100 days to put ongoing projects on fast-track, realign priorities to ensure delivery

GANGTOK: A 109-page compilation of “Tasks” for 30 Departments to be completed within 100 days [by 15 July 2011] was released by Chief Minister Pawan Chamling at a special coordination meet held at Chintan Bhawan here on Monday.
The departments have been directed to accelerate implementation of projects and record all ongoing schemes along with their status and timeline of completion.
All the departments will also have to mandatorily set up monitoring cells which will report to the Chief Minister’s Office directly, with periodic updates and status reports on works being done by the respective departments. This cell has also been shouldered with the responsibility of documentation and recording all innovations being undertaken by their respective departments.

The departments have also been directed to “develop measures and instruments” to guide solutions for problems being faced during implementation stage and have been advised to open fluid channels of communication.
The objective of the 100-day plan is to fast-track ongoing schemes and develop a clear timeline for all projects and thus facilitate completion of all ongoing schemes within this financial year.
Further, to remove the redundancy plaguing the existing schemes, departments have been directed to institutionalize clear principles of “continuous improvement and innovations to ensure monitoring and evaluation”.
Departments are also now required to codify a timeline for all new projects and guarantee local employment in all new opportunities created.
On specific directions, the Rural Management & Development Department has been directed to submit detailed proposal to ensure all-weather road connectivity to all unconnected habitations having at least 500 households.
The Department has also been directed to complete, by 15 July, territorial demarcation of Zilla and Gram Panchayats with 50% reservation for women.
The Land Revenue Department has in turn been directed to implement the land bank scheme “vigorously” and prepare a “concrete proposal” on how land can be acquired and distributed among the Sukumbasis [landless].
The Social Welfare Department is required to immediately ensure that food supplement given to students is nutritious and laboratory-tested on random basis on a regular basis to ensure quality food with proper distribution. A compliance report on this is expected by the CMO by 15 July.
Among the 30 works to be initiated by the HRDD and now being monitored by the CMO, is the constitution of a State Education Regulatory Commission, retirement of sick teachers who are unable to take classes.
Directing that text books be supplied to students by January every year, the Department is also expected to take note of the inordinate delay seen this year and fix accountability. Construction of all college campuses should commence within 100 days and in the matter of the Sikkim University campus at Yangang, the Department directed to move a joint proposal with the University for the resettlement of displaced land owners.
Among its 30 tasks is also the direction to “encourage” subjects being offered by Sikkim University, such as environment, trade, glaciers etc., which are relevant to the State. The Department has also been directed to coordinate efforts to ensure that the Academic and Executive Council of the University include representatives from the State Government and other “knowledgeable and qualified persons of the State.
On the administration of schools, the HRDD is now required to finalise a proper mechanism for regular inspection of all schools. The HoD, HRDD, has been tasked with the responsibility to monitor and evaluate all tasks spelled out for the Department.
[details of tasks for the remaining departments tomorrow]