Ranchi, April 25: After coaxing and cajoling government officials to complete development projects on time, the Jharkhand government has now lined up motivation incentives to get the machinery rolling. Water resource minister Ramchandra Kesri has announced “awards” for department officials, who complete development projects before June 15.

He has also threatened “to punish” officials who fail to complete pending work before the deadline at a state-level review meeting of the department in Deoghar.

Kesri said while the award would be in the form of “choice postings”, punishment would range from “dismissal, suspension and other punitive measures”. “We will allow hardworking officials to work in places where they like. They can also be awarded cash. But those who do not work properly will be punished. They may be suspended or dismissed from service. Besides, other punitive measures will also be initiated against them,” he said.

Sources said it was necessary to make the announcementas the department, supposed to complete 69 minor irrigation projects by the end of the last financial year, could wrap up only 25. “Most of the medium irrigation projects are yet to be completed,” they said. “These incentives would help get the work completed on time,’’ officials added.

Sources said the announcement would make officers work faster on joint projects of Jharkhand and Bihar governments. “If the development projects of the Jharkhand government are completed on time, the officers could pay more attention to the projects started by Jharkhand and Bihar,” they said.

“Work on the Batane Jalashaya Yojana, which is supposed to irrigate an area of 12,126 hectare, including 1,660 hectare of Jharkhand and 10,466 hectare of Bihar is in progress,” they added. A department official, however, said setting a deadline may hamper the quality of work. “On the one hand, the minister has set a deadline and on the other hand, he has directed the directed department officials that the quality of work should not suffer. But it is not possible to maintain the quality of work and also complete it on time,” he said. The projects that have work to be completed before June 15 deadline include three minor irrigation projects in Dumka and 17 medium irrigation projects in Saraiyahat, Shikaripara, Malasia, Jamtara, Kathikund, Ramgarh, Dumka, Jama, Narayanpur and Nala blocks.