Rs 10 cr too sanctioned for residential accommodations
Warns against diversion of funds at any stage
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, July 6: Government of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has released Rs 17 crore for construction of offices of the Block Development Councils and District Development Councils and Rs 10 crore for construction of residential accommodations for the members of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs). However, the Government has warned against diversion of these funds at any stage and initiation of action in case of non-compliance of the conditions.
As per the details available with EXCELSIOR, an amount of Rs 41.85 crore was proposed during the current financial year (2023-24) for construction of office buildings of the Block Development Councils (BDCs) and District Development Councils (DDCs) and against this an amount of Rs 17.31 crore has been sanctioned by the Department of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj in favour of Director Rural Development Jammu/Kashmir under UT Capex Budget.
Similarly, an amount of Rs 29.42 crore was proposed during current financial year for construction of residential accommodations for the members of District Development Councils and Block Development Councils. Against this, an amount of Rs 10.73 crore has been sanctioned by the Department of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj in favour of Director Rural Development Jammu/Kashmir for its further release to the Chief Engineer Public Works (R&B) Department.
Rs 10.73 crore will be utilized for construction of residential accommodation apartments for PRIs/protected persons at Bandipora, 2 BHK residential accommodation at Kulgam, residential accommodation for DDC/PRI Members Jammu, 2 BHK accommodation at Birwan in Udhampur, residential accommodation at Poonch, 2 BHK residential apartments and dormitory at Drugmulla in Kupwara, residential accommodation for PRIs and protected persons at Gagren in Shopian etc.
It has been made clear in the funds authorization letters that works should be executed only after observing all procedural formalities in letter and spirit and after technical sanction by the competent authority. “The funds should be utilized for the specific purpose for which these have been released and no diversion shall be permissible at any stage”, the Government has mentioned and warned that non-adherence to the conditions will invite strict action.
“The project should be designed as per latest relevant Indian Standard (IS) Codes and specifications of PWD/CPWD and same should be checked by the Design Inspection and Quality Control (DIQC)/NIT”, the Government said, adding “while designing, adequate provisions should be incorporated for making the structures resistant to earthquakes and latest Highest Flood Level (HFL) has to be taken into consideration”.
The conditions laid down by the Government state: “The work done/allotted part of each project should be executed as per approved design, checked and vetted by the competent authority and payment for the same should be made on rates approved by the competent authorities in accordance with set codal procedures”.
“The lump-sum provisions, either in terms of percentage or fixed as made for certain components of each Detailed Project Report are provisional and shall be subject to detailed estimates based on actual details/requirements and relevant rates to be framed and approved by the competent authorities well before invitation of tenders in accordance with the set codal procedures”, the Government said, adding “it should be ensured that e-tendering mode is followed for fixation of the award of contract for execution of project and fragmentation of project, while tendering, is not allowed”.
It has been made clear that the contracts for executed/ allotted part of each project should be awarded on competitive and reasonable rates in accordance with set codal provisions and by following set guidelines/procedures governing the field.
According to the sources, work on office buildings of Block Development Councils and District Development Councils is already going on and these funds have been released to ensure that pace of work doesn’t get stalled or slowed-down.
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