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| Major scandal hits Hr. Edu. Deptt | | Works of Rs. 151 Cr sanctioned without administrative approval | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Dec 24: A major construction scandal has rocked the Higher Education department where construction works to the tune of over Rs. 151 Cr have reportedly been sanctioned without seeking mandatory administrative approval.
Moreover, most of the construction works have been allotted in violation of the codal formalities to Jammu and Kashmir Police Housing Corporation (JKPHC) some of whom are over 7.50 Crores, for which approval of Governor office is mandatory, but even Governor House was bypassed by the department.
According to sources the Higher Education department had approved a total of 24 construction works to the tune of Rs. 151.60 Crores for various government degree colleges. Out of these, 11 construction works to the tune of Rs. 64 Crores were allotted to Jammu and Kashmir Police Housing Corporation (JKPHC) without getting the mandatory administrative approval, sources alleged.
Out of total 24 works, 8 works are higher than Rs. 7.50 Crores and the Amended Jammu and Kashmir Book of Financial Powers reads, "Administrative Approval (AA) in respect of works/projects above Rs. 750 Lakhs, including cost of any residential building under plan/non plan shall be accorded with the approval of Chief Minister/Governor after the concurrence of Planning and Development Department/Finance department".
Sources alleged that no such approval was sought by Higher Education department from Governor' office, while according sanction of such works to various colleges.
Principals of various GDCs, pleading anonymity said that they had forwarded DPRs sent by other construction agencies such as R&B, JKPCC but the department officials, while sidelining their proposals, allotted works to JKPHC, whose DPR was not even submitted by the colleges.
Sources further said that prior to the execution of any work it was mandatory for any department to take administrative approval for that work, which was subjected to prior technical vetting by Development Commissioner Works and approval of competent authority but in Higher Education funds have been released without accord of administrative approval to the works.
"All these 24 construction works were actually projected by Higher Education department as languishing projects under Languishing Projects Scheme, however the fact remains that all these works are new works under Capex Budget 2018-19, proposed to be taken up in different colleges afresh and had falsely been projected as Languishing projects", sources in Finance department said.
Sources further said that the Governor office has also raised questions over the approval of works and had suggested to frame a committee of officials for verifying the reasonability of rates and allotment to various agencies without getting Administrative Approval, with Chief Engineer of R&B department as member. "But hoodwinking the Governor office, the department has accorded the approval for release of funds subject to examination of reasonability of rates, cost offers by Committee comprising Director Colleges, Chief/Superintendent Engineer of R&B, concerned College Principal" the order reads.
Questioning the rationale of such order, sources said that if already the projects have been approved to the construction agencies, what type of rationality of rates would be examined from one agency and it would only be a hoax. |
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