RailEnquiry

KOLKATA: The finance department on Tuesday cleared Rs 70 crore for the PWD to execute several road projects in the districts, mainly Jangalmahal and North Bengal. The PWD had earlier placed a proposal of Rs 250 crore for execution of various road and infrastructure projects. Sources in the PWD said work will be done in phases and the total amount required to implement all projects according to plans has been pegged at Rs 1,000 crore. Besides road and infrastructure, work on railway overbridge projects and those under the Backward Region Grant Fund (BRGF) be carried out on a priority basis. Part of the Rs 70-crore fund cleared on Tuesday may also be used for these projects. Though the state government has a March 2014 deadline for projects under the BRGF scheme, the government wants to finish off as much work as possible before the panchayat elections slated for next year. Chief minister Mamata Banerjee is scheduled to visit Jangalmahal this weekend in order to hold administrative meetings with officials of the Purulia and Bankura district administration and review the progress of work. On Mamata's last visit to these districts, she had instructed officials to not only complete projects within the stipulated time but also keep a constant check on the social welfare schemes. Ahead of her visit, the district officials are hence in a mad rush ensure that the documents are in place and a report card on the progress of work ready.Though some of the projects were running slow, PWD officials said that the pace had gained momentum now and work was going on in full swing. The PWD on Tuesday got clearance of Rs 70 crore out of Rs 250 crore from the finance department to execute several road projects in the districts. The PWD had earlier placed a Rs 250 crore proposal to the finance department for clearance to start off and execute various road and infrastructure projects. Work is to be executed in phases and the total amount that will be required to execute all projects according to plans will be around Rs 1.000 crore. Highly placed officials said that the finance department has cleared Rs 70 crore and the PWD will use the money to execute several road projects in the districts, mainly in Jangalmahal and North Bengal. Work of executing projects under the Backward Region Grant Fund (BRGF) and some railway overbridge projects will be executed. Though the BRGF scheme projects are scheduled to be completed by March 2014, the government wants to finish off as much work as possible by the time the panchayat elections are held next year. Chief minister Mamata Banerjee is scheduled for a two-day Jangalmahal visit this weekend from December 2 to hold administrative meetings with officials of the district administration of Purulia and Bankura and to review the progress of work. This will be the chief minister's fifth Jangalmahal visit. There is a mad rush among the Purulia and Bankura district administration to see and ensure that everything is in place and a report card is ready on the progress of work before the chief minister's visit. During her last visit in Jangalmahal, the chief minister asked the government officials to implement work and complete projects within time and also instructed to keep constant check to see that the social welfare schemes like distribution of ration cards and kishan credit cards for the BPL listed families are being done properly. The chief minister also emphasised to improve the 100 days work programme. The CM have held meetings with BDOs and district magistrates at Writers' Buildings where these issues were stressed upon. The chief minister in her previous visits to the Jangalmahal districts have stressed on improving the health care system. Among the infrastructure projects that the PWD is executing in Purulia are the upgradation of Deben Mahato hospital where a sick new born care unit is being set up and the first floor is having a vertical extension. A blood bank and a sports academy is coming up in Bankura's Khatra. The government has set a October - November 2013 deadline to complete all these projects. Though some of the projects were running slow due to administrative and other reasons, PWD officials said that the pace had gained momentum now and work is going on full flow.