Funds released by GOI left unspent by JK babus
Afsana Rashid (The Daily Etalaat)
Srinagar, Feb 3: Funds released under various schemes by the Ministry of Rural Development (HRD), Government of India under Department of Drinking Water Supply (2005-07) to Jammu and Kashmir are utilized ineffectively as a hefty sum remains unspent. In this connection, three letters have been shot by the Ministry of Rural Development, to Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department, Srinagar and Jammu and to Joint Director (P) PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control Department, Civil secretariat Jammu vide No. W-11014/11/2006-TM.II dated November 21, 2007, No. W. 11038/10/04-CCDU/DWS-IV dated July 23, 2007 and No. W.11038/10/04-CCDU/DWS-IV dated September 5, 2007 respectively.
“…A sum of Rs 93.72 lakh has been released during 2005-07 for the purpose of HRD capacity-building about safe drinking water among the rural areas in the state. However, it was observed that the funds have not been utilized effectively for the purpose and a good sum remained unspent over the year,” the letter to the PHE says.
The letter further adds that the objective of the programme activities should be focused on community-based approach involving state, district and village level evolving mechanism (that is, PRIs, NGOs, technical and educational institutions) and officials/works so as to ensure regular drinking water quality testing activities and reporting accordingly.
The contents of the letters marked to Joint Director (P) PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control Department, Civil secretariat Jammu reads that the guidelines of CCDU, para 6.2, specify the requirements that are to be complied with for release of funds by Government of India. The funds to the CCDU J&K were released accordingly specifying the terms and conditions in Annexure-I to the sanction letter. It is observed that these terms are not being complied by the CCDU. The audited statements of accounts for the years 2005-06 and 2006-07 have not been submitted. These statements should be sent to this office after getting the accounts audited by a Chartered Accountant duly approved by SWSM or state government. Utilization certificate (2005-06) and Action Plan (2007-08) are also not submitted yet.
Sources who did not wish to reveal their identity said that J&K state shows zero performance in this regard. No work, according to them, has been started to obtain complete school sanitation.
Sources added that political leaders deliberately create “myth” in their respective constituencies that they have been allotted no funds by the GoI for implementation of various schemes, which according to them is absolutely baseless.
According to them, Utilization Certificate has to be sent by the state government to GoI that provides way for further release of funds. “Sixty percent of the funds allotted in the first phase have to be spent necessarily. It is only after that that Utilization certificate can be send to GoI for the release of second instalment of funds. Utilization Certificate is just 2-3 lines statement,” reveal the sources.
They informed that despite having simple procedures to avail these facilities, Jammu and Kashmir state fail to spend the money sanctioned for the first phase, which is done deliberately. The remaining funds as such are withdrawn by the GOI and allotted to better performer (state) as an incentive.
“This is no injustice. If the amount is not utilized here it is better if other state uses that for developmental purposes. Otherwise there is a simple procedure involved for acquiring these schemes but Jammu and Kashmir state shows lack of will,” added the sources. “This is the biggest loss to people of state,” they argued.
Elaborating on the schemes available they said that these schemes are demand-driven and not supply driven. “People should be informed and made aware about these schemes so that they demand for these amenities. Government has to take onus of making people aware about these schemes,” they said.
“The state government is shy of spending money. There is no political will to do it and it is nobody’s concern. No competency or commitment is shown to spend this money that would prove beneficial for the community,” they added.Communication and Capacity Development Unit (CCDU), according to the sources, came into being at all state level to implement various schemes offered by Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India. Consequently, CCDU started in J&K in 2004.