Developmental projects: Govt departments to submit progress reports to governor

Srinagar, Sep 9: All the government departments have been directed to submit the monthly report to the governor’s office to check the progress of developmental works.
Several developmental projects have got delayed and missed multiple deadlines over the past several years in the state. Taking note over delay in developmental works, the government has directed the departments to submit the monthly progress report to the governor’s office every month.
A government circular says that departments have to submit the details regarding major developmental activities and achievements to the Governor Secretariat every month.
“It is further requested that the hence forth monthly information on the subject be furnished to the Principal Secretary to the Government Planning and Development for consolidation and its onward submission to the Principal Secretary to Governor by 3rd of every month,” the circular recently issued reads.
An official of the GAD said that government has decided to take action against officials responsible for delaying projects. “Government is not able to evaluate performance of their departments on the basis of timeline completion of targets, outcomes of the schemes, priorities fixed, quality of work done, and status of benefits of projects due to non-submission of progress reports,” the official said.
The official said that government was concerned over lapsing of funds as officials were not making timely utilization of funds. The non-seriousness of the officials was resulting lapsing of funds.
“If funds are released, then the concerned officials will be responsible for any lapse,” the official quoting government having directed to departments.
The departments have also been told that developmental works should be started with proper approval from Planning and Finance Department to know the source of funds.
The government has told the departmental heads to submit ‘results framework document (RFD)’ to check utilization of funds.
Most of the departmental heads have failed to prepare RFD for the past three years. “In some works, funds have got lapsed which remained unutilized due to mismanagement of officials,” an official of Planning Department said.
“Once the departments submit their RFD report, the planning, development and monitoring department will prepare its own report to check the progress of development in the state,” he added.
Planning development and monitoring department acts as a nodal agency to look after the implementation of planning process in the state. This department has also been entrusted with the task of maintaining active liaison with the government of India, especially with the NITI Aayog to ensure effective implementation of centrally sponsored schemes in the state.
The state government launched RFD in December 2012 that was aimed to judge the performance of departments and to bring transparency in the functioning of the government.