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| No transparency in purchase of sports-kits for Panchayats | | Rural youth feel cheated as substandard items supplied | | Early Times Report
Jammu, July 1: Announcement of the J&K government to intensify sports activities in rural areas proved to be a cruel joke with the youth of villages as it is alleged that substandard sports items were supplied in the name of ‘sports kits.
With much publicity, the J&K government had announced to give sports kits worth Rs 20,000 to every Panchayat of J&K to involve rural youth in sports activities.
“Instead of involving Panchayat members in purchasing sports items, government officials were involved in purchasing these kits”, sources said and added that substandard items were purchased and supplied to the Panchayats. Wishing anonymity, a Sarpanch of Jammu district said that sports kits were lying in Panchayat Ghars because all material was of poor quality. “Purchasing of sports kits is not only a scam but also a cruel joke with our youth”, the Sarpanch said and regretted that instead of ensuring transparency and accountability in purchasing everything was purchasing was going in clandestine manner. There are nearly 4000 Panchayats in Jammu and Kashmir so sports kits worth Rs 8 crores were purchased but neither any tender was floated, nor Panchayat members were involved in the process.
The sports kits comprised of a cricket kit, two carrom boards, volleyball, volleyball net, two poles etc.
“Had J&K floated tender for these sports kits, village youth would have received quality sports materials?” the Sarpanch said but pointed that anyone who dares to speak the truth would be booked with one or another charges”.
“There is no transparency in the system. Everything is going in a clandestine manner as elected representatives are side-lined by the officers who have the patronage of higher-ups”, he said.
On the one hand, the J&K government is claiming to involve Panchayat members in the decision-making process while as on the other hand they were even not consulted to purchase sports kits.
As reported earlier by this newspaper, Sarpanchs of Doda and Kishtwar districts had refused to withdraw an amount of Rs 20000 on account of purchase of the sports kits as same was purchased without their consent or without taking them on board by the Youth Services and Sports Department. |
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