‘Complete cleanliness activities in all ULBs, 6809 villages by Oct 2’
H&UDD asked to undertake repairs of roads under JMC, SMC
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Aug 26: Government of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has directed all the Mentor Secretaries to commence the district reviews immediately to take stock of the progress of the developmental works. Moreover, instructions have been issued for timely utilization of funds earmarked under Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban as well as Grameen).
The Financial Commissioners, Principal Secretaries, Commissioner Secretaries and Secretaries have been made Mentor Secretaries of different districts of the Union Territory with the sole objective of monitoring progress of developmental works by acting as bridge between the Government and the District Development Commissioners (DDCs).
In a high-level meeting held recently, Chief Secretary Dr Arun Kumar Mehta issued directions to all the Mentor Secretaries to commence the district reviews immediately in order to take stock of progress of developmental works along with the implementation of this year deliverables in their respective districts, official sources told EXCELSIOR.
It has been made clear that presence of public representatives from the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) should be ensured in the district review meetings to obtain feedback about the status of developmental works, they further said, adding the public representatives being familiar of the ground situation can help the Mentor Secretaries in ascertaining the exact position of the developmental works on the ground as such their presence is imperative.
“The ascertaining of the status of the developmental works in the middle of the current financial year is imperative as the same will help the Government in passing necessary and timely directions to the concerned agencies for completion of works within the stipulated time-frame and providing benefits of the developmental plans to the people”, sources said.
“The Mentor Secretaries have further been asked to specifically review progress under Swachh Gram Yojana whose output is still not at the desirable level”, sources said quoting the directions of the Chief Secretary, adding “the Mentor Secretaries have also been told to lay special emphasis on the completing of cleanliness activities in all 76 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and 6809 villages by October 2, 2022”.
Further, the Rural Development Department has been explicitly told to share the details of funds allocated and disbursed for Swachh Gram Abhiyan with the Mentor Secretaries for consequent review during the district meetings.
Under Swachh Gram Abhiyan, village action plans were prepared during the last financial year and the funds earmarked for the purpose are still lying unspent, sources disclosed, adding “taking serious note of this, the Chief Secretary has directed for prioritizing execution of these plans by utilizing the funds and engaging the required manpower”.
The Housing and Urban Development Department, which has administrative control over the Urban Local Bodies, and the Rural Development Department, which looks after the empowering of the Panchayati Raj Institutions, have also been asked to complete the Swachh Bharat (Urban) and Swachh Bharat (Gramin) Abhiyan respectively by October 2, 2022.
“Special focus should be laid on grey/black water and solid waste management for which specific funds have been earmarked under the concerned scheme”, sources said further quoting the directions of the Chief Secretary, adding it has also been ordered that a report on the functioning of Village Level Workers (VLWs) should be submitted by the Rural Development Department within a week.
They further said that Housing and Urban Development Department has also been asked to ensure door-to-door waste collection in all the Urban Local Bodies, its scientific segregation and disposal by October 2, 2022. Further, instructions have been issued for undertaking repairs and maintenance of urban roads under Jammu Municipal Corporation and Srinagar Municipal Corporation at the earliest.
“Regarding the budgetary allocation for such works, a separate meeting will be held with the Additional Chief Secretary, Finance Department, Principal Secretary Housing and Urban Development Department, Principal Secretary Public Works (R&B) Department and Commissioner Secretary Tourism Department”, sources informed.
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