Jammu, Mar 13 (KNS) : The Jammu and Kashmir administration has permitted the use of contingency funds available in Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) to cover expenses related to forest compensation, structure compensation, and shifting of utilities, a move aimed at expediting the completion of stalled infrastructure projects.
An order issued by the Financial Commissioner (Additional Chief Secretary) Finance, Shailendra Kumar, accessed news agency Kashmir News Service (KNS) stated that the decision follows a proposal from the Public Works (R&B) Department. The department had highlighted that a significant number of projects were non-functional due to the non-payment of these specific dues.
Official sources said that out of 304 reviewed projects, approximately 234 could be made operational if such payments were allowed from the contingency component of project DPRs.
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The Finance Department has now approved the inclusion of these items under the permissible expenditure head. Building on the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) issued in January 2021, the administration has directed all Works and Engineering departments to utilise the contingency provisions—capped at a maximum of 3 percent of the total administrative approved project cost—for these purposes.
The circular mandates that all expenditures must adhere to codal formalities and be directly linked to project execution and progress. (KNS)