Construction of hostel for SC girls in Samba
Goldi Sharma
JAMMU, July 16: The inordinate delay in releasing funds for the construction of 100 bedded Scheduled Caste girls’ hostel in Samba district by the Union Ministry of Social Justices and Empowerment, the SC girls are being deprived of the benefits of a hostel. The hostel was proposed under the much ambitious scheme “Babu Jagjivan Ram Chatravas Yojana” by the Union Government.
The Department of Social Welfare has already demarcated nearly 4-5 Kanals of land inside the premises of Government Degree College Samba and has also finalised the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of Rs 3.25 crores as per the guidelines of the Scheme but so far funds have not been released thus delaying the construction of the hostel.
Last year, the Social Welfare Department of JK was asked to clear all the objections raised by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment regarding construction of 100 seated girls hostel at Samba. All the objections were responded by the department but still the Union has not released the funds.
The delay in the construction of hostels has deprived the girls, belonging to deprived sections of the society, of benefits of the Central Sponsored Scheme, said an official of SWD.
The issue of delay in the construction of hostel was also raised by then MLA of Samba constituency, Dr Davinder Kumar Manyal belonging to the same community on the floor of Assembly in March 2018.
“In response to the question of Dr Manyal, the Department had replied that the tenders of the project were floated and allotted to J&K Housing Board at the cost of Rs 2.75 Crores but the executing agency (Housing Board) had denied to carry out construction work due to low cost. It had demanded actual cost proposed by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment i,e 3.25 crores,” said sources while wishing anonymity.
When contacted former legislator Dr Manyal said, the project is fully funded by GoI and was sanctioned during his tenure but due to delay in releasing the funds by Ministry concerned, the project was not being carried out despite the fact that the Higher Education Department has sanctioned a piece of land at Govt Degree College Samba premises for the construction of facility.
He further said that he has raised the issue at the Party level and would soon take up the matter before the Secretary of Social Welfare.
The proposal of SC girls’ hostel in Samba was moved by Department of Social Welfare to Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in Financial year 2015-16 with the detail project report under the ambitious scheme “Babu Jagjivan Ram Chatravas Yojana” and the Union Government had gave its nod for the same in the next financial year but the hostel is yet to see the daylight, said sources while wishing anonymity.
Initially, the project was sanctioned to R&B Department and then allotted to Housing Board for the execution but both of them have denied carrying out construction works due to non-availability of funds, said an Executive Engineer of the J&K Housing Board. He added that until the Department of Social Welfare would not release funds it would be difficult to start the construction works.
Director Social Welfare Department Jammu, Rehana Biwi admits that the project is in pipeline and will be personally pursuing the project and soon the same issue will be raised before the officials concerned. “In coming days, I will visit the spot and access all the possibilities to start the project,” said Director Social Welfare.
It is pertinent to mention here that nearly half a dozen hostels for SC, OBC and other deprived sections of the society are being constructed in Jammu division at Kishtwar, Reasi, Akhnoor of Jammu district under the Babu Jagjivan Ram Chatravas Yogana. The scheme is funded by Union of India and the hostels are either at their completion stage or being executed at high speed but it is only the SC girls’ hostel at Samba where construction work is yet to start.
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