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| IWMP runs against guidelines of Centre | | |
Raj Sandeep
Early Times Report
Jammu, June 15: Finding that Integrated Watershed Management Programme is malfunctioning under the control of Rural Development Department, Central Government enforced its guidelines to segregate IWMP putting it under the separately independent control of State Level Nodal Agency.
The sources informed Early Times that IWMP launched by central government is designed for village level development in terms of self-help groups, bee-keeping, construction of ponds, capacity building, upliftment of rural youth, boosting the Agriculture, Horticulture sectors etc. Amidst reports about functioning of programme against the interests of rural youth and that too by non-KAS officer of RDD having financial and administrative experience, IWMP was bifurcated withdrawing control of Director Rural Development Department in consonance with norms and guidelines of the programme following intervention of central government which is flooding the scheme with funds in several lacs for the facility and development of rural area.
The sources told that accordingly a senior KAS officer having experience, dedication to work with impeccable integrity was appointed as Chief Executive Officer as head of state level nodal agency about four years ago with Project Officers at the district level of KAS cadres. During his tenure, who was state level officer, he befittingly established and led the programme with his hard work which started yielding dividends in favour of rural populace plugging all loopholes for leakage and swindling of public money.
As Integrated Watershed Management Programme speedily flourished day by day under the administrative control and guidance of CEO which allegedly did not suit the vested interests of some of the ambitious officials of RDD, the sources informed that these officials (RDD)were bent upon to take back the control of IWMP and with the backing of political pressure and other ulterior means, the system being run satisfactorily was got restored by hook and crook in the fold of Rural Development Department once again under the control of Director ,RDD. The sources further told that this had reportedly become more necessary for non-KAS rankers of RDD who could not be posted to man the posts of CEO and Project Officers at district level to handle this high profile programme and thus they engineered all out efforts to make junior and incompetent officials of RDD to man IWMP defeating basic aims and objectives of IWMP, sources alleged.
Now ,after removing CEO, the IWMP is being handled by one blue eyed and political influential junior most person of RDD , who is allegedly not even a confirmed officer in the department holding additional charge of Project Officer IWMP Jammu District being unconfirmed District Panchayat Officer against the guidelines of central government, the sources said, further adding that during the year 2015-16, Project Officer allegedly purchased fruit and forest plants worth lacs from the open market without following the codal formalities, required under financial propriety, on much higher rates which he could have taken from the Horticulture and Forest departments on fixed cheaper rates,thus bleeding the government exchequer profusely. They said that the plants of both the categories were of very poor quality purchased from open market and were much below the required standard thereby again putting the programme into huge material loss marring the prospectus of scheme. The sources further told that the incumbent Project Officer alleged to have paid exorbitantly high rates for digging pits, sprinkling pesticides, manure bluntly ignoring the rates fixed by Horticulture and Forest departments in order to clandestinely siphoning off public money, they alleged, adding that there seems to be no accountability and mechanism to check flaws in implement of the scheme. They alleged that there appears to be a huge scandal going on unabated in connivance with those departmental stakeholders having bested interests in such malpractices.
The sources further told that Dy. Commissioner of the district is the Chairman of Integrated Watershed Management Programme who is competent enough to hold periodical meetings and personally monitor the progress and achievement targets vis-à-vis allocation of funds to serve as checks and balances on the implementation of programme, but no such meetings have been held, they alleged.
The sources informed that there is no paucity of honest and competent officers in KAS cadre and such a programme of paramount importance concerning rural youth has been left on the shoulders of a junior most person of RDD whose service background needs to be scrutinized and is allegedly occupying additional charge of Project Officer IWMP, Jammu owing to political and pecuniary influence, they said, adding that thorough probe is required to be carried out by the government about the working of IWMP in Jammu District as also in other districts to bring to surface the whole gamut of its malfunctioning, if any, the sources urged. |
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