*Objective of plugging loopholes stands defeated
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Aug 14: Notwithstanding the fact that evaluation studies of various programmes, projects and schemes act as vital tool for initiating corrective measures and plugging loopholes in the implementation process, this imperative exercise is neither being conducted timely nor with the utmost seriousness by the Directorate of Economics and Statistics and its field functionaries besides Additional District Develo-pment Commissioners.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that monitoring is an important tool in the planning and development sector and is used for systematic analysis of physical and financial progress of projects under implementation in the State.
At the State level, there is a Division for Project Appraisal and Monitoring under the control of Administrative Secretary, Planning, Development and Monitoring Department. The Project Monitoring Division conducts monthly, quarterly and annual physical and financial monitoring of the developmental programmes. This Division has also been assigned the job of pre-appraisal of the projects involving costs beyond Rs 750 lakh.
Moreover, evaluation studies of various programmes, projects and schemes are being conducted by the Planning, Development and Monitoring Department through Directorate of Economics and Statistics during the implementation of the schemes and programmes.
These studies are carried out at different levels–State, Provincial and District levels every year as per the programme given by State Level Evaluation Committee (SLEC) headed by Financial Commissioner, Planning, Development and Monitoring Department. At district level, the evaluation studies are conducted at the instance of District Level Technical Advisory Committee headed by respective District Development Commissioners.
The findings thrown out by evaluation studies serve as feedback for taking necessary corrective measures and plugging loopholes in the relevant programme.
However, neither such studies are being conducted timely nor with utmost seriousness, official sources said while disclosing that during five years—from 2010-11 to 2014-15 only 74 evaluation studies were conducted by the Directorate of Economics and Statistics which means 14 studies per year despite the fact that this wing of the Planning, Monitoring and Development Department has huge manpower that too in each and every district of the State.
Stating that number of evaluation studies being conducted by Directorate of Economics and Statistics is declining with every passing year, sources said that in 2010-11 a total of 18 evaluation studies were conducted at different levels but this number declined to 16 during 2011-12 and to 9 in 2012-13. Though in the year 2013-14 the number of evaluation studies increased to 21 but again in 2014-15 this number nosedived to 10 only.
At regional level, there are two Regional Joint Directors each at Jammu and Kashmir provinces with supporting staff under the control of Director General, Economics and Statistics to monitor and evaluate the projects.
As per the official figures vis-à-vis infrastructural projects physically verified by the Regional Joint Directors, Evaluation and Statistics Jammu/Kashmir, a total of 46 projects were assigned at regional level during 2013-14 and 20 during 2015-16 but only 38 projects in 2013-14 and all the 20 projects during 2015-16 were verified by the Regional Joint Directors.
At district level, there are Additional District Development Commissioners (ADDCs) and District Statistics and Evaluation Officers (DSEOs) with supporting staff to monitor the projects and conduct physical verification of infrastructure projects.
During 2013-14, 380 projects were assigned to Additional District Development Commissioners but only 243 were verified. Similarly, during 2015-16 only 156 projects were verified against 180 assigned for physical verification to ADDCs. During the current financial year 90 projects were assigned but till date not only one project has been verified.
As far as verification of infrastructural projects by the District Statistics and Evaluation Officers is concerned, during 2013-14 a total of 284 projects were assigned but only 225 were verified. During the current financial year 60 projects were assigned to the DSEOs but not even one has been verified till date.
“All this indicates that objective of initiating necessary corrective measures and plugging loopholes in the relevant programme on the basis of evaluation studies and monitoring has largely been defeated due to slackness and dilly-dallying approach at all the levels”, sources said.
Not only this, even the evaluation studies are accepted by the State Level Evaluation Committee after a gap of four to five years thereby defeating the purpose of conducting such studies. This can be gauged from the fact that evaluation studies assigned to the Directorate of Economics and Statistics, Regional Joint Directors and District Statistics and Evaluation Officers during 2009 and 2011 were accepted by the State Level Evaluation Committee during the year 2015.
“What purpose acceptance of evaluation studies after prolonged delays serves remains a million dollar question”, sources said.
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