Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha Friday chaired a high-level meeting to discuss ways for effective implementation of initiatives announced in J&K UT budget 2022-23 with an objective of sustaining growth momentum and bringing about synergy and convergence among various departments.
The Lt Governor said that the action oriented plan is to reflect fast economic development, strengthening institutions for rapid social change while ensuring growth with equity so that every citizen benefits from J&K's prosperity.
The Lt Governor asked the Administrative Departments and District Administrations to work in close-coordination and furnish the UT and District plans in consultation with public representatives and other stakeholders to realize the vision of “Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas”, bringing transformative changes in the lives of people without any discrimination.
We have a substantial increase in the budgetary support for infrastructure development, education, healthcare, strengthening PRIs, facilitating investment & growth, employment, youth, women empowerment & social sector schemes to reach out to the last person in the last row, added the Lt Governor.
The Lt Governor advised for formulating works plan around six important components - Objectives, Total Outlay, Broad Guidelines, Measurable Outcomes with Timelines, Expenditure Phasing & Evaluation. Specific directions were passed for the completion of the tendering process by the month of May.
UT and District plans must be a road-map of J&K’s development, progress and prosperity; reflective of the needs and aspirations of the people of J&K, the Lt Governor further added.
Speaking on the governance reforms introduced in the last one and a half years, the Lt Governor said that efforts made to streamline the overall development process have yielded favourable results.
Tax collection reached Rs 15,180 cr with 25.33 % hike in the last FY; all Treasury Bills, verified Contractors and pending languishing projects bills, Rs 810 cr Power Purchase liability cleared. An increase of Rs 625 cr registered in Power receipts, besides Rs 600cr equity contribution of J&K in Kiru and Ratle projects were paid, he added.
Expressing his faith in the government machinery, the Lt Governor said that absolute transparency in the system, timely release of Capex Budget component & completion of tendering process, timely submission of UCs will lead the government to achieve unprecedented feat in project completion in FY 2022-23.
Administrative Secretaries, Deputy Commissioners and other concerned officials were directed to put special focus on the development of border areas & villages, women & youth empowerment, welfare of senior citizens, Nasha Mukti Abhiyaan, Jal Jeevan Mission, saturation of CSS, MGNREGA, tribal welfare, rural economy & infrastructure.
The Lt Governor also suggested for analysis of the chosen works to be done to assess their effective implementation.
Dr Arun Kumar Mehta, Chief Secretary asked the officials to work on mission mode for accelerating the pace of economic development in the UT of J&K.
J&K is among the top performing UTs in terms of e-governance, e-office, ease of living, transparency, and saturation of welfare schemes. All the vital aspects must be taken into consideration in the UT and District plans to replicate the success of the previous financial year, he added.
Sh. Atal Dulloo, Additional Chief Secretary, Finance department said that the historic Rs 1, 12,950 crore budget of the UT of J&K for the year 2022-23 envisages all-round development in Jammu and Kashmir, meeting the aspirations of people. He also highlighted the achievements recorded in the previous financial year.
All Administrative departments were asked to upload the approved Works Plan on BEAMS portal with the approval of competent authority by 10th April, 2022.
Departments to initiate the e-tendering process immediately in the month of April, 2022 and shall ensure that each e-NIT must be issued by or before 30th April, 2022 and the exercise of tendering is carried out in a time bound manner and all the tendering processes must be concluded by or before 31st May, 2022.
The flow of funds to the subordinate offices will be in online mode through BEAMS and all departments shall be required to submit monthly reports regarding the progress made by them under various components.
The projects undertaken during the year will need to meet basic discipline of Administrative Approval, Technical Sanction and e-tendering. Geo-tagged photographs will be necessary before commencement of the work and after completion of the work for incurring expenditure. The activities will be available for public viewing through EMPOWERMENT web-portal (www.janbhagidari.gov.in).
Further, All the District Development Commissioners have been asked to furnish the District Plans (project/work/activity wise) in consultation with the PRIs, BDCs and DDCs of the concerned District at the earliest.
Pertinently, the Government has accorded sanction to authorization of 50% Revenue and Capex budget including District Capex out of Budget Estimates 2022-23 through Budget Estimation, Allocation and Monitoring System (BEAMS) within the appropriation approved by the Parliament.
Sh R K Goyal, Additional Chief Secretary, Home Department; Sh. Vivek Bhardwaj, Additional Chief Secretary, Health and Medical Education Department; Sh. Nitishwar Kumar, Principal Secretary to Lt Governor, Administrative Secretaries; Divisional Commissioners; Deputy Commissioners, Superintendents of Police, Heads of the Departments, and other senior officers attended the meeting, in person and through virtual mode.