Secy Planning reviews action plan for completion of languishing, unfunded projects

No further time, cost overrun to allowed: Kansal

SRINAGAR, SEPTEMBER 13: Principal Secretary Planning and Development Department, Rohit Kansal chaired a meeting of Administrative secretaries of various department to finalize the action plan for completion of languishing projects.

The meeting was attended by Commissioner Secretary PWD, Khursheed Ahmad Shah, Commissioner Secretary Higher Education, Sarita Chauhan, Secretary PHE/I&FC Farooq Ahmad Shah, Secretary Youth Services and Sports, Sarmad Hafeez, Director General Planning, Shahzada Bilal and other senior officers of various departments.

The meeting discussed threadbare the way out to complete the pending projects for want of funds.

Rohit Kansal said the government had recently accorded sanction for the establishment of JK Infrastructure Development Finance Corporation (JKIDFC) with an authorized capital of Rs 50 lakhs for raising loans from financial institutions including state/nationalized Banks for completion of unfunded and languishing infrastructure projects in the state which are priority for the Governor’s Administration.

He asked the administrative secretaries of the concerned departments to prepare a detailed project wise schematic break-up of all such schemes as are proposed to be funded under the program and make a list of such projects in the order of priorities so that these projects can be completed to avoid further delays.

He also asked the administrative secretaries to ensure that the project is free from all encumbrances before it is considered for approval.

The Principal Secretary said that all the pending projects should be strictly completed within the specified time as per the timelines submitted and agreed to in the High-Powered Committee. He said no further time or cost overrun shall be allowed under any circumstances on such projects.

He said that irrespective of mode of execution, all remaining works in such projects shall be allotted and executed through a fully competitive, transparent e-tendering process, if not already awarded through a similar process and under execution.

He also directed the concerned departments to ensure and certify that the contract with the executing agency has a clear provision that in case the timelines for completion are not met, the executing agency will have to pay a penalty at a pre-determined rate on account of delayed completion.