Govt re-validates unspent Rs 231 crore, R&B Deptt emerges better performer

PMDP FLOOD FUND

JAMMU: For the second time in the span of two weeks, Jammu and Kashmir Roads and Building department has emerged as the top performer, leading the other state departments by a big margin as Planning and Development department has revalidated 38% of unspent funds, amounting to 231 crore rupees, it had released to 7 departments in the financial year for 2016-17 under Prime Minister's Package for restoration of flood affected infrastructure-2014.
Of the around 260 crore rupees released to State Roads and Building department, it has spent over 247 crore rupees, registering over 95% expenditure of the funds for various projects. In stark contrast, three of the state departments- ARI and Tag department, Hospitality and Protocol department and Sher-I-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Srinagar- have failed to register even 1% utilization of the funds released to them, amounting to 340 crore rupees. H&P department didn't even spend a single penny in the last year.
The other three departments in the list, Law Department, Power Development Department and Forest department, have spent 1.07 crore of 1.33 crore, 127.58 crore of 187.42 crore and 0.26 Crore of 0.33 crore rupees released to them, utilizing 80%, 68% and 79% of the funds, respectively.
This details emerged as the state government, in its order numbered PD-249 of 2017, today revalidated the unspent 231.21 crore rupees of the 608.31 crore it had released to various these 6 departments under Prime Minister's Package for restoration of flood affected infrastructure in the previous financial year, for the financial year 2017-18. The overall collective utilization of funds by these 7 state departments in the year 2016-17, though, stands at an acceptable 61.98%.
Earlier, in the month, as state Planning and Development department had revalidated around 30% of the unspent funds, 295 crore of 1006 crore rupees it had released to as many as 15 state departments in the year 2016-17 under Prime Minister's Development Package-2015, the State Roads and Building department had topped the chart with 89 percent utilization of the funds released to it, wherein 8 departments failed to utilize even half of the funds released to them.
The state government also subjected the re-validation of unspent funds to a number of conditions which include utilization of these funds only for specific purpose after observing all codal formalities including Administrative Approvals and Technical Sanctions from competent authority. The departments are also instructed to ensure that works are taken up and completed within the approved cost with no work to be tendered or allotted beyond the approved allocation.
The departments are to make sure that funds are neither overlapped from any other source nor parked un-necessarily. The government also put conditions on non-availability of funds for re-appropriation or diversion at any level, instructing that the expenditure shall be booked under proper classification. The order also stated that no further liability can be created and works will, physically & financially, be completed within the approved cost.

Updated On 7/25/2017 4:06:17 PM