Delay in release of evaluation studies viewed seriously
*Guidelines for improving efficiency at various levels issued
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Nov 28: In a major step aimed at checking time and cost overrun, the Government has ordered physical verification of all ongoing projects across the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir while issuing guidelines for improving efficiency in planning, management and monitoring of the developmental activities/service delivery.
Moreover, the delay on the part of Economics and Statistics Department in release of evaluation studies has been viewed seriously and those at the helm of affairs in this department have been explicitly told to ensure that findings of such studies are shared with the concerned authorities well in time so as to facilitate them in taking corrective measures.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that three days back Financial Commissioner, Finance and Economic Affairs Department Dr Arun Kumar Mehta took a meeting of senior officers and highlighted the importance of evaluation of projects.
He issued directions for physical verification of all ongoing projects and concurrent evaluation to make mid-term corrections during the implementation of the projects rather than evaluation to find out the variations. “This will improve the delivery mechanism at the grass root level by ensuring corrective measures to reduce time and cost ove-run”, sources said quoting the observations of Dr Arun Mehta.
The Financial Commissioner Finance directed that the Project Monitoring/ Appraisal and Concurrent Evaluation Division of the Planning, Development and Monitoring Department shall get the projects/works monitored/physically verified through the District Statistical and Evaluation Officers and Statistical staff posted in various districts of the Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory.
“The outcome of the projects physically verified shall be shared with the Finance Department on monthly basis”, he further directed while asking the Director General, Economics and Statistics to provide adequate staff to District Statistical and Evaluation Officers so as to facilitate them in conduct of physical verification of the projects in their respective jurisdiction.
Even the Plan Formulation Division has been directed to assess the reasons of cost escalation cases and delay in execution of works and suggest measures to improve the delivery mechanism for completion of projects on time bound basis, sources further said, adding the Financial Commissioner Finance has directed that the Director General, Project Monitoring/Appraisal and Concurrent Evaluation will coordinate with the Finance Department for improving the mechanism to assess the performance of ongoing projects on real time basis.
“The Project Monitoring/ Appraisal and Concurrent Evaluation Division will also assess the status of tendering of the projects, release of funds, physical completion of the works and share outcome with suggestions for improving the delivery for end users/stakeholders through customized dash board on regular basis”, sources said.
In order to improve the outcome of the schemes, the Financial Commissioner Finance has issued directions for holding review meetings regularly and furnishing of reports to the Finance Department.
Sources disclosed that Financial Commissioner Finance took serious note of inordinate delay in release of evaluation studies conducted by the Directorate of Economics and Statistics Department and directed the Director General Economics and Statistics A K Gandotra to make a presentation on December 6, 2019 on the findings of evaluation studies so that objectives behind the same are achieved. He has also been asked to make presentation regarding the State Income Estimates.
The Project Formulation Division/ Plan Formulation Division in the Finance Department has been directed to formulate Standard Bidding Document for various departments for adoption and in this exercise NITI Aayog and experts in the field will be involved, sources further informed.
This Division will also focus on formulation of project appraisal mechanism for the projects of the line departments before projects are actually launched and funds projected, earmarked and authorized on year on year basis in close coordination with Director Finance and Director Planning of the line departments.
Even Director General, Project Monitoring/Appraisal and Concurrent Evaluation Division has been directed to prepare the outcome indicators in respect of all the schemes under implementation.
Meanwhile, the Financial Commissioner Finance has directed all the officers of the Planning cadre deputed in connection with the Back to Village Programme to submit a report about implementation of schemes, expectations of the people and discrepancies observed by December 4, 2019.
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