Guv reviews completion of languishing projects

Jammu: Governor Satya Pal Malik Wednesday directed the administration to gear up for completing the languishing developmental projects within the set timeframe so that the same are put to public use at the earliest.
Governor was speaking at a high-level meeting convened here this afternoon to review the implementation of the Action Plan for completion of the languishing projects in the state.
Advisors to the Governor, K Vijay Kumar and Kewal Krishan Sharma; Chief Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam; Principal Secretary to the Governor, Umang Narula; Principal Secretary Health & Medical Education, Atal Dulloo; Principal Secretary Finance, Navin K Choudhary; Principal Secretary Planning Development & Monitoring, Rohit Kansal; Commissioner Secretary, PWD (R&B), Khurshid Ahmad Shah; Secretary Tourism, Rigzian Sampheal; Secretary PHE, Irrigation & Flood Control, Farooq Ahmad Shah; Executive Director, J&K Infrastructure Development Finance Corporation, Nazim Zai Khan, and other concerned officers were present at the meeting.
Stressing on the officers to accord top priority to this new initiative, Governor said Rs 8000 crore have been earmarked for completion of all such projects which are hanging fire for decades for want of adequate resources. “Inordinate delay in the execution of developmental projects not only leads to cost and time overrun but also fuels public dissatisfaction as they are not able to benefit from the same,” he said.
“While approving languishing projects for funding priority should be given to the key sectors including road communication, drinking water, education, healthcare, irrigation and sports,” he said and added that all the long-pending projects should be strictly completed within the specified time-lines agreed to in the high-powered committee. He said no further time or cost overrun should be allowed under any circumstances on such projects. “With full commitment and focus, we should be able to achieve good progress on this initiative in the larger public interest,” Governor said and added that the physical and financial progress of each project should be updated regularly on the official websites of the concerned Departments so that people know the status of each project. He also called for geo-tagging of all languishing projects to be taken up for completion.
Briefing the meeting about the Action Plan for completion of languishing projects, Principal Secretary Finance, Navin K Choudhary said so far 1014 languishing projects in various sectors costing Rs 2171.91 crore have been approved for funding through newly established JKIDFC.
Navin, who is also the founder Chairman/Managing Director of JKIDFC,
said a High-Powered committee headed by Administrative Secretary Finance Department and comprising Administrative Secretary, Planning, Development & Monitoring, PWD (R&B) and PHE/I&FC as members meets after regular intervals to approve such projects for funding through JKIDFC. He said till date three meetings of the HPC have been convened and 1014 languishing projects across the state in various sectors costing Rs 2171.91 crore have been approved for funding.
He said assured funding of Rs 1700 crore has already been arranged by JKIDFC for the current fiscal for the completion of languishing projects and several financial institutions have evinced keen interest to extend loaning facility. He urged all the Departments to submit as many such projects as possible to HPC so that the same are taken up for completion at the earliest.
Giving details of the languishing projects approved for funding till date, Navin said these include 423 projects costing Rs 682.58 crore in PHE sector, 312 road and bridge projects costing Rs 586.40 crore in PWD sector, 76 projects costing Rs 188.73 crore in Irrigation sector, 35 projects costing Rs 230.54 crore in Industries & Commerce sector, 39 projects costing Rs 23.75 crore in School Education, 48 projects costing Rs 90.52 crore in Health and Medical Education sector, 81 projects costing Rs 258.60 crore in Ladakh Affairs and 6 projects costing Rs 65.38 crore in Tourism sector.
Advisors Kumar and Sharma and Chief Secretary also made some valuable suggestions on how to make this landmark initiative productive and result-oriented.
The Administrative secretaries assured the meeting that all the projects approved by HPC till date would be completed in next 18 months.