Audit of projects approved under Languishing Funding Scheme
Slackness despite 1700 projects being completed by year end
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Aug 16: Though over 1700 projects approved under Languishing Funding Scheme are targeted to be completed by the end of current year yet Jammu and Kashmir Infrastructure Development Finance Corporation Limited has yet not come up with robust policy for audit of the projects mainly because of dilly-dallying approach on the part of committee of bureaucrats.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that Board of Directors of J&K Infrastructure Development Finance Corporation Limited in its 4th meeting held on June 17, 2019 had deliberated upon the issue of conducting concurrent audit of the projects approved under Languishing Funding Scheme.
After thorough discussion a committee comprising of senior bureaucrats was constituted with the mandate to frame a robust policy/plan for concurrent audit of the projects approved under the scheme in consonance with the best practices in vogue in case of other flagship programmes.
It was also decided in the Board of Directors meeting that after formulation of robust policy for audit a State level Quality Monitoring Committee shall also be framed. The committee was given the liberty to co-opt District Collectors, who are controlling and monitoring languishing projects being funded by the Infrastructure Development Finance Corporation Limited, as its members.
“The committee shall be serviced by the Executive Director and General Manager of the Corporation and the policy shall be presented in the next Board of Directors meeting for the approval”, read the order about framing of the panel of bureaucrats, the copy of which is available with EXCELSIOR.
However, till date the committee has not initiated any step towards framing the robust policy for audit of the projects approved under Languishing Funding Scheme, official sources disclosed, adding “what to talk of framing policy the committee has not met even once so far although it is supposed to first study the best practices in vogue”.
They further disclosed that even no significant progress has been made on preparation of Works Manual, Vigilance Manual, Budget Manual and Human Resource Manual, which otherwise are imperative to ensure effective functioning of the Jammu and Kashmir Infrastructure Development Finance Corporation Limited.
“The decision about having robust policy for audit of the projects was taken keeping in view the information furnished by the departments that by the end of this year around 1717 projects will be completed under Languishing Funding Scheme”, sources said, adding “status of these project is being obtained by the Corporation from the concerned departments on monthly basis so as to ensure that there is strict compliance to the targets shared by the departments with the Corporation”.
Among 1717 projects targeted to be completed by the end of current year 168 belong to Power Development Department, 300 Public Works (R&B) Department, 700 Public Health Engineering and Irrigation and Flood Control Departments, six of Tourism Department, 62 of Ladakh Affairs, 65 of Youth Services and Sports Department, two of Horticulture Department, 79 of Industries and Commerce Department, eight of Agriculture Department, 103 of Health and Medical Education Department, 5 of Higher Education, one each of Revenue and Animal and Sheep Husbandry Departments, 73 of Rural Development Department, 111 of School Education, 26 of Housing and Urban Development, 6 of Tribal Affairs Department and 13 of Technical Education Department.
“The Corporation will face difficulties in ensuring audit of such a large number of projects if the committee of bureaucrats fails to frame and submit the audit policy in the shortest possible time-frame”, sources said and hoped that prevailing situation in the State would not become an excuse for early completion of task assigned to the committee.
“The Chairman and Managing Director of the Corporation has already advised all the Administrative Secretaries to expedite timely furnishing of payment requests to the Corporation in order to complete the approved projects in a specified time-frame”, sources said, adding “he has also advised them to convey difficulties in furnishing payment requests so that necessary corrective steps are taken promptly”.
It is pertinent to mention here that Financial Commissioner Finance Department is the Chairman and Managing Director of the Infrastructure Development Finance Corporation Ltd while as IAS officers Hirdesh Kumar, Khursheed Ahmed Shah, Ajeet Kumar Sahu and Sheetal Nanda are the Directors of the Corporation.
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