* Violation of guidelines, irregularities goes unnoticed
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Dec 19: Astonishing it may sound but it is a fact that Members of Parliament from Jammu and Kashmir have always remained non-serious towards monitoring centrally sponsored schemes despite having explicit role to play in this regard. Due to this, the violations of the guidelines and irregularities have been going unnoticed thereby depriving the common masses of the intended benefits.
This can be gauged from the official data vis-à-vis ten major schemes of the Union Ministry of Rural Development being implemented in Jammu and Kashmir during the past several years.
These schemes include Mahatama Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, Swarnjayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana, Indira Awaas Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, Integrated Watershed Management Programme, National Land Records Modernization Programme, Rural Sanitation Programme, National Social Assistance Programme and Accelerated Rural Water Supply Programme.
To ensure proper implementation of these schemes as per the fixed guidelines, the Union Ministry of Rural Development during the year 2011 laid stress on constitution of Vigilance and Monitoring Committees at district level to function as important instrument for effective monitoring of implementation of the programmes.
One of the major objectives of district level Vigilance and Monitoring Committees was to provide a crucial role to the Members of Parliament in the implementation of the rural development programmes so that schemes are executed in an effective manner and the benefits reach the poor in full measure.
As per the guidelines, the meetings of these district level committees are required to be held once every quarter after giving sufficient notice to the Members of the Legislative Assembly from the concerned district to ascertain difficulties in the implementation of centrally sponsored schemes and initiate corrective measures. Most importantly, the mandate of these committees is to ensure that funds are used for the purpose for which they are meant and effectively liaise and coordinate with the Ministry of Rural Development and State Government.
Astonishingly, Members of the Parliament from J&K never took the concept of Vigilance and Monitoring Committee seriously as a result of which complaints of violation of guidelines and irregularities in the implementation of 10 major schemes in rural development sector are getting unnoticed.
According to the official data available with EXCELSIOR, as against mandatory 264 meetings during the past three years (2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14) only six meetings of the district level Vigilance and Monitoring Committees were convened by the Members of Parliament.
In Anantnag district only one meeting has been convened since 2011-12 while as no meeting has been conveyed in respect of Budgam, Bandipora, Baramulla, Doda, Ganderbal, Jammu, Kargil, Kathua, Kishtwar, Kulgam, Kupwara, Leh, Rajouri, Ramban, Reasi, Samba, Srinagar and Udhampur districts.
As far as Poonch and Pulwama districts are concerned, two meetings each were convened during past three years while as only one meeting has been organized in respect of Shopian district.
What to talk of Members of Parliament, even Deputy Commissioners, who are Member Secretary of the concerned committee never took the guidelines seriously and tried to convene quarterly meetings. As per the revised guidelines of the Union Ministry for Vigilance and Monitoring Committees, stipulated specific days for holding such meetings are last Saturday of May, first Saturday of August, first Saturday of November and first Saturday of February.
According to the available information, even during the current financial year no meeting of district level Vigilance and Monitoring Committees has been convened till date due to pre-occupation of MPs in Parliament Session and ongoing elections in the State.
The newly elected Members of Parliament have now been left with the option of convening only last meeting of the current financial year, which as per the schedule fixed by the Union Ministry, falls due on first Saturday of February.
Even prior to this fixed schedule, the Members of Parliament can convene the meeting as per their convenience, the provision of which is also available in the guidelines of the Ministry, sources said.
It is pertinent to mention here that Union Minister, Dr Jitendra Singh is Chairman of Vigilance and Monitoring Committees of Udhampur, Kishtwar, Ramban, Doda, Kathua and Reasi districts.
For Leh and Kargil districts, MP Thupstan Chhewang is the Chairman of District Vigilance and Monitoring Committees while as Jugal Kishore Sharma, MP from Jammu is the Chairman of such committees in Jammu, Samba, Rajouri and Poonch districts. Similarly, Mehbooba Mufti is Chairman of committees in Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian and Pulwama districts while as Tariq Hameed Karra is head of such committees in Srinagar, Ganderbal and Budgam and Muzaffar Hussain Baig is Chairman of committees in Baramulla, Kupwara and Bandipora districts.
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