- Sets July 15 deadline for submission of DPRs
SRINAGAR: Minister for Law, Justice, Parliamentary Affairs and Relief & Rehabilitation, Syed Basharat Bukhari Friday chaired a high level meeting to review the progress of restoration of infrastructure damaged due to September 2014 floods. Principal Secretary, Planning & Development, B. R. Sharma, Principal Secretary, Forests, R.K. Gupta, Principal Secretary, PDD, Sandeep Kumar Nayak, Commissioner Secretary Relief and Rehabilitation, Dheeraj Kumar Gupta besides Administrative Secretaries of other departments and senior officers were also present in the meeting.
Commissioner Secretary, Relief & Rehabilitation, while welcoming the participants gave an overview of various steps taken by the Government post-September 2014 floods. He said post 2014 floods J&K Government had posed a comprehensive loss memo to the Union Government for sanctioning of funds. The loss memo, he said, comprised three broad components - enhanced ex-gratia, livelihood support and permanent restoration of public infrastructure.
He also briefed the Minister about the progress achieved on submission of DPRs/schemes by the line departments as per the broad estimates in the memorandum presented by the State Government submitted to the Centre. The Minister was also informed about the status of Jhelum and Tawi Flood Recovery Project submitted for World Bank funding, besides utilization of funds released under the PMNRF, SDRF, PM’s Special Package of Rs 575 crore for Health and Education Department, and PM’s Special Package of Rs 1000 crore for permanent restoration of assets (Special SPA).
It was given out in the meeting that the Government of India had agreed to support the proposal for restoration of permanent infrastructure and the State Government was asked to send schematic details of the same. During the meeting, the Minister pointed out that details of the schemes of certain departments were yet to be submitted to the Planning Department for onward submission to the Centre. He said the projects/schemes also need to be prioritized for Rs 1500 crore World Bank assisted Jhelum-Tawi flood recovery project. He also stressed the need for expeditious execution of works sanctioned under SPA for reconstruction.
The Minister said that field functionaries and line departments were also required to send Utilization Certifications (UC) for funds released under PMNRF and SDRF so that more funds can be availed under these heads. The Minister urged the concerned to expedite the process, adding that the Government is making earnest efforts to provide relief and rehabilitate to the flood affected people.
It was decided in the meeting, that the Divisional Commissioners/DCs would be asked to ensure that the verification of temporary restoration works is completed within a week and the documents are forwarded to Financial Commissioner Revenue, so that the same may be placed before State Executive Committee (SEC) for sanction and approval.
The Minister directed all line departments to furnish schematic details indicating outlays, scope and geographical area of project/work as per the tentative estimates submitted by them earlier, which were included in the memorandum. He further asked them to submit DPRs of the same by 15th July. With regard to World Bank funded Rs 1500 crore project for Jhelum-Tawi flood recovery, it was decided in the meeting that the line departments would prioritize the projects/works and keep DPRs ready so that immediate action could be initiated once the project is started.