The District Capex Budget meeting is not a routine bureaucratic formality; it is the backbone of decentralised planning and grassroots development. Conceived to align public spending with local priorities, such meetings bring together district administration, DDC members and MLAs to ensure that development funds translate into visible, equitable outcomes on the ground. When participation weakens or transparency is questioned, the very spirit of democratic decentralisation stands compromised. In Jammu and Kashmir, where institutions like Panchayats, DDCs and the Legislative Assembly were created to deepen democracy after years of centralised decision-making, each elected body carries its own constitutional and moral importance. Their active engagement in District Capex Budget meetings is therefore essential-not optional.
The integration of the MLA Constituency Development Fund with the District Capex Budget was intended to improve coordination, avoid duplication and ensure transparent, portal-based monitoring of works. However, this shift has also triggered legislative unease. Many MLAs fear that their suggested works either get diluted in a clubbed district list or that funds are exhausted without due regard to constituency-specific priorities. Earlier too, MLAs have flagged in the Assembly that departments often execute works of their own choosing, sidelining recommendations made by elected representatives.
In this context, the absence of MLAs from such a crucial meeting is neither in the right spirit nor in the interest of their constituencies. Their presence is vital for verifying whether works earlier proposed by them have been duly incorporated. At the same time, concerns raised by the DDC member from Suchetgarh regarding mismatched figures and non-specification of blocks or constituencies in the works list point to a serious transparency deficit. A clubbed, non-descriptive list of works undermines accountability and is unacceptable in a system meant to empower grassroots democracy. That said, boycotting a statutory meeting is an extreme step. While protest may draw attention to grievances, sustained engagement and corrective action are more effective tools. The government must urgently look into the allegations, ensure constituency-wise clarity of allocations and strengthen coordination between district administration and elected representatives. With the DDC tenure ending in February 2026, continuity of development works is critical. Transparent planning, mutual respect between bureaucracy and representatives, and meaningful participation are the need of the hour. Only then can the District Capex Budget serve its true purpose-people-centric development rooted at the grassroots.
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