STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Governor N.N Vohra reviewed the status of ongoing works in the R&B Department and called for accelerated pace of execution so that the physical targets for the current year are achieved fully and the outlays earmarked are utilised to the fullest extent.
He also emphasised that there should be no compromise on the quality of works being executed.
B.B. Vyas, Financial Commission, Planning and Development Department; P.K Tripathi, Principal Secretary to Governor; and Rohit Kansal, Commissioner, PW (R&B) participated in the review meeting.
The Governor was informed about the details of the pending dues of the contractors who had executed the works but were still awaiting payments. He noted that the Planning and Development had already authorised an amount of Rs. 234.00 crore for 290 macadamisation schemes during the current year, of which Rs.106.42 crore was for 227 schemes in the Kashmir Division. The Chief Engineers have been directed to ensure immediate payments against approved works and, wherever required, to get the unutilised amounts re-appropriated in favour of other schemes so that the available resources are utilised in full before 31st March, 2016.
The Governor was also informed that, in addition, a sum of Rs.400 crore, i.e Rs.200 crore each for Jammu and Kashmir Divisions, had been projected to Government of India under the Reconstruction Plan for release of funds for funding macadamisation of roads. While the works against this programme in the Kashmir Division had largely been executed, the works in the Jammu Division were likely to be executed by the 30th April, 2016. The Governor directed Commissioner PWD to ensure strict adherence to this timeframe.
The Governor asked Vyas, Financial Commissioner, Planning and Development, and Rohit Kansal, Commissioner, PW (R&B) Department, to accommodate the demands of both the Divisions within the available overall outlays and ensure that any additionalities which may become available are also used for meeting the liabilities of the Public Works (R&B) Department.
