Javed Rana rules out blanket audit of JJM scheme

Srinagar, Sep 30: Minister for Public Health Engineering (PHE), Flood Control and Irrigation Javed Rana on Wednesday announced that only those schemes identified by the House Committee, or flagged by MLAs, would be audited by District Development Commissioners.
Speaking in the Legislative Assembly, the Minister said that all schemes under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) recommended for blanket audit by the House Committee headed by Justice Hasnain Masoodi would not be subjected to such scrutiny.
“The House Committee has recommended a blanket audit of all JJM schemes. This would amount to yet another probe and could keep execution of these schemes halted. Many Hon’ble Members have stated in writing that there is no irregularity in their constituencies and that JJM schemes should continue. I therefore propose that only the schemes identified by the Committee or any Hon’ble Member as having issues be subjected to a comprehensive audit by the respective District Development Commissioners through teams comprising technical and financial experts,” he said.
The Minister said the department was of the view that a high‑level committee, as recommended by the House Committee, was not required. “The Department will also examine the other recommendations and take necessary steps to address the concerns raised. Therefore, there is no need for any further action by this Hon’ble House on the recommendations of the Committee, and the matter may be treated as closed,” he added.
He further announced that no payments would be released in schemes under audit until the outcome was known. “Funding and execution of the remaining schemes, where no issues have been reported, must be allowed to progress,” he said.
On the issue of procurement of pipes, the Minister said the Anti‑Corruption Bureau had already closed the matter as “not substantiated.” “Regarding procurement of pipes under JJM, I want to inform the House that the total value of pipes procured is approximately Rs 3,100 crore, of which HDPE pipes account for only Rs 273 crore, not Rs 600 crore as stated in the report. All procurements were made as per the financial powers under S.O. 15 of 2020. A complaint in this regard has already been examined by the Anti‑Corruption Bureau, and it has closed the matter as ‘Not Substantiated.’ A protest petition against the closure report was dismissed by the Anti‑Corruption Court. There is therefore no need for another Committee on the same issue,” he said. (KNO)