Reports of only 3 out of 25 projects prepared till date
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Aug 23: Ignoring the explicit directions of Minister for Rehabilitation and Reconstruction, those at the helm of affairs in Jammu and Kashmir Projects Construction Corporation (JKPCC) are soft-paddling on submission of Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) of the works identified for execution under World Bank funded Rs 1500 crore Jhelum and Tawi Flood Recovery Project (JTFRP). The dilly-dallying approach is notwithstanding the fact that Government has been left with less than two years for utilization of such a whopping financial assistance.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that Minister for Revenue, Relief, Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Disaster Management Abdul Rehman Veeri, while chairing a meeting on July 26, 2017, fixed deadline of ending August for the start of major infrastructure build up works under Jhelum and Tawi Flood Recovery Project.
He, in the presence of all the concerned officers, even stressed for submission of Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) by Jammu and Kashmir Projects Construction Corporation, which has been entrusted with the task of executing works relating to roads, bridges, schools and hospitals, by August 10 so that implementation of JTFRP doesn’t face any more delay.
“However, those at the helm of affairs in JKPCC have failed to pay any heed to the directions of the Minister”, sources said while disclosing that out of 25 Detailed Project Reports only three have been submitted by the Corporation to the concerned authorities till date thereby establishing that slackness continued to persist even after more than one and half years of signing of agreement between World Bank and Union Government for 250 Million US Dollar (Rs 1500 crore) credit agreement.
On the other side, Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have made substantial progress vis-à-vis projects assigned to them under JTFRP, sources said while disclosing that both these agencies are in the process of procuring equipment and machinery, which are required for use in disaster management.
Expressing inability to specify time-frame for start of works assigned to JKPCC, sources said, “those at the helm of affairs in the Corporation are continuing slack approach despite being aware of the fact that after submission of DPRs the same are required to be vetted by the concerned agency before submission to the World Bank and it is only after the DPRs meet guidelines of the funding agency that works are actually started on ground”.
“It is matter of concern that JKPCC has failed to understand that roads, bridges, schools and hospitals are assets of vital public importance and it is only due to fast track execution of the works that objectives of the project would be achieved”, sources remarked while questioning the decision of the Government to allot such important works to the agency which is known for its casual approach and is already in the dock for delaying important projects.
The prevailing situation has once again brought to the fore the necessity of evolving unified operational system on the lines of Jammu and Kashmir Economic Reconstruction Agency. “The unwarranted delay in formulation of DPRs is mainly because Project Management Unit doesn’t have direct control over Project Implementing Units, which have their own Administrative Secretaries and Ministers”, sources said.
“Had the concerned authorities of the State Government and the World Bank team paid serious attention towards having unified operational system at the time of working out Project Implementation Arrangements the prevailing situation could have been avoided”, sources said, adding “if the Government doesn’t want to work out any such mechanism in respect of JTFRP it should at least make those at the helm of affairs in the Project Implementing Units like JKPCC to strictly adhere to the directions being issued from time to time so that works under World Bank funded project don’t meet the fate of other projects allotted to JKPCC”.
It is pertinent to mention here that in September 2014 J&K experienced torrential rains causing major flooding and landslides. The continuous spell of rains caused Jhelum, Chenab and Tawi Rivers as well as many other streams/tributaries to flow above the danger mark.
In the aftermath of devastating floods, the Government of India requested assistance from World Bank and after numerous visits by the team of World Bank the Union Government and World Bank signed 250 Million US Dollar credit agreement under the Jhelum and Tawi Flood Recovery Project in January 2016.
This project has seven components-reconstruction and strengthening of critical infrastructure; reconstruction of roads and bridges; restoration of urban flood management infrastructure; restoration and strengthening of livelihoods; strengthening disaster risk management capacity; contingent emergency response and implementation support.
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