Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 16: Notwithstanding the concerns from different quarters over dilly-dallying approach in the implementation of Rs 82,453 crore worth Prime Minister’s Development Package, the Government today claimed that no specific timeline has been prescribed for the completion of the projects under the package.
“The package aims at overall development of the State and cannot be segregated at region, area or district levels”, the Finance Minister Dr Haseeb Drabu said while replying to the question of BJP MLA Rajiv Jasrotia in the Legislative Assembly.
When asked about the time-limit prescribed for implementation of the package, Dr Drabu said, “there is no timeline but it depends on our capacity to spend”, adding “a number of steps have been taken to implement the projects under the package”.
These steps include finalization of location and scoping of individual projects, formulation of Preliminary Project Reports (PPRs) and Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) and concretizing financing of the projects particularly in view of requirement of State share and resources for development of infrastructure concomitant to the main project for speedy implementation of the specific projects.
“Almost all the projects have been taken up and are at different stages of contracting or execution”, he further said.
However, MLAs cutting across party lines expressed shock over the non-fixation of timelines for the implementation of the package. “Fixing of timelines is imperative so as to complete the projects expeditiously”, BJP MLA Sat Sharma said.
“Over two years have lapsed since the announcement of package but no funds have been released for one time settlement of families from PoK and Chhamb DPs”, he said, adding “similarly not even a single penny has been released under rehabilitation package for Jammu migrants”.
BJP MLA from Doda, Shakti Raj Parihar said, “it is unfortunate that only Rs 4 lakh have been spent against the sanctioned amount of Rs 84 lakh for Chenani-Sudhmahadev-Goha road including three kilometer long tunnel. “If this is the performance in more than two years when Rs 2100 crore worth project would be completed”, he asked.
National Conference MLA from Kangan Mian Altaf Ahmed said that no significant progress has been made on two major projects—Kargil-Zanskar Road and Jammu-Akhnoor-Poonch road. “If this is the spending capacity of the Government machinery then only God knows when the Prime Minister’s Development Package would be completely implemented”, he remarked.
On this, the Finance Minister said, “the preparatory phase is over and now we are focusing on execution of the projects”.
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