Omar reviews PMGSY, calls for e-payment of works

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 12 : Equating dependable road communication with economic prosperity, Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah on Thursday emphasized the need for dovetailing various road development schemes to obtain holistic results and expand benefit orbit.
Taking stock of the progress and status of flagship programme PMGSY here, the Chief Minister said that linking rural and remote areas with highways is all the more important in a State like Jammu and Kashmir with a hilly and difficult terrain.
“Your focus should be on deriving maximum benefits by integrating schemes aimed at construction and upgradation of road communication network in rural areas”, he told the R&B Department, adding that MGNREGA and PMGSY can complement and supplement each other in achieving the goal of rural connectivity.
The Chief Minister said that his Government has flagged construction of roads and bridges as an important segment in the overall development policy of the State. He said a dependable road network in the State and sound linkage between various districts through good inter-district roads is the endeavour of the Government. He said construction of tunnels and making hilly and remote areas accessible for generating economic activities and helping comprehensive development are receiving concentrated attention.
“After successful launch of e-tendering, you should go for e-payment to make the system more transparent and reduce chances of malpractices to zero level”, Omar Abdullah told the concerned department directing for taking early necessary action for introducing e-payment for the works completed. He said that regular physical and financial monitoring by the department at various levels and third party analysis by independent agency should remain the permanent feature of administrative functioning.
Omar Abdullah asked the department to penalize and blacklist those contractors who indulge in unnecessary delaying in the completion of schemes.
The meeting was informed that about 240 habitations have been connected with roads during the last financial year. A road length of 872 kilometres has been added against the target of 750 kilometres indicating 116 percent achievement of the road construction target fixed under PMGSY for the State for 2011-12. In addition to this earthwork has also been completed on 450 kilometres in the same period. The financial achievements registered during the last fiscal amounts to over Rs. 510 crores.
The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary, Madhav Lal, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, B. B. Vyas, Principal Secretary R&B, K. B. Agarwal, Commissioner Secretary Forests, Shantmanu, Principal Chief Conservator Forests, Vinod Ranjan, Commissioner Secretary Revenue, B. A. Runiyal, Chief Engineers of PMGSY and other officers.
In a PowerPoint presentation the Principal Secretary R&B. K. B. Agarwal explained the status of land acquisition, forest clearance, shifting of structures and other related matters. He said awards for 496 schemes have been issued for land compensation distributing an amount of Rs. 252 crores to land owners.