Displeasure over slackness

13/03/2018

Expressing displeasure over dilly-dallying approach in implementing several vital components of Rs 80,000 crore worth Prime Minister’s Development Package (PMDP), a Parliamentary Panel has asked the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to work in tandem with the State Government so as to ensure timely and effective execution of the projects. Moreover, while conveying concern over non-furnishing of information by the Ministry on certain ongoing projects, has stressed the need for fixing specific timelines as that benefits of the schemes percolate to the people in a time bound manner. Department Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs headed by senior Congress leader P Chidambaram, which was tabled in both Houses of Parliament on March 8, 2018, the State Government was requested by the Ministry of Home Affairs to provide requisite details such as the name and Aadhaar linked bank account numbers of at least 9000 out of total 36,384 displaced families of Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir (1947) and Chhamb (1967 and 1971) for disbursal of financial assistance at the rate of Rs 5.5 lakh per family. However, the State Government could provide details of only 481 beneficiaries till March 31, 2017 after verification of their records. During automatic verification by banks through Public Finance Management System (PFMS) given bank accounts of only 175 beneficiaries were found to be linked with their given Aadhaar numbers.
Due to this only Rs 9.33 crore could be utilized for disbursing the Central Assistance to these 175 beneficiaries during the financial year 2016-17 and remaining amount was surrendered. The intensity of dilly-dallying approach in implementation of Rehabilitation Package can be gauged from the fact that till May last year a total of 29,068 forms were distributed to the beneficiaries and against these 10,723 filled up forms were received by the concerned authorities in the State Government. However, details of only 3500 beneficiaries were sent to the Nodal Officer after verification for uploading on the PFMS. The Nodal Officer, however, could upload details of only 605 beneficiaries on PFMS till May ending. About other components of PMDP, the Parliamentary Panel has observed that process for raising five IR Battalions has yet not been completed despite the fact that project was sanctioned by Ministry of Home Affairs on February 10, 2016. It has been conveyed to the Parliamentary Panel that more than one lakh applications were received for recruitment for 5 IR Battalions and the same were being scrutinized by the State Government. Out of total package of Rs 80,068 crore under PMDP, projects of Rs 67,047 crore have been sanctioned and an amount of Rs 17,913 crore has been released to the State Government.

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