SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has amended the guidelines governing the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) Scheme, allowing Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) to earmark up to Rs 20 lakh annually from their constituency funds to provide financial assistance for the treatment of patients suffering from life-threatening diseases.
The amendment was notified by the Finance Department through Government Order No. 230-FD of 2026, issued on Monday, partially modifying Government Order No. 279-FD of 2025.
Under the revised guidelines, financial assistance to an individual beneficiary will be capped at Rs 2.75 lakh for cancer treatment, Rs 5 lakh for organ transplantation, and Rs 1 lakh for chronic kidney disease requiring dialysis. Assistance may also be extended for other life-threatening diseases as may be notified by the government.
The Finance Department said the assistance will be available only to Below Poverty Line (BPL) families and other economically weaker sections notified by the government.
The order stipulates that patients must first exhaust all benefits available under existing government health schemes, including PM-JAY SEHAT, the Medical Aid Trust (MAT) and the Cancer Treatment and Management Fund for Poor (CTMFFP), before seeking assistance under the CDF. Financial support from the CDF will be restricted to the uncovered portion of the treatment cost.
To ensure transparency, payments will be made directly to empanelled hospitals or medical institutions and not to beneficiaries.
The government has also laid down safeguards for the utilisation of the funds. Every case will require certification by the competent medical authority and verification of the beneficiary’s income by the concerned district authorities. The order further provides for a transparent approval and audit mechanism to prevent misuse and ensure accountability.
The amendment comes amid the government’s efforts to strengthen the implementation of the revived Constituency Development Fund Scheme.
The CDF Scheme was reintroduced during the 2024-25 financial year following a decision of the Council of Ministers. For the current financial year 2025-26, the government has earmarked Rs 427.50 crore under the scheme, providing Rs 4.75 crore per MLA, including the pending share of the previous financial year.
The government has repeatedly clarified that CDF allocations are non-lapsable, with any unspent balance or tender savings required to be deposited in the government treasury and carried forward for utilisation in subsequent financial years. According to the Finance Department, this mechanism is intended to ensure that funds remain available for development works and are not lost at the close of the financial year.
Earlier, the government had also directed all District Development Commissioners to strictly adhere to the CDF guidelines, including timely reporting and utilisation of unspent balances, to avoid delays in the execution of development projects.
