Abid Bashir
Srinagar, Nov 20: As the Union Minister P Chidambaram has started frequenting Jammu and Kashmir, his repeated visits are keeping the ministers of National Conference-Congress coalition on toes forcing them to be tough against their subordinates and departmental heads.
The government has asked the constructing agencies to complete various developmental projects within a stipulated time frame fearing serious questioning by the Home Ministry.

The development comes close on the heels of announcement made by Chidambaram during his recent visit to Srinagar that the pace of developmental projects under Prime Minister’s Reconstruction plan was slow.
“In some projects fewer funds were utilized while some were yet to start. I have decided to visit Jammu and Kashmir at the end of every month and my visit will be followed by various union secretaries, who will monitor the pace of development and utilization of funds,” Chidambaram had said.
Interestingly, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh too had stated in his speech at Islamabad in South Kashmir that the funds released under PMRP have not benefited the common man in the State.
Reliable sources said Union secretaries will start their ‘virtual inspection trip’ from December 15. “Union secretaries will hold meetings with the ministers and the respective departmental secretaries. If necessary, they will also go to the site of the project for on-spot inspection,” sources said.
The Home Minister has already started the process by taking stock of the construction work on flats for the Kashmiri Pandits in Jammu. He directed the heads of the construction agencies to complete the project on time.
Heads of departments like R&B, PWD, PHE have started facing the heat of ‘inspection by Delhi’.  “We have been kept on tenterhooks to prepare the documents and keep the proper record of utilization of funds being spent on the projects.  We have been directed by the ministers to remain vigilant and keep a close eye on the constructing agencies,” said an R&B official pleading anonymity.
He said the government has sounded alert in almost all departments with strong directions to ensure time bound completion of the projects.   
Ruling out interference of New Delhi in developmental projects of the State, Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development and Tourism, Nasir Aslam Wani said, “Government of India is pumping lot of money in the State and if they want to see where it goes, there is no harm. The visit of Home Minister or Union Secretaries to the State to monitor the pace of developmental projects should be called as a joint effort.”
Wani said the government has issued strict directions to construction agencies like Economic Reconstruction Agency (ERA), NABARD and JKPCC to complete the projects assigned to them in a time bound period. “Deadlines have been fixed for completing the projects. Besides, we have formed a monitoring team comprising ministers and MLAs to monitor the work on the projects,” he said.
The minister for R&B G M Saroori tacitly admitted that there used to be delay in various projects under PMRP and Prime Ministers Grameen Sadak Yojna (PMGSY). “Now, we are receiving enough funds from the Centre and State government. As for as the frequent visits of Home Ministers is concerned, I would like to see him monitoring each and every project twice a month,” he said.
At present work on 65 bridges is going on. These projects are to be completed by March 31, 2010.  “Roads to be constructed by the NABARD have to be completed within three years,” Saroori said.
New Delhi’s intervention into the developmental projects seems genuine given the fact that the previous regime managed to spent only Rs 6000 crore out of Rs 24,000 core package announced by the Prime Minister. Resultantly, the Rs 18,000 crore remained unspent and got lapsed in March 2009.  The additional Rs 6000 crore that were released under PMRP too got lapsed. New Delhi has not extended the deadline of this package as demanded by the government.
“I hope deadline will be increased. We are in constant touch with the Planning Commission New Delhi. I hope they will extend the deadline,” Finance Minister Abdur Rahim Rather told Rising Kashmir.