Admn Secys asked to furnish information by June 10
Strictly follow rules, resolve micro-level problems: CS
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, June 3: As fate of several developmental projects in different sectors is hanging in balance during the past quite long time for want of Administrative Approval, the Governor’s Administration has set into motion an exercise to overcome the prevailing crisis so that people will be able to reap the benefits of these projects in the shortest possible time.
Moreover, Chief Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam has issued directions for strictly following the rules and resolving micro-level problems in a time bound manner so that such a situation doesn’t surface in future.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that in the Book of Financial Powers, the delegation of powers for accord of Administrative Approval has been clearly laid down. However, it has been found that several developmental projects were taken up without Administrative Approval and are presently held up as approval was not accorded due to some legacy issues.
The issue of several projects awaiting Administrative Approval was deliberated upon in a high-level meeting held few days back and all the Advisors to the Governor and Chief Secretary expressed serious concern over the prevailing situation and stressed that problems due to past legacies should be addressed as early as possible, sources said, adding “even thrust was laid on timely completion of new works and adherence to all the pre-requisite formalities”.
After detailed discussion it was decided that in case of ongoing works Administrative Approval must be accorded as per delegation of powers and in pursuance of circular instructions issued by the Finance Department from time to time.
However, legacy issues shall be submitted by all the departments to Finance Department for issuance of appropriate directions after consideration of a committee headed by Administrative Secretary Finance Department and comprising of Principal Secretaries of Planning, Development and Monitoring, Housing and Urban Development and Commissioner/Secretary of School Education Department.
In the meeting, May 25, 2019 timeline was fixed for furnishing information about all such cases and May 30, 2019 was fixed for submission of report by the committee headed by Administrative Secretary, Finance Department, sources informed.
However, this time-line could not be met by majority of the Administrative Departments and this has compelled the Financial Commissioner, Finance Department Dr Arun Kumar Sharma to reiterate the directions. “The concerned Administrative Departments shall identify all such projects where Administrative Approval has not been accorded and submit same to the committee by or before June 10, 2019 for clearance and directions”, read the Government Order No.360-FD of 2019.
“Governor’s Administration wants to resolve the issue of Administrative Approval as early as possible so that held-up projects are given necessary push and completed in shortest possible time to provide benefits to the people”, sources said.
They informed that Chief Secretary has issued explicit directions that Administrative Approval must be accorded to each work before its execution and rules must be followed strictly so that such a situation doesn’t recur in future.
“In respect of Centrally Sponsored Schemes, if Detailed Project Report (DPR) is approved by the Central Government, Administrative Approval shall be deemed to have been accorded while as where no DPR has been approved, Administrative Approval will need to be accorded”, the Chief Secretary said in the instructions.
Sources said that allotment of works on nomination basis has also been taken seriously by the Advisors and the Chief Secretary as such a practice defeats the purpose of actual discovery of price and is against norms and canons of financial propriety as such required to be avoided.
Moreover, allotment of works on nomination basis is also against the law laid down by the Supreme Court. “All Government departments including Corporations such as Jammu and Kashmir Projects Construction Corporation, Police Housing Corporation etc must follow tendering process for allotment of works”, read the instructions issued by the Chief Secretary.
The Chief Secretary has also directed all the Deputy Commissioners to identify causes of delay in the works in their respective districts in consultation with all the departments and resolve micro level problems, sources said.
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