Engineers asked to provide reasons for delay
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 17: On the instruction of Chief Secretary, Public Works (R&B) Department has ordered abandoning of the projects, which are going on for more than three years.
Besides, the department has asked its all Executive Engineers to provide cogent reasons for not completing these ongoing projects prior to referred period by the Finance Department.
“It is enjoined upon all HoDs/Engineers of R&B Department not to carry on with the ongoing projects which are initiated prior to 2018-19 till the time reasons provided by the Engineer and Project Authorities are accepted by the Finance Department and suitable guidelines are issued by the Administrative Department,” read a circular in this regard by the PW(R&B) Department.
Pertinent to mention that the Public Works (R&B) Department is engaged in executing planning, designing, construction and maintenance of Government assets like roads, bridges, flyovers and buildings. The department is also involved in developing building infrastructure like hospitals, schools, colleges, public utilities and office buildings for various departments.
The Department has observed that projects go on for years together for their completion even as various reasons have been highlighted by the HoDs of R&B in the matter like delay in identification of suitable land, acquisition/transfer of land for the projects, disputes through court cases, forest clearance, shifting of utilities, meager annual fund allocation and their utilization for slow progress and delayed completion of projects.
Taking cognizance of the matter, Chief Secretary Arun Kumar Mehta while chairing Committee of Secretaries (CoS) meeting advised General Administration Department to issue order for abandoning projects which are going on for more than three years.
Meanwhile, the Finance Department vide its File number FD-BDGTOD-16/31/2021-03-FINANCE DEPARTMENT, also asked the R&B Department to work out a mechanism to arrest this trend.
“The undersigned is directed to refer the subject cited above and to request to consolidate details of all such works which have been initiated prior to 2018-19 and are still ongoing along with cogent reasons of failing to complete them in previous financial years and submit the information to Finance Department for taking a considerate view,” read the communication.
In light of this communication, the R&B Department has directed all its HoDs/Executive Engineers not to carry on with ongoing projects which were initiated prior to 2018-19 besides providing cogent reasons for not completing these projects prior to referred period by the Finance Department.
No work on these projects shall be carried till the time reasons provided by the Engineers and Project Authorities are accepted by the Finance Department and suitable guidelines are issued by the Administrative Department in consultation with Finance Department in having mechanism to ensure complete funding in timely manner to complete the projects within a stipulated period.
Warning that any violation of this instruction may result into departmental action against the delinquent officer, the circular says that this order is applicable for UT Sector Schemes and not for Centrally Sponsored Schemes/PMDP.
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