3853 projects completed despite several constraints
*Over 100 works completed under District Capex in 7 distts
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, May 26: The COVID-19 pandemic has failed to put brakes on the developmental activities across the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir with Government completing a total of 3853 projects under Back to Village (B2V) and District Capex during 2020-21 financial year.
The achievement has been made despite the fact that there were numerous constraints in the shape of shortage of workforce and delay in supply of construction material because of lockdown.
As per the official data, the copy of which is available with EXCELSIOR, during 2020-21, 2177 projects were completed under Back to Village as against 1930 projects in 2019-20 under this special initiative of the Government. Similarly, 1676 projects were completed under District Capex as against 1165 in 2019-20.
“These figures clearly reveal that COVID-19 pandemic has failed to put brakes on the developmental activities across the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir despite several constraints”, official sources said, adding “during the last two years, several procedures have been streamlined by the Government with the objective of improving public service delivery”.
For the completion of 1676 projects under District Capex during 2020-21 financial year, funds to the tune of Rs 320017.96 lakh were released by the Government and an amount of Rs 283846.65 lakh was expended by the executing agencies.
As far as District Capex is concerned, seven out of 20 districts of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir have witnessed completion of more than 100 projects during 2020-21 financial year.
These districts are Budgam, Srinagar, Pulwama, Kupwara, Ganderbal, Kathua and Anantnag. Maximum 355 projects were completed in Budgam followed by Srinagar with 129 projects and Pulwama with 124 projects. In Kupwara district, 120 projects were completed while as in Ganderbal, a total of 113 projects were completed by the Government.
Similarly, 109 projects were completed in Kathua district and 102 projects in Anantnag district. As far as other districts are concerned, 35 projects were completed in Shopian, 50 in Bandipora, 19 in Kulgam, 50 in Baramulla, 71 in Jammu, 58 in Samba, 46 in Ramban, 25 in Reasi, 61 in Rajouri, 59 in Poonch, 60 in Udhampur, 57 in Kishtwar and 33 in Doda.
“District Plans have assumed great significance in the Union Territory due to land mark implementation of 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendment Acts which impart much needed momentum towards empowerment of local bodies”, sources said, adding “in line with this perspective, every attempt was made by the Government to involve the representatives of Panchayati Raj Institutions/local bodies in the planning process for formulation of District Plans despite several challenges due to pandemic”.
“No doubt, the schemes taken up in the district sector are often not high value projects but they do reflect local aspirations and need”, they further said, adding “the major objective of the District Capex is to look into the urgent public demands and cater to them in a timely manner”.
Commenting on the achievement, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said, “this is the indication of emerging work culture in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir”. He further said, “enhancing transparency in the implementation of various schemes and programmes has been a constant endeavour of the administration”.
Chief Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam, while expressing satisfaction over the completion of such a large number of projects despite so many constraints, said, “the Government recognizes the local needs and aspirations of different districts and funds various developmental projects based on the unique opportunities and preferences through a well-devised decentralized District Capex”.
It is pertinent to mention here that the Back to Village, an ambitious programme of the Government of J&K UT, has four main goals—energizing Panchayats; collecting feedback on delivery of Government schemes and programmes; capturing specific economic potential and undertaking assessment of needs of villages.
In two phases of B2V Programme, entire administrative apparatus visited Panchayat Halqas to get the grassroots level feedback from general public. The Programme is primarily aimed at directing development efforts in rural areas through community participation and to create in the rural masses an earnest desire for decent standard of living.
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