.
The Mini-Secretariat at Kishtwar was to be completed in all respects by December 2014 (revised target) but its administrative block is yet to be fully completed although two blocks and a conference hall were inaugurated in the month of October last year. “The remaining work is going on and it would be completed shortly”, sources said while expressing inability to fix any specific time-frame for the same.
Despite repeated attempts to ascertain the time-frame required for completion of left over work, Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar, Mohammad Javed Khan didn’t pick up phone.
As far as Mini-Secretariat at Ramban is concerned, sources said that one block is yet to be completed due to the slackness on the part of construction agency despite the fact that work on the Mini-Secretariat was started in the year 2008.
“There is slackness on the part of the agency which was awarded the project as well as the sub-contractors engaged by it”, Deputy Commissioner Ramban, Farooq Shah Bukhari said, adding “I am not in a position to explain as to when this complex would be ready in all respects”.
As far as Mini-Secretariats in Doda and Poonch districts are concerned, sources said that in Doda district only one block has been constructed and made functional till date while as fate of remaining two blocks is still hanging in balance despite the fact that project was to be completed last year.
Only Rs 10 crore were sanctioned for the construction of Mini-Secretariat but when the Detailed Project Report was prepared the cost of entire complex was worked out at Rs 21 crore and this was the main reason behind slow pace of work, Deputy Commissioner, Doda, Bhupinder Singh said, adding “we are revisiting the designs of remaining two blocks so that they are completed within the overall earmarked money of Rs 10 crore”.
Similar is the fate of Mini-Secretariat at Poonch, which could not be completed till date both due to slackness on the part of project executing agency and shortage of funds, sources said while disclosing that like Mini-Secretariat at Doda, only Rs 10 crore were earmarked for this project but the actual cost has been worked out at much higher side.
It is pertinent to mention here that Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, while chairing the District Development Board meeting of Poonch recently, announced assistance of Rs 3 crore for completion of Mini-Secretariat.
“It is due to lack of proper planning that fate of Mini-Secretariats in four districts of Jammu province is hanging in balance despite lapse of several years”, sources said, adding “the prevailing situation demands the Government to release adequate funds and fix strict time-line for the executing agencies to complete the projects so that objective behind their planning could be achieved”.
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