Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Feb 14: Notwithstanding the tall claims of the Government about giving due importance to the Cabinet-cum-District Development Board meetings, the fate of around 166 ‘vital’ decisions taken at this platform during the past three years is hanging in balance and constitution of a committee of officers to review the status of implementation of the decisions has turned out to be an exercise in futility.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that in the year 2010-11 a total of 245 decisions were taken with regard to developmental activities in the Cabinet-cum-District Development Board meetings of various districts but only 172 could see light of the day and the fate of remaining 73 is hanging in balance despite the lapse of three years.
Similarly, 194 decisions were taken in the District Development Board meetings in 2011-12 financial year and 133 of them could be implemented till date. The concerned authorities have failed to give practical shape to remaining 61 decisions till January ending this year. As against 51 decisions taken during the current financial year till date only 20 have been implemented and 31 decisions remain only on the official files, sources said.
In response to a question, sources said, “majority of such decisions were taken on the issues raised by the elected representatives of the people—MLAs and MLCs and had the same been implemented the developmental needs of the common masses could have been met”, adding “due to non-implementation of such decisions the people in some areas have even been deprived of road connectivity, drinking water facility and electricity supply”.
Holding lack of coordination between different departments responsible for non-implementation of 166 ‘vital’ decisions taken in the Cabinet-cum-District Development Board meetings during the past three years, sources said, “the implementation of majority of such decisions falls in the domain of Administrative Departments and in the absence of decision at the Secretariat level the field officers are finding it difficult to give practical shape to decisions despite lapse of considerable time”.
“The fate of such a large number of decisions is hanging in balance despite the fact that Government in the month of May last year had constituted a committee of officers to review the status of implementation of the decisions taken in the Cabinet-cum-District Development Board meetings”, sources regretted, adding “the committee comprising Administrative Secretaries of Finance, Power Development, Public Works, PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control, Health and Medical Education, School Education and Planning and Development Department had to submit its report within a period of three months but whether the committee met or carried out any exercise to ensure implementation of DDB decisions remains a mystery”.
Meanwhile, sources said that as holding of District Development Board meetings to review the achievements registered under the District Plan was unlikely this year, the Planning and Development Department has reviewed the expenditure registered in the districts till January ending and taken requirement of additional funds from the District Development Commissioners for completion of ongoing projects.
“The process of ascertaining the requirement of funds from Heads of the Departments has also been set in motion so that requirement of additionalities could be placed before the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah for final decision”, sources said.
As per the figures furnished in the recent review meeting convened by Minister for Planning and Development, Ajay Sadhotra, Jammu has recorded 77% expenditure, Samba 79%, Kathua 65%, Udhampur and Doda 75%, Rajouri 76%, Ramban 82%, Poonch 83% and Reasi 67%.
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