Srinagar: Minister for Jal Shakti, Forest, Ecology and Environment and Tribal Affairs Javed Ahmed Rana on Thursday directed officials to expedite the execution of ongoing schemes, ensure timely tendering of works and prevent any lapse of funds across the three departments.
The directions were issued during a review meeting held at the Civil Secretariat here to assess fund utilisation, district-wise allocations and the physical and financial progress of works being executed under various schemes.
The meeting was attended by senior officers, including the Director Tribal Affairs, Director Tribal Research Institute, Directors Finance and Directors Planning and Statistics of the Jal Shakti, Forest, Ecology and Environment and Tribal Affairs departments.
Rana reviewed the status of fund releases, expenditure and progress of ongoing as well as newly sanctioned projects. He stressed that funds available with the departments must translate into visible development on the ground.
The minister directed officers to furnish the status of newly sanctioned schemes and ensure their execution without delay. He said bottlenecks affecting implementation and fund utilisation should be identified and addressed promptly.
Emphasising fiscal discipline, Rana directed that no funds should lapse and called for increased expenditure under all available heads. He also stressed the need for a time-bound tendering process to avoid delays in allotment and execution of works.
The minister further instructed officials to prioritise maintenance and repair works to keep existing infrastructure functional. He also called for ensuring the availability of water tankers, timely supply of materials in deficit areas and adequate machinery and equipment for field formations.
Highlighting the importance of quality and accountability, Rana directed regular field inspections and sought consolidated reports reconciling physical and financial progress of projects in each district and constituency.
He said the government remains committed to ensuring that the benefits of development schemes reach every constituency and added that periodic reviews would continue to monitor progress and improve implementation.
