news details |
|
|
| 'Govt must monitor decisions taken are implemented on ground' | | Omar in Public Mulakats | | Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, Sept 21: Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah Wednesday said that the State Government is contemplating Kandi Development Authority to ensure comprehensive and integrated development of kandi belts spread over largely in both the divisions of Kashmir and Jammu. The pace and progress of development in both urban and rural areas defies the Government's claim and reduces the assurance of the Chief Minister to another diatribe.
Omar Abdullah said that holistic development of kandi areas for conservation for water resources, raising of orchards, encouraging feasible agricultural activities, water shed development and other similar matters require focused attention. "In order to realize this goal my Government is working on a proposal of handing over this task to an authority or organization for concentrated attention", he said adding that the issue is significantly important to address the problems of people living there. The decision would only create another authority that multiplies hands who ultimately share the loot in the developmental funds.
The Chief Minister said that improvement and upgradation of basic amenities and enhancing economic activities in kandi belts is one of the priority concerns of his Government. "We are keen to deliver on this front through new initiatives and befitting policy planning", he maintained. Better still would have been to improve and closely monitor the working of the present developmental works in the Kandi belts and ensure that the huge leakages and pilferages of Public funds are checked.
Omar Abdullah was speaking to a delegation of kandi areas of Kashmir and Jammu divisions which called on him during Awami Mulakat here and presented a memorandum for the development of kandi areas. The Awami Mulakats of the Chief Minister are welcome interactions, but unless the Chief Minister closely monitors the implementation of the decisions he takes during these Awami Mulakats, such interactions could soon lose their significance.
Talking to another deputation from South Kashmir, the Chief Minister said that extension of drinking water facilities in water scare areas and augmentation of its supply in other areas are receiving appropriate attention of the Government.
The Chief Minister said that the Government has targeted to provide better drinking water facilities to a population of over 10.62 lakhs during the current fiscal adding that focus is on to ensure drinking water security both in terms of its adequacy and quality on a sustainable basis through conjunctive use of surface, ground and rain water harvesting with recharging of sources and mobilizing the system.
Omar Abdullah said that Rs. 382.72 crores have been incurred for improvement, upgradation and extension of drinking water supply facilities in the State during 2009-10 while the expenditure on this count in last year was Rs. 506.52 crores.
The Chief Minister said that out of 2295 water supply schemes taken in hand as many as 1257 were completed by the end of last year while 430 schemes have been targeted for the current financial year. Does the Government keep a track of the fact that most of the rural water supply schemes have been closed because of faulty pipes, depletion of the failure of the gravity sources and the callous of the field staff who do not maintain the optimum efficiency of these water supply schemes?
Omar Abdullah said that 510 sustainable schemes including check dams, tanks, wells, ponds, water storage structures, etc have been taken up for execution at an estimated cost of over Rs. 125.14 crores. Of these, 54 schemes are nearing completion. Completion of these schemes is fine and the fact that the allotted expenditure has been incurred is appreciable, but the proof of the pudding lies in its eating. Are all these so-called sustainable schemes operative after they were completed? The Government must make enquiries to see how many of the completed schemes are actually operative on the ground.
The Chief Minister said that impounding structures at Alastaing, Wangat, Check Dam at Surinsar and Reasi and other places are under execution. He said under a comprehensive strategy filtration plants to all water supply schemes are being installed in a phased manner. He said a project on community capacity development on drinking water testing, quality monitoring and surveillance to cover 22 districts of the State has been launched. He said 60 division level water quality testing laboratories are being set up in the State. Of these, 24 would be shortly commissioned. The decision is welcome, but how effective are these quality monitoring and surveillance facilities would only be known after a closer surveillance is maintained on their functioning. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
STOCK UPDATE |
|
|
 |
| BSE
Sensex |
 |
| NSE
Nifty |
|
|
| |
CRICKET UPDATE |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
