Furnishing progress reports on major developmental activities
Nodal Officers yet to be appointed in all wings of Govt
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, May 27: Governor’s Secretariat has taken serious note of dilly-dallying approach of almost all the departments in furnishing monthly progress reports on major developmental activities and Centrally Sponsored Schemes despite explicit instructions from time to time. The intensity of the non-serious approach of all the concerned bureaucrats can further be gauged from the fact that even Nodal Officers have not been designated for effective coordination with the Planning, Development and Monitoring Department (PD & MD) in this regard.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that vide Communication No.GAD (Adm)44/2018-I dated September 1, 2018, the General Administration Department directed all the Administrative Secretaries to furnish details regarding the major developmental activities and achievements for the month of August 2018 to the Governor’s Secretariat by or before September 5, 2018 with a copy to the General Administration Department.
It was explicitly mentioned in the communication that henceforth monthly information regarding progress on major developmental activities shall be furnished to the Principal Secretary to Government, Planning, Development and Monitoring Department for consolidation and its onward submission to the Principal Secretary to the Governor by 3rd of every month for detailed assessment.
Even the Planning, Development and Monitoring Department vide its Communication No.PD/ PA&PM/ Dev Activities/ 2018-19 dated September 7, 2018 reiterated these directions to all the Administrative Secretaries.
However, there was no compliance to these directives by majority of the departments which compelled the Planning, Development and Monitoring Department to convey its serious concern to the General Administration Department (GAD).
“Departments are not furnishing monthly details/brief status note regarding major developmental activities and achievements as per the timelines thereby causing avoidable delay in the submission of report to the Governor’s Secretariat”, the Principal Secretary Planning had mentioned in the communication to the GAD.
Taking note of Planning Department’s concern, the GAD vide Circular No.1 dated January 1, 2019 again directed all the Administrative Secretaries to furnish the monthly information regarding the major developmental activities to the Planning Department invariable by 25th of every month so as to enable the department to submit a consolidated report to the Governor’s Secretariat by 3rd of every month.
Shockingly, majority of the departments are still reluctant to furnish the much needed information to the Planning Department and this can be gauged from the latest circular issued by Principal Secretary Planning Rohit Kansal, which states: “It has been observed that due to non-submission of the information by the departments, PD&MD is not in a position to submit the requisite information within the fixed timelines which has been viewed seriously”.
He has once again requested all the Administrative Secretaries to furnish monthly information regarding major developmental activities and achievements as per the already defined parameters by 3rd of every month so that consolidated report could be submitted to the Governor’s Secretariat by 5th of every month.
In an indirect reference to inordinate delay in appointment of Nodal Officers, the Planning Secretary has directed all the Administrative Secretaries to designate a Nodal Officer, who shall be responsible for submitting the desired information in a time bound manner. “The details of the Nodal Officers may also be shared with Planning Department”, read the circular.
“In the absence of monthly progress reports, the Governor’s Secretariat is finding it difficult to make assessment about the actual status of the developmental activities, which otherwise is imperative for passing necessary directions so as to give required impetus to the projects”, sources said while disclosing that Governor’s Secretariat has conveyed serious concern over lackadaisical approach of the departments in ensuring compliance of the repeated directives, which otherwise are also aimed at assessing the performance of the Administrative Secretaries.
It is pertinent to mention here that as per the parameters defined by the Planning, Development and Monitoring Department, the monthly note should indicate physical targets/achievements, details of projects/schemes completed, inaugurated and foundation stone laid, new initiatives taken, revenue generated, new posts created/appointment orders issued, new policies/guidelines/ notifications/SROs framed and issues, grievances received and disposed off, workshops/seminars/conferences/ trainings etc organized by the department or any other achievement.
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