Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Aug 7: Notwithstanding repeated directions about expeditious completion of formalities, Jammu and Kashmir has yet not submitted the Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) of Rs 1500 crore worth World Bank funded project to the authorities of the international financial institution for their appraisal, which otherwise is imperative for initiating steps on ground to rebuild the infrastructure damaged during the devastating floods of September 2014.
Following the worst ever natural calamity of September 2014, a joint team led by the Department of Economic Affairs, Government of India with representation from the World Bank, which provides loan to the developing countries, visited Jammu and Kashmir on October 21, 2014.
Subsequently, Government of India sent a request to the World Bank on January 5, 2015 to depute a Joint Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (RDNA) Mission to J&K. In response, a mission of the international financial institution visited the State in the month of February 2015 in order to produce a rapid multi-sectoral assessment report of the damages and needs.
The team estimated the total damages and loss caused by the floods to the public service infrastructure including hospitals, roads and bridges and educational institutions. Thereafter, series of deliberations were held between the World Bank team and Jammu and Kashmir Government on various important aspects and finally preliminary agreement on financing arrangement between the Government of India and World Bank was signed in April 2015 for Rs 1500 crore loan to be spent up to June 2020 for reconstruction of public assets severely damaged in September 2014 floods.
However, despite lapse of considerable period of time, several departments of Jammu and Kashmir Government have yet not prepared the Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) of the projects to be taken up under the World Bank funded project, official sources told EXCELSIOR, adding “the delay is notwithstanding the fact that international financial institution has also given detailed guidelines to the J&K Government for consideration during the preparation of Detailed Project Reports”.
Due to the slackness of the concerned authorities, Jammu and Kashmir could not submit the DPRs to the international financial institution for appraisal, which otherwise is imperative to initiate further steps towards implementation of Rs 1500 crore project, sources further said.
They informed that DPRs in respect of only Roads and Buildings and Health sectors have been prepared till date while as process of preparation of same in respect of other sectors particularly flood protection and management is still on.
“The delay in respect of flood protection and management is an issue of serious concern as sufficient amount has been earmarked in Rs 1500 crore worth project for flood management in respect of Jhelum and Tawi rivers, which were the cause of massive devastation during floods of September 2014”, sources added.
The slackness on the part of Irrigation and Flood Control Department is notwithstanding the fact that Minister for Relief and Rehabilitation, Syed Basharat Bukhari, while chairing a meeting on July 25, 2016 had expressed serious concern over the issue, they said, adding the Minister had directed that DPRs meant to be submitted to the World Bank should be prepared within the shortest possible time and in consonance with the parameters laid down in the World Bank guidelines.
Even the Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti while interacting with the visiting World Bank Mission team in the month of June this year had stressed the need to complete formalities as early as possible so as to address urgent infrastructure deficiencies in critical areas including flood and disaster management.
She had explicitly stated that her Government’s immediate concern was putting in place a comprehensive and efficient flood management programme in and around Jhelum and Tawi rivers to check future flood threats.
When contacted, Principal Secretary, Planning, Monitoring and Development Department, B B Vyas said, “we are deputing the team of officers for discussion with the World Bank officers on the Detailed Project Reports of R&B and Health sectors”, adding “the discussion will be held on August 10 and 11”.
About the DPRs of other sectors, he said, “we are receiving the same from the concerned departments. Actually, preparation of DPRs is a time consuming process”.
According to the sources, no time-frame can be specified for start of work on the projects identified under the World Bank funded loan as DPRs are yet to be submitted to the international financial institution for its appraisal.
It is pertinent to mention here that Rs 1500 crore project components include Rs 360 crore for reconstruction and strengthening of flood-hit critical infrastructure, Rs 480 crore for reconstruction of roads and bridges, Rs 300 crore for reconstruction of urban flood management infrastructure, Rs 90 crore for restoration and strengthening of livelihoods, Rs 150 crore for strengthening disaster risk management capacity and Rs 120 crore for contingency emergency response.
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