J&K: 5 years on, sports infrastructure projects under PMDP yet to be ready

Jammu, May 28:

Jammu and Kashmir Government’s tall claims of promoting sports on priority with world class infrastructure appears to have almost fallen flat as even after five years of its launch, work on 11 indoor sports complexes, renovation-cum upgradation of few and water sports centre at Ranjit Sagar Dam sanctioned under Prime Minister’s Development Package (PMDP) is still in progress across the Union Territory.
The Union Ministry of Youth Services and Sports in 2016 had announced multi-utility indoor stadiums to all the 22 districts of the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir to groom sports talent among the youth.
Jammu and Kashmir in 2019 was bifurcated into two Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and the Ladakh after which J&K got 20 indoor complexes under PMDP and two went to the UT of Ladakh.
In a reply to the RTI (accessed by UNI) against an application filed by the activist Raman Sharma, Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council has admitted that the work on 11 indoor sports complexes is in progress (‘incomplete’), renovation and upgradation of development of sports infra at Bakshi Stadium, Srinagar while Water Sports Centre at Ranjit Sagar Dam, Basholi are also incomplete.
According to the RTI reply, in Jammu Division, out of 10 sanctioned indoor complexes, five are incomplete while sports stadium upgradation at Udhampur has been completed except pavilion building.
Details of allotted Sports Halls with sanctioned and expenditure amounts respectively:
In Jammu, for renovation, upgradation and development of sports infrastructure at Maulana Azad Stadium, Jammu, sanctioned amount was Rs 40 crores but the expenditure was Rs 43.80 crores (completed), for Multipurpose Indoor Sports Hall at Bhagwati Nagar, Jammu, (sanctioned: Rs 4 crores, expenditure: Rs 3.99 crores, completed).
Samba: (Rs 4 cr, Rs 3.85 cr, completed), Kathua: Sports Hall at tehsil Billawar, (Rs 4 cr, Rs 3.94 cr, completed) while work on Development of Water Sports Centre at Ranjit Sagar Dam, Basholi for which sanctioned amount of Rs 3 crores and the expenditure was Rs 0.3214 crores, is still in progress.
Udhampur: Sports Hall at Ramnagar (Rs 4 cr, Rs 3.98 cr, completed) and for upgradation of District Sports Stadium, (Rs 10 cr, Rs 3.55 cr (the structure is declared completed except Pavilion Building).
Rajouri: (Koteranka: Rs 4 cr, Rs 3.82 cr, completed) while for upgradation of sports stadium, Rs 2 cr was sanctioned and the money spent was Rs 1.57 cr, completed).
Poonch: (Mandi, Rs 4 cr, Rs 2.23 cr, work in progress) and for upgradation of sports stadium, sanctioned amount was Rs 2 cr, expenditure: Rs 1.67 cr, completed).
Kishtwar: (Rs 4 cr, Rs 3.28 cr, work in progress), Ramban: (Gool: Rs 4 cr, Rs 3.28 cr, work in progress), Doda: (Rs 4 cr, Rs 3.28 cr, work in progress).
However, for furniture equipment, coaches, trainers, Rs 5.37 cr (sanctioned) and Rs 1.60 cr was the expenditure.
“The total funds sanctioned were Rs 200 crores out of which the total expenditure cost was Rs 164.0306 crores,” an official said.
The total Funds released by the Ministry of Youth Services and Sports, Government of India till date for the PMDP projects is Rs 175.05 crores, he said.
Out of total expenditure incurred of Rs 163.03 crores, the funds available under PMDP was Rs 11.02 crores, the official added.
However, consultancy charges were Rs 1.063 lakhs, inauguration expenses were Rs 2.316 lakhs and expenditure for withdrawn projects was Rs 5.569 lakhs.
On April 22, 2021, Advisor to Jammu and Kashmir Governor, Farooq Khan, who is also in-charge youth services and sports, directed the officials to bring weekly progress report on updation made on ongoing developmental projects.
Secretary J&K Sports Council, Nuzhat Gul informed the Advisor that there were some 10 multipurpose indoor sports halls under execution by the JKPCC out of them two at Rajouri and Reasi have already been completed and dedicated to the public.
She said that the ones at Poonch, Pulwama, Kishtwar, Shopian, Doda, Pattan and Ramban would be completed by September this year with many to be dedicated to the public in the months to come.
Similarly in the Kashmir Division, in District Srinagar, for renovation, upgradation and development of sports infrastructure at Bakshi Stadium, Srinagar, sanctioned amount was Rs 44 cr and the expenditure was Rs 32.68 cr and the work is in progress.
Other details of allotted Sports Halls with sanctioned and expenditure amounts respectively:
Illahibagh, Srinagar (Rs 4 cr, Rs 0.8 crores, work in progress), Water Sports Centre at Nehru Park, Srinagar Rs 3 cr, Rs 2.9 cr, completed), for lighting at Gani Memorial Stadium, Srinagar, Rs 1.29 cr, Rs 1.23 cr, completed) and for lighting at TRC Ground, Srinagar, (Rs 1.34 cr, Rs 1.34 cr, completed), District Budgam (Rs 4 cr, Rs 3 cr work in progress), Ganderbal (Sehpora) (Rs 4 cr, Rs 3.66 cr, completed), Baramulla: (Mirgund, Pattan: Rs 4 cr, 3.82 cr, work in progress),
Bandipora (Shadipora, Sumbal: Rs 4 cr, Rs 5.06 cr, completed), Kupwara: (Handwara: Rs 4 cr, Rs One cr, work in progress), Pulwama: (Tral: Rs 4 cr, Rs 3.53 cr, completed), Rajpora, Pulwama (Rs 4 cr, Rs 3.82 cr, work in progress).
Anantnag: (Bijbehara: Rs 4 cr, Rs 3.34 cr, completed), Shopian: Rs 4 cr, Rs 2.84 cr, work in progress) and Kulgam: (Qaimoh: Rs 4 cr, Rs 2.68 cr, work in progress).
In October last year, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, who is also President of the J&K Sports Council, gave sanction to Rs 200 cr under PMDP for upgradation of sports infrastructure and encouragement of budding talent in the field at an event in Rajouri district. (UNI)