New Delhi, Mar 15 (IANS): The Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) government has taken a slew of measures to ensure transparency and accountability in financial management and implementation of projects, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai informed Lok Sabha on Tuesday.
He further said that the J&K government has made administrative approvals, technical sanction and e-tendering mandatory for transparent execution of works. It also makes the geo-tagged photographs of works mandatory for making payments at the treasury.
All works or projects being implemented in the UT are in public domain for public feedback and suggestions to improve expenditure outcomes and ensure involvement of people in development works, he added.
Financial reforms and interventions initiated recently have facilitated early completion of works, projects, Rai said in a written reply, adding that during 2018-19 and 2019-20, 9,229 and 12,637 projects/works were completed respectively.
"Similarly, during 2020-21, 21,943 works or projects were completed which shows significant increase as compared to the previous years. During the current financial year 2021-22, 22975 works have already been completed up to January, 2022."
Further, J&K Integrated Grievance Redressal and Monitoring System (JKIGRAMS) has been developed as an e-Governance initiative to provide a 24x7 platform to the Citizens for redressal of their grievances. The JKIGRAMS Portal has been integrated with the Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS).
Under 'Mulaqaat Programme', the citizens can interact directly with the Lieutenant Governor for seeking redressal of their grievances that have been filed on the JK grievance portal but have not been redressed.
Meanwhile, the office file work has been shifted from manual to e-office mode from April-2021 and all Heads of Departments have been brought on e-office portal while the "Annual Performance Reports' of JK Administrative Services (JKAS) officers shifted to online mode on SPARROW Portal.
The minister also informed the Lower Houes that an 'Online Departmental Vigilance Officers Portal' has been developed as a communication channel between Anti-Corruption Bureau and Departmental Vigilance Officers posted in different departments and districts.
"The other measures include Electronic Vigilance Clearance System for furnishing vigilance clearances through electronic or online mode of all the government employees has been done, e-filing of property returns by employees (PRS-Portal) has been made mandatory, transaction of Business Rules of UT of J&K has been notified."
As part of the Public Outreach Programme, administrative Secretaries have been allocated districts to monitor development schemes and a dedicated Helpdesk established in the General Administration Department to hear the issues of public importance through telephone, he added.