The CAG’s performance audit on the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY) lays bare a troubling reality: a scheme conceived to transform the rural electricity landscape has remained unfinished in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh even after its closure in March 2022. The mandatory 62.2% of the sanctioned work was not achieved; the audit underscores not merely administrative delays but a lost opportunity to fundamentally improve rural livelihoods. DDUGJY was not an ordinary infrastructure programme. Launched in 2014, it aimed at feeder segregation, strengthening of rural distribution networks, and reliable power supply for agriculture and households. For a region like Jammu and Kashmir-where erratic electricity supply has long constrained agriculture, small industries, and the quality of life-the scheme had transformative potential. Segregation of agricultural feeders was particularly critical, as it would have ensured uninterrupted power during irrigation seasons without disrupting domestic supply. Equally significant was the emphasis on upgrading local transmission infrastructure and encouraging decentralised generation through solar and other projects ideally suited to J&K’s geography.
The audit reveals that despite clear guidelines-24 to 30 months for project completion and a firm cut-off of December 31, 2021, for funding eligibility-execution lagged far behind. Grant-linked milestones were missed, resulting in a break in fund flow that further slowed progress. While the Union Ministry of Power has attributed delays in J&K to tendering issues and hostile terrain. J&K faces unique constraints: difficult topography, long winters, security challenges, and frequent disruptions in project execution. These factors undeniably complicate timelines and cost structures. However, acknowledging constraints cannot become a justification for chronic non-completion, especially when rural citizens continue to bear the cost through unreliable supply and stalled agricultural productivity.
The way forward must be pragmatic rather than punitive. The audit has rightly flagged shortcomings, but it is equally important for the Centre to factor in regional constraints and revisit the unfinished agenda of DDUGJY in J&K. Completion of the remaining works is crucial. Continued fund flow, with tighter monitoring and realistic timelines, can still salvage the scheme’s core objectives. Rural electrification in J&K is not merely about wires and transformers; it is about economic resilience, social equity, and trust in governance. Finishing what was started under DDUGJY would reaffirm that commitment and ensure that rural households and farmers finally receive the reliable power they were promised.
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