The State Government has not met the norms of accountability set forth by the CAG. One is surprised to find that while the State Government strives to obtain funds from the Centre from whatever agency possible, it’s officials have shown least concern for accountability. Utilization Certificates for 2931 works involving an amount of Rs. 2118 crore are found outstanding on the closing day of the financial year 2011-12. 169 projects are hanging in fire as these are left incomplete. The procedure is that Utilization Certificates are required to be provided for the grants provided for specific purposes and these are to be forwarded to the Accountant General, Jammu and Kashmir within 18 months. But the pendency of these certificates is anything between 1 and 17 years. One fails to understand why utilization certificates have not been given. Obviously, the projects have not been either floated or left incomplete. For the just ended financial year a total of 765 Utilization Certificates involving Rs. 390.42 crore are outstanding. And as we go back in time we find that Utilization Certificates on projects are pending for last 17 year as is the case with Ladakh and Kargil Autonomous Hill Development Councils. The case is especially critical with various Public Sector Organizations of the State.
CAG has noted that a number of projects have been left incomplete despite the fact that there was no paucity of funds. This is highly disturbing situation. The CAG has found that 169 projects which should have been completed by the end of the financial yard 2012 were incomplete despite incurring an expenditure of Rs.590.36 crore and the delay ranged between 1 and 11 years. There was never any shortage of funds to bring these to completion. No fewer than 85 projects related to PHE having incurred an expenditure of 230.77 and 81 projects of the Public Works Department incurring an expenditure of Rs. 336.63 crore are hanging fire. These projects are of exceptional utility to the general and if these are left incomplete, the loss is to be borne by the people of the State. The CAG has given the department-wise detail of incomplete and non-floated projects with funds already sanctioned. We will not go into those details but concentrate on what ails the departments of the Government that they are unable to complete the projects.
We have already stated in these columns that the first reason for long delay in the execution and completion of the projects is the lack of co-ordination among various departments who are the stakeholders in these projects. If this is the recurring cause of delay in these and other projects that we have already brought under focus, the government should find a remedy. It can constitute an authority with representation from the departments that have a stake in the developmental projects and works and invest it with arbitration powers in order to iron out the differences and contradictions that emerge while projects are blue printed.
Secondly there is the oft-repeated argument of accountability. Officers in charge of completing the projects are often heard complaining of bureaucratic bottlenecks and the complicacies of the red tape order. One wonders why the Services Act is not enforced in such cases. We are yet to hear that a particular officer or functionary has been punished under the Service Act or a fine has been imposed on him or her for dereliction of duty. The functionaries take it lightly if the Utilization Certificates are not submitted. It is because they know their skin is not going to be touched.
One harsher solution to the problems could be that the Centre does not release more funds before the formalities whatsoever are completed for the funds already released. This may not work when put to practice and one would not like such a situation to arise. But the people are not prepared to wait for years and years at end for the completion of projects. We are living in an age of digitalization and globalization. The youth brought up in this culture know of one primary law that governs the life and that is of speed. The Government needs to understand its meaning.
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