SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has substantially enhanced the financial powers of administrative departments and engineering authorities for approving projects, granting technical sanctions and awarding contracts, a move aimed at expediting execution of public works while retaining Cabinet oversight over major projects.
The amendments, notified by the Finance Department (Codes Division) under S.O. 17 in exercise of powers under Section 67 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, revise the financial limits prescribed under the Delegation of Financial Powers Rules notified on January 9, 2020.
The notification, issued with the approval of the Lieutenant Governor and signed by Financial Commissioner (Additional Chief Secretary) Finance Shailendra Kumar, significantly raises the ceilings for administrative approvals, technical sanctions and contract awards across different levels of the engineering and administrative hierarchy.
Under the revised delegation of powers, Administrative Secretaries can now accord administrative approval for individual works costing up to Rs 30 crore, while Chief Engineers, with the concurrence of the Director Finance or Financial Adviser and Chief Accounts Officer (FA&CAO), can approve projects up to Rs 15 crore. The powers of Major Heads of Departments, including District Development Commissioners, have been enhanced to Rs 7.5 crore, while Superintending Engineers can approve projects costing up to Rs 4.5 crore.
The notification clarifies that all projects exceeding Rs 30 crore, after obtaining concurrence from the Finance Department, will continue to require consideration and approval by the Council of Ministers.
The government has also revised the limits for granting technical sanction to engineering estimates. Superintending Engineers can now accord technical sanction for original works costing up to Rs 2 crore, while Executive Engineers have been authorised to approve estimates up to Rs 75 lakh and Assistant Executive Engineers up to Rs 10 lakh.
For maintenance and repair works, the financial ceilings have also been enhanced. Superintending Engineers can sanction estimates up to Rs 7.5 lakh, Executive Engineers up to Rs 3.75 lakh, and Assistant Executive Engineers up to Rs 1 lakh.
The notification also increases the financial powers for awarding contracts. Departmental Contract Committees can now award contracts for individual works costing up to Rs 60 crore, while Chief Engineers have been empowered to award contracts up to Rs 30 crore. The corresponding limits for Superintending Engineers and Executive Engineers have been raised to Rs 10.5 crore and Rs 2.25 crore, respectively.
The revised delegation is expected to reduce the need for repeated references to higher authorities for routine infrastructure projects, allowing departments and field engineering offices to process and execute works more quickly. At the same time, the government has retained Cabinet scrutiny over larger projects exceeding Rs 30 crore, ensuring policy-level oversight for high-value public expenditure.
