SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir is preparing a shelf of projects worth Rs 1,231 crore under the Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) for 2026-27, as Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo directed departments to complete approvals and tendering formalities in advance to ensure faster execution once funds are released.
Dulloo chaired a meeting of Administrative Secretaries and Deputy Commissioners on Thursday to review expenditure under Capital Expenditure (CAPEX), Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS), SASCI and NABARD-funded projects, besides taking stock of revenue mobilisation across major sectors.
He directed departments to identify projects for the next financial year and complete Administrative Approval, Technical Sanction and tendering processes beforehand so that works can be allotted immediately after the release of funds.
The Chief Secretary also stressed the need to implement incentive-linked reforms under SASCI, saying successful completion of these reforms could help J&K secure additional funding.
Departments including School Education, Jal Shakti, Higher Education, Culture, Science and Technology, Irrigation and Power were asked to identify priority works that could be taken up through such additional funding.
Reviewing the progress of UT and District CAPEX works, Dulloo directed the Planning Department to submit weekly reports on projects tendered and allotted by departments and districts. He asked Administrative Secretaries and Deputy Commissioners to ensure that approved works are allotted without avoidable delays.
The Chief Secretary also called for measures to improve the financial position of the power sector. He directed the Power Development Department to constitute a committee headed by the Engineer-in-Chief to assess the performance of field functionaries, particularly their role in improving billing and collection efficiency.
He further called for an end-to-end digital mechanism to track every unit of energy entering the distribution system, with the aim of fixing accountability and reducing losses.
During the meeting, the Finance Department informed that project proposals worth Rs 1,231 crore covering 219 projects have been mapped under SASCI Part-I for 2026-27. The Power Development Department has sought Rs 412.83 crore, while Rs 158.83 crore has been sought for the Health sector.
Under SASCI Part-II, assistance of Rs 176 crore has been sought for 10 critical schemes, including Rs 46 crore for the Flexible Pool for RCH and Health System Strengthening and Rs 45 crore for PMGSY.
The meeting was informed that under the District CAPEX Budget 2026-27, 42,219 of the 47,794 new works have received Administrative Approval, while only 13 per cent have so far been allotted.
The total District CAPEX allocation stands at Rs 1,236.08 crore across 20 districts, with an additional special allocation of Rs 3 crore for each district.
Of the 29,193 completed works, 2,376 have so far been physically verified through the online Physical Verification portal.
The CSS CAPEX Budget Estimate for the current financial year stands at Rs 10,632 crore. Rural Development has the highest allocation at Rs 2,655.1 crore, followed by Housing and Urban Development at Rs 1,877.6 crore and the Public Works Department at Rs 1,694.4 crore.
The Finance Department said three of the nine core modules of the Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS) have been fully implemented. Completion of the remaining modules could help J&K avail an incentive of up to Rs 200 crore.
J&K could also secure incentives of up to Rs 650 crore under Digital Public Infrastructure for Agriculture through an AgriStack-enabled Farmer Registry, besides another Rs 105 crore under Compressed Bio-Gas reforms.
Regarding NABARD-funded projects, the meeting was informed that 157 projects under RIDF XXVII to XXXI have been completed, involving disbursement of Rs 2,301 crore. Another 227 projects worth Rs 1,288 crore have been prepared under RIDF-XXXII, with departments given 15 days to upload the proposals on the NABARD portal.
The meeting also reviewed revenue generation. GST collections during 2026-27 have reached Rs 3,292.38 crore, while J&K recorded a 96.78 per cent return filing rate against the national average of 95.73 per cent.
The Excise Department has recorded year-to-date collections of Rs 782 crore, while the Stamps and Registration Department has realised Rs 248.3 crore.
The power sector continues to face a significant fiscal gap, with power purchase costs standing at Rs 2,697 crore against receipts of Rs 1,747 crore, leaving a gap of around Rs 940 crore in the ensuing financial year.
The meeting emphasised timely implementation of reforms, improved revenue collection, efficient utilisation of available funds and faster execution of capital projects to strengthen infrastructure development across Jammu and Kashmir.
