UT admin constitutes monitoring panels to strengthen project oversight

LEH: In a major step aimed at improving transparency, accountability and the effective implementation of development programmes, the Administration of the Union Territory of Ladakh has constituted UT-Level and District-Level Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Committees to oversee developmental projects and government schemes across the region. The order was issued by the Planning Development and Monitoring Department (PD&MD) on Monday.

As per order, the committees will monitor and evaluate projects implemented under the Special Development Package (SDP), District Sector (DS), State Sector (SS), Central Sector (CS), and Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) in the Union Territory of Ladakh.

The UT-Level Monitoring and Evaluation Committee will be headed by the Administrative Secretary, Planning Development and Monitoring Department. It will include the concerned Administrative Secretary, Director General of the Directorate of Economics and Statistics as Member Secretary, the concerned Head of Department, District Statistics and Evaluation Officer, Joint/Deputy Director (Economics & Statistics), along with any co-opted member nominated by the Chairperson.

At the district level, separate District Monitoring and Evaluation Committees will be established for each district under the chairmanship of the respective Deputy Commissioner. The committee will comprise the Chief Planning Officer, District Officer of the concerned department, District Statistics and Evaluation Officer as Member Secretary, Assistant Director (Economics & Statistics), and any co-opted member nominated by the Chairperson.

According to the order, the committees have been tasked with identifying and prioritising developmental projects for monitoring, approving annual and periodic evaluation plans, determining evaluation methodologies, and reviewing the physical and financial progress of selected schemes. They will also assess the effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability and impact of projects while identifying implementation gaps and bottlenecks.

The committees will further examine and approve Monitoring and Evaluation reports, recommend corrective measures and policy interventions, facilitate coordination among departments and implementing agencies, review Action Taken Reports on recommendations, and monitor compliance by the concerned departments. They have also been mandated to hold quarterly meetings and submit reports to the higher authorities.

The order states that the constitution of these committees has been approved by the competent authority and is intended to strengthen institutional mechanisms for monitoring public expenditure and enhancing the quality and impact of development programmes across Ladakh.