The PMU is responsible for the overall implementation and coordination with all the implementing agencies, line departments, NGOs, COs, private sector organizations and other donors/programs operating in the program area.  The other responsibilities are to liaise with government and donors, administration of the Special Account, expeditious release of counterpart funds, financial control, procurements, logistics, monitoring and reporting. It is supported currently by technical assistance provided by FAO under Unilateral Trust Fund arrangements. In addition to day to day support to PMU in the implementation process, FAO provides services of equipment procurement and capacity building for all the stakeholders.
Different activities undertaken during the reporting period are reviewed hereunder:

PSDP allocation 2008-09

The AJKCDP was provided with allocation of Rs. 395.000 millions for the current FY 2008-09. The AWPB was finalized after district level workshops during April 2009 and the program components were involved in planning hence detailed work plans were prepared for implementation through community participation. The component wise allocation as well as expenditure is as under:

The AJKCDP has a built-in characteristic that any component, able to generate more demand (real needs) from the communities will get more money. Prior to MTR, reconstruction & rehabilitation works in the earthquake affected areas were assigned priority. Since most of the infrastructure has been rehabilitated/ reconstructed or committed by mostly donors, the program is on its normal path. Even waver on CO share for earthquake affected communities have been drawn back.

District Program Offices

Seven district program offices, each headed by a District Program Officer (DPO), to coordinate with different stakeholders at the district and grass root level are functioning in Muzaffarabad, Bagh, Rawalakot, Kotli, Sudhnauti, Bhimber & Mirpur.

Participation of Local and National NGOs

Almost all the NGOs and RSPs working in AJK have been approached and interactions have been made in perspective of future working. It is worth mentioning that a positive and open response from all the organizations and projects working in the program area encouraged moving forward and district offices are playing a significant role in this respect. Thus implementation strategy is in progress to work together while recognizing and supplementing each other’s effort to address needs of the target beneficiaries/ COs.

Audit & Expenditure

Total expenditure of Rs. 719.669 million has been mad up to December 2008 with Rs. 139.857 million during the report period. Audit of the CDP has been conducted by the auditor’s up to the year 2007-08 and audit certificate has also been completed & sent to the donor by the audit department as qualified. Departmental Accounts Committee (DAC) meeting has been held and follow up DAC meeting is being scheduled to settle the remaining audit observations. Full time Accounts Officers (4) with DPOs have been posted in District Program Office Muzaffarabad, Kotli, Mirpur and Rawalakot.

Total number of 12 withdrawal applications has been sent to donor amounting to US$ 8,857,024.72 including 1,936,103 against the FAO/UTF expenditure and an amount of US$ 8,782,157.38 has been received. 

MTR Follow-up Missions

The Mid Term Review (MTR) Mission for Azad Jammu & Kashmir Community Development Program (AJKCDP) was fielded by IFAD in March 2008. A follow up mission visited the project from 4-7 November 2008 to review the physical & financial progress and MTR Mission’s recommendations status.

Press & Publication

Program activities advertisement through print and electronic media, preparing the general guidelines material for public, publishing the reports updating the program website (www.ajkcdp.org ) and publishing quarterly News Letter are the major interventions.
Different activities undertaken during the reporting period are reviewed here under:

Publishing the Pamphlets/ Brushers

To provide the guidelines about different components of program for general public component wise pamphlets on following topics were prepared and published.

• General Information (Urdu & English)
• Agricultural based activities
• Livestock based activities
• Local govt. & Rural Development
• Forest related activities
• Construction of FAPs (Health Department)
• Social Mobilization
• Credit & Enterprise Development
• Training Activities
• Micro Hydel Units

 

 

News Letter

Program published quarterly News Letter, which covers all the activities, progress during quarter, events during the quarter, success stories, interviews of activists and target group related information. Program published two Newsletters during the period. Program also published articles in national newspapers on different topics.




 

 

 

 

 

 

Office Inspection

The planned internal inspection delayed however conducted during the report period for monitoring an evaluation of district offices working, record and stock of CDP offices focusing on: 

• Record keeping
• Accounts record
• Administrative Matters
• Stock registers

The officers identified some flaws and imperfections in the maintenance of records. particular observation has been the fact that the record keeping be made uniform. Accordingly, the district and field offices were advised to use already developed standardized formats and update the record on regular basis.