*High Level Committee to convene meeting shortly
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Sept 19: In a major step towards start of work on two All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in the State, the administration of Samba and Pulwama districts has submitted the papers of the identified land to the Government for final approval and Planning, Development and Monitoring Department has released Rs 32 crore to meet the acquisition cost.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that in the light of instructions issued by the Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti regarding expediting establishment of two AIIMS for which an amount of Rs 2000 crore each has been earmarked in the Prime Minister’s Development Package for Jammu and Kashmir, the administration of Samba and Pulwama districts has submitted the revenue papers of the identified land to the respective Divisional Commissioners for placement before the concerned authorities for approval.
It is pertinent to mention here that while reviewing the implementation of Rs 80,000 crore Prime Minister’s Development Package for Jammu and Kashmir on July 29, 2016, Chief Minister had called for proper coordination between all the concerned agencies so as to ensure early start of work on two AIIMS—one at Vijaypur in Samba district and another at Awantipora in Pulwama district.
Out of 1772 kanals of land identified at Awantipora for establishment of AIIMS, 1301 kanals is State land while as 300 kanals is proprietary land and remaining is Kahcharai land. As such, the Government will have to follow the acquisition proceedings in respect of only proprietary land by making proper compensation to the owners. In respect of State and Kahcharai land, only department to department transfer will have to be ordered with the approval of the Government.
As far as around 1800 kanals of land identified at Vijaypur is concerned, the site includes huge chunk of private land besides the land of Forest and Custodian Departments, sources said, adding not only the private persons even the Forest Department and Custodian Department will have to be given the compensation by the Government for transfer of land to the Department of Health and Medical Education.
Deputy Commissioner Samba, Sheetal Nanda, when contacted, said, “we have submitted the papers of the identified land to all the relevant quarters like Divisional Commissioner, Forest and Custodian Departments and once the formal approval about transfer of land is obtained further steps would be taken and land would be handed over to the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) for start of construction work”.
In response to a question, she informed that necessary proceedings for acquisition of private land have also been initiated so that there is no delay in start of work on the prestigious project.
“We have completed all the formalities and submitted the papers to the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir for taking up the matter with the relevant quarters”, said Syed Sajad Qadir, Assistant Commissioner Revenue of Pulwama when contacted, adding “as the chunk of proprietary land is very less there would not be any problem in making acquisition of the same”.
According to the sources, the Prime Minister’s Office has already conveyed to the CPWD through Union Health Ministry to complete the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for both the AIIMS as early as possible so as to pave the way for construction of boundary walls and filling of the sites soon after the transfer of land formally by the concerned agencies of Jammu and Kashmir.
“The CPWD has also been asked not to stick to the customary three months exercise vis-à-vis DPR and complete the same as early as possible”, sources added.
Meanwhile, Planning, Development and Monitoring Department has released Rs 32 crore over and above the Capital Expenditure Budget 2016-17 in favour of Health and Medical Education Department for land acquisition for establishment of AIIMS at Vijaypur and Awantipora.
As far as AIIMS at Vijaypur is concerned, the acquisition cost has been worked out at Rs 12 crore against which an amount of Rs 8 crore has been released by the Planning, Development and Monitoring Department. Similarly, an amount of Rs 24 crore has been released for acquisition of land at Awantipora.
The Planning Department has made it clear to the Health and Medical Education Department that the land acquisition shall be completed within the approved cost only as no cost escalation will be allowed. Moreover, it has cautioned against diversion/re-appropriation of funds at any level and violation of codal formalities/procedures.
The Health and Medical Education Department has further been told that it shall mobilize resources under the designated schemes for requirement of funds for power supply, water supply, approach road and other requirements.
According to the sources, a High Level Committee headed by Chief Secretary and comprising Administrative Secretaries of various departments will meet shortly to address all the issues relating to establishment of AIIMS especially in the light of furnishing of land papers by the administration of Samba and Pulwama districts to the respective Divisional Commissioners.
This committee was constituted on the instructions of Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in the month of June this year.
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