The latest figures on development expenditure in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir present an alarming reality that cannot be brushed aside as a mere procedural lag. With the first half of the current fiscal year already gone, the utilisation of development funds remains shockingly low across all major sectors-UT Sector, District Sector, and Area Development Grants. The data available on the Government’s Janbhagidari portal, meant to promote transparency and citizen participation in governance, has instead laid bare a disturbing truth: while funds are being allocated and released in abundance, their utilisation on the ground is woefully inadequate. According to the portal, 1,05,135 works were approved this year with an overall allocation of Rs 9,83,435.20 lakh. Yet, only Rs 1,30,749.79 lakh-barely a fraction-has been spent. This is not just a statistic; it is a reflection of the systemic inefficiency that continues to plague J&K’s administrative machinery. Even where funds have been released in good measure, departments have failed miserably in ensuring their effective use.
What makes the situation worse is the fact that this failure has occurred despite the availability of an elaborate monitoring system. The Janbhagidari portal, DISHA meetings, and regular administrative reviews were intended to plug leakages, ensure accountability, and accelerate progress. Yet, the outcome is quite the opposite. Departments seem to have reduced these mechanisms to routine rituals with little or no tangible impact on ground-level execution. The purpose of such transparency tools is defeated if the implementing agencies remain unresponsive and unaccountable.
It is a common sight across J&K that elected representatives-MLAs, DDC members, and BDC chairpersons-keep chasing the Government for adequate funds to meet their constituency’s development needs. Ironically, even when funds are readily available and earmarked for specific works, they remain unspent. This exposes a deeper malaise-an administrative inertia and lack of ownership among officials entrusted with execution. While the people continue to question their elected representatives, those responsible for implementing and monitoring the projects remain unpunished.
True, the monsoon fury over the past month has hampered progress, but it cannot explain the inaction of the preceding five months. When the construction season is already short due to climatic constraints-particularly in hilly and snow-bound districts-delays of this nature are inexcusable. With winter now approaching, the working window in large parts of the UT will shrink drastically. This means that hundreds of projects risk remaining incomplete, and vital funds may have to be surrendered unutilised. Such a scenario is nothing short of administrative negligence, especially when several parts of the UT are still reeling under the effects of floods and landslides, demanding urgent repair and reconstruction.
The broader implications of this trend are grave. Failure to utilise funds not only slows down local development but also affects future allocations. Central ministries closely track fund utilisation while deciding subsequent releases. If J&K continues to underperform, future grants may be withheld or diverted to other states and Union Territories that demonstrate efficiency. This would be disastrous for a region that already requires sustained infrastructural investment to overcome decades of developmental lag.
In today’s era of digital governance, where every work is monitored online and every rupee is traceable, such a dismal performance is indefensible. The Government must act decisively to identify the missing link in this chain-whether it is procedural bottlenecks, lethargy among executing agencies, or lack of accountability in the field. The current situation demands more than routine reviews; it calls for structural reform. Fund utilisation must be linked directly to the performance appraisal of officers. Departments and districts showing persistent underperformance should face administrative action, while efficient ones must be incentivised.
Jammu and Kashmir cannot afford to carry this burden of inefficiency any longer. The UT’s future depends on the timely and effective execution of development projects. Accountability must replace apathy, performance must replace excuses, and results must replace rhetoric. The onus now lies squarely on the Government to ensure that every rupee meant for public welfare translates into visible change on the ground.
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