Utilize public money with utmost responsibility, accountability: Slathia

Srinagar, Aug 20: The Committee on Public Accounts (PAC) of the Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly Thursday conducted a detailed review of various Audit Paras pertaining to the Public Works (R&B) Department.
The meeting was chaired by Chairman PAC, Surjeet Singh Slathia and attended by members of the Committee including Mubarik Gul, Shamim Firdous, Qaysar Jamshaid Lone, Altaf Ahmad Wani (Kaloo), Ranbir Singh Pathania, Ch. Mohammad Akram, Vikram Randhawa and Tanvir Sadiq.
The meeting was also attended by DGAT, Engineer in Chief, Chief Engineers, Superintending Engineers, Executive Engineers, Director Finance PWD and other senior officers of PWD, besides Secretary JKLA, Manoj Kumar Pandit and other officers of Assembly Secretariat.
During the meeting, the Committee examined the Action Taken Reports (ATRs) furnished by the Department on various observations contained in the reports of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India and reviewed the status of pending Audit Paras.
While examining one of the Audit Paras, the Committee took serious note of the issues involved and directed the Department to institute a departmental inquiry to fix responsibility.
The Chairman directed the department to submit the Action Taken Report within two months for consideration and appraisal of the Committee.
Emphasizing the importance of financial discipline and transparency in the execution of public works, the Chairman observed that public money must be utilized with utmost responsibility and accountability. He stressed that all developmental works should be executed strictly in accordance with prescribed rules, procedures and codal formalities.
The Chairman also underscored the importance of environmental responsibility while undertaking construction and infrastructure projects. He observed that it is the collective moral responsibility of all stakeholders to ensure that developmental activities do not compromise environmental sustainability.
He further directed the Department to ensure that Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) are prepared through a proper and well-defined mechanism, with all necessary technical, financial and administrative requirements duly complied with, so as to minimize procedural deficiencies and avoid audit objections in future.
The Chairman laid particular emphasis on strengthening the capacity of field-level functionaries. He called upon senior officers to provide regular guidance, handholding and mentoring to ground-level staff, particularly newly recruited Junior Engineers, to enhance their technical capabilities and ensure adherence to prescribed procedures.
He stressed that effective supervision by senior officers, coupled with regular monitoring of works at the field level, is essential for improving the quality and timely execution of projects. He also called for strengthening the Department’s internal audit and monitoring mechanisms to identify and address procedural and financial irregularities at an early stage.
The Committee directed the department to ensure strict compliance with financial rules, codal procedures and CAG guidelines in the planning and execution of all future projects.
The Members reiterated that transparency, accountability, environmental responsibility, quality and timely execution of works must remain the core priorities of the PWD (R&B) Department.