Nasir Azam
Srinagar, Sep 19 : In a significant move aimed at enhancing accountability and transparency in governance, the Jammu & Kashmir government has directed officers to expedite physical verification of over 16000 works/projects.
Documents accessed by news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) show that regional directors/ district statistics and evaluation officers have been directed to speed up physical verification of over 16000 projects.
“Regional Directors/District Statistics & Evaluation Officers shall expedite the physical verification of over 16000 works/projects,” reads a record note of a meeting chaired by Principal Secretary, Finance department on September 12, 2023 to review capital expenditure.
The Finance department also expressed concern over the progress achieved in 2022-23 vis-à-vis physical verification of works.
“The physical verification/ inspection of works is playing a crucial role in transparency of the execution. However, the progress achieved for the year 2022-23 is very low (5.75 %),” reads the documents.
The officers were also told that “physical verification of works has to happen systemically and shall be evenly planned for the entire financial year”.
According to the record note, officers were also told to ensure that the expenditure level is increased expeditiously to bridge infrastructure gaps. “Capital expenditure is lagging substantially. All the planning officers may ensure that the expenditure level is increased expeditiously to bridge infrastructure deficit,” reads the record note.
The departments were asked to control their revenue budget to increase expenditure on capital budget.
The Finance department has also asked the departments to ensure that the accord of administrative approval, tendering and allotment of works is done by the end of September.
“All the concerned departments may expedite submission of utilization certificates under centrally sponsored schemes, Prime Minister’s Development Programme to their respective ministers in Government of India so that each department gets the next installment of funds from Government of India by October 2023,” the record note states—(KNO)
