JaKeGA has not sublet any IT projects to private vendors: Govt

Srinagar, Apr 07: The government on Monday said the Jammu and Kashmir e-Governance Agency (JaKeGA) has not sublet any of its IT projects to private vendors and that all projects are implemented as per codal formalities and rules.
The government further clarified that there have been no financial irregularities in the agency’s operations, and a compliance audit conducted till the financial year 2021 found no discrepancies.
The reply was given in response to a question tabled by MLA Ranbir Singh Pathania in the Legislative Assembly, where he sought details on the outsourcing of IT projects by JaKeGA, sub-contracting practices, and financial audits.
In its response, the government said that JaKeGA is the official implementing agency for IT and IT-enabled services (ITES) projects in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
“It (JaKeGA) works under the administrative control of the Information Technology Department. The agency follows a transparent and rule-based process while implementing projects. Whenever required, JaKeGA issues tenders as per codal procedures, and participation is open to all eligible applicants, including local IT firms and IT-educated youth,” the government said, adding that JaKeGA does not sublet any of its work to private vendors.
The government also clarified that further sub-contracting of projects by private vendors is not permitted under any circumstances.
Providing information on the total number of projects undertaken by JaKeGA, the government said the agency has been involved in various IT projects across Jammu and Kashmir. Though specific project numbers and costs were not disclosed in the reply, it was mentioned that all these projects are being executed under defined timelines and funding sources.
The compliance audit by the Principal Accountant General (PAG) has been completed up to the financial year 2021, and no financial irregularities have been found. The audit for the remaining period will be conducted in due course, it said.
Regarding the composition of the Board of Governors (BoG) of JaKeGA, the government said the board was reconstituted vide Government Order No. 43-ITD of 2019 dated 16.10.2019.
“The members of the board are senior government officers, including some administrative secretaries. Their positions on the board are linked to their official designations and tenure in their respective departments. Therefore, they hold membership only during the period of their posting in the specific department,” it said.
The government further clarified that none of the board members have any official affiliations with private IT firms that are awarded contracts under JaKeGA initiatives. “All members serve in their official capacity, and no conflict of interest has been found,” it added.