Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) is a scheme of the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs under which various activities are to be undertaken by the Municipal Corporations of the States to streamline sanitary and water supply schemes for the states including J&K. Funds have been allocated and expenditure heads earmarked to make implementation of the scheme effective and cost-wise viable for the States.
We have Municipal Corporations for two capital cities of Srinagar and Jammu. While the Srinagar Municipal Corporation has fully utilized its allocated funds, the Jammu Municipal Corporation has been able to utilise only 23per cent of the allocations made it. We have the breakup on how much has been spent on what item but as that will need space which we have not. An amount of Rs 2222 lakh was released in the year 2016-17 under AMRUT Scheme for utilization by the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) on different projects. However, the Corporation could register expenditure of only Rs 516 lakh. Details of allocations made for various works and the meagre amounts spent were provided by the Deputy Chief Minister in response to a question raised by an NC MLA.
Jammu is unhappy on the performance of the JMC. Usually there is the complaint of paucity of funds but here in the case of Jammu, the problem is the paucity of will and determination and of efficiency. We can also bring the blame to the doorsteps of the people’s representatives, the MLAs and MLCs of Jammu city whose duty is to bring pressure on the Government to fulfil the commitments made to the people. To some extent the citizens of Jammu must also share the blame. A live and pro-active citizenry would not let the Municipal Corporation stay and rest unless the important works of sewerage, water supply, sanitation, street lights, city transport facilities and other civic amenities for the people are provided.
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