Srinagar, August 14: Chief Secretary, Atal Dullu, chaired a high-level meeting today to review the initial roadmap of Center for Innovation and Transformation in Governance (CITAG), which aims to accelerate economic growth, improve governance and improve the plan process in Jammu and Kashmir.
The presentation performed during the meeting highlighted significant progress in public-private participation (PPP), government change and institutional capacity building in UT.
Apart from ACS, Planning and Tourism Departments, Principal Secretary, PWD attended the meeting; Principal Secretary, Culture; Principal Secretary, Finance; Director, IIM Jammu; Commissioner Secretary, I & C; Commissioner Secretary, GAD; Secretary, S&T; Secretary, L&E; MD, J&K cable car corporation; Representative from NHLML and other concerned authorities.
The Chief Secretary underlined the importance of Citag in preparing Futuristic Roadmap for all -round development of J&K. He highlighted his role in the concept, identity and implementation of high impact projects in PPP mode, which to promote major areas such as industry, tourism, agriculture, urban planning, handicrafts and others.
The Chief Secretary also advised Planning Development and Monitoring Development to familiarize all departments with the role of CITAG. He called for a familiarity and awareness about his cooperation with CITAG in the implementation of his projects and plans and organizes a Buddhistness session with these departments.
He influenced the CITAG team to focus on something at a time for the CITAG team coming up with the implementation strategy and at a time for his effective grounding. He indicated several important projects, initially focusing with the development of an industrial property in a PPP mode as a huge land bank has been created in UT districts.
Other participants also gave their suggestions in their departments to work more effective and time to time in their departments.
Some suggestions that were posted included permanent tourism, solar parks, waste management, handholding and development of capacity building of government officials and other development schemes.
The meeting focused on the work of Citag since its inception, with a special emphasis on public-private partnership projects.
CEO, Sitag, Dr. Sandeep, in his presentation, listed a total of 63 PPP projects, which represent temporary investment of over Rs21,988 crore. Currently, 21 of these projects are active, with 42 others on one development shelf.
Major projects under active consideration included to develop a heritage hotel in adaptive reuse of the historic Mubarak Mandi Heritage Complex in Jammu, to increase tourism infrastructure at visible tourist destinations, to establish a new ropeway projects and solar parks.
The CEO confirmed that these and other projects are under the initial site evaluation reports and stakeholder consultation, which are the basis for future investment and development.
In addition to the PPP, it was divided that the broad mandate of Sitagh contains 65 delivered, which extend into many major areas of governance and economic development.
The meeting reviewed the progress on various initiatives, including the preparation of new PPP policy for Jammu and Kashmir, measures to increase revenue creation, and strategies to promote entrepreneurship and export enrichment.
The Chief Secretary was also informed on the ongoing recruitment for CITAG team. It was given that the first phase of the recruitment process was completed, with one Chief Executive Officer (CEO), four experts and four young professionals with IIM Jammu.
Recruitment for Phase 2, which included positions for experts in infrastructure, social sector, HRD, and IT, currently continue to end by the end of this month. The purpose of this expansion of the team is to accelerate the implementation of administration vision for the “future prepared governance” model here.
The review meeting concluded with the Chief Secretary with an instruction to maintain momentum on these transformational projects, strengthening the administration’s commitment to run economic growth and increase public services through strategic partnership and innovative governance models in all fields in J&K.