Create separate contingency funds for DDC, BDC in J&K: Parl Panel
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs has raised various issues and delays in multiple steps including the establishment of Ladakh medical college.
The committee appreciated that the government has favourably addressed the demand of the houseboat owners who will be provided with timber at a concessional rate for the repair or reconstruction of their houseboats. However, the committee’s recommendation for a rehabilitation policy for houseboat owners who want to cease their houseboat business has not been addressed. The committee, therefore, again reiterated its recommendation for a suitable rehabilitation policy for houseboat owners.
Also, the committee noted the reply of the ministry that there is no separate contingency fund under the capital budget in the UT of J&K and reiterated its recommendation to create a separate contingency fund to the tune of 5-10% of the capital expenditure budget to meet unexpected needs of the district development councils/block development councils (DDCs/BDCs).
The committee noted that the government of Jammu & Kashmir has initiated a massive exercise to undertake recruitment against various vacant posts existing at various levels, along with a slew of reform measures in the recruitment process. However, there is no categorical reply on the selection for the remaining posts that were advertised by the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board since the year 2020. The committee, therefore, asked to be apprised of the present status of the selection process.
The parliamentary committee said that it is not satisfied with the reply on Ladakh regarding the establishment of a medical college at SpitukPharka, Leh.
According to the committee, little progress has been made even after almost three years.
According to the committee, this medical college is a crucial development project in the UT to provide medical education and strengthen healthcare facilities there.
The project was sanctioned in 2019, and as per the reply, the MHA has sought a revised detailed project report (DPR) from the UT of Ladakh. As such, little progress has been made even after almost three years. Therefore, the committee further recommended that the MHA and administration of the UT of Ladakh work with the concerned ministries/departments/agencies to remove all bottlenecks and ensure that all the components of the project are completed in a time-bound manner and without any cost overruns.
