JAMMU, MARCH 17 (KNS): Advisor to Lieutenant Governor, Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar today chaired a meeting of Skill Development Department (SDD) to review the progress on projects taken up under CAPEX (Capital Expenditure) Budget 2021-22 at Civil Secretariat here.

The meeting discussed the latest work-wise details both physical and financial progress under centrally and state sponsored projects including status of new Polytechnics of CAPEX Budget 2021-22 of the department

The meeting was attended by Principal Secretary, Skill Development Department, Dr. Asgar Hassan Samoon; Mission Director, Skill Development Mission, Shahid Iqbal Chaudhary; Director Skill Development Department, Sudershan Kumar; Chief Engineer R&B Jammu, Chief Engineer JKPCC and other officials of the department while as Chief Engineer R&B Kashmir participated in the meeting through video conferencing.

The Advisor held a detailed and project-wise review and enquired about the status of all the works and both the physical and financial progress of projects taken up during the financial year 2021-22.

He asked the concerned heads of the executing agencies to expedite the remaining works so that the buildings would be handed over to the department at the earliest.

At the outset, Director SDD gave a detailed presentation over the progress of the civil and non civil works in the department during financial year 2021-22 under CAPEX Budget 2021-22.

The Advisor was informed that out of Rs. 27.63 crore approved under CAPEX Budget 2021-22, Rs 23.81 Crore were released and Rs 18 crore has been expended by the different executing agencies for the completion of various civil works in the identified Government Polytechnics and ITIs.

Similarly, with respect to the establishment of new Polytechnics in the UT, the meeting was also informed that an amount of Rs 234 crore was approved, of which Rs 190.72 crore has been released and Rs 186 crore was spent on various completed works.

The Advisor directed the concerned executive agencies to spend all the released amount to finish the remaining works and subsequently handover the completed projects to SDD, besides asking them that residual works to be completed by April.

He assured them of availability of funds for the completion of all original scope of works and asked the agencies to finish works like administration, laboratories, workshop so that classes can be started by July this year in these new Polytechnics.(KNS)