CAPEX CEILINGS CONVEYED | Deptts, DDCs asked to upload work plans delineating clear outcomes on BEAMS portal

Jammu, Mar 14:  J&K Finance department, while conveying ceiling of Capex budget in their favour for the year 2024-25, has asked all the departments and District Development Commissioners (DDCs) to upload their works plans delineating clear outcomes on BEAMS portal.

It has directed that the focus of the departments and DDCs must be on completion of ongoing and new works rather than starting large numbers of under-funded works or spreading of resources thinly over the number of years.

Fixing a deadline for completion of projects, it has ordered that the timeline for completion of new works or activities taken up for execution during the financial year 2024-25, should be between one to two years. “In rare cases of mega-projects, the department may extend the timeline up to three years,” it has directed.

As the Parliament has approved only an interim budget (Vote on Account), the funds to the extent of 50 percent only out of budgetary outlay for each work in 2024-25 will be released.

All these instructions and stipulations were linked to the ceilings of the Capex Budget conveyed by the Finance department.

The Budget Estimates for financial year 2024-25 have been approved vide “The Jammu and Kashmir Appropriation (No. 2) Act, 2024 No. 12 of 2024 dated: February 15, 2024.”

“In order to ensure the timely authorization of Capex Budget out of BE 2024-25, Finance department conveyed ceiling of Capex budget including District Capex (excluding NABARD loan component, matching UT share of NABARD loan, matching UT Share of CSS) for the next financial year 2024-25 in favour of all the departments and DDCs for uploading the approved work plans as per B12 Statement on BEAMS portal,” the Joint Director Budget, Finance department has mentioned.

Yet these ceiling were subject to certain stipulations which also provided that all the directions given by Administrative Council and the Lieutenant Governor, the recommendations of three conferences of the Chief Secretaries, the consultations with local government institutions and the feedback received by departments under B2V programmes, Public Darbar, public grievances meetings, etc should be reviewed while finalizing the budget outlays for 2024-25.

It was directed that the new works or activities would be uploaded only if the budget outlay in 2024-25 for such activity was at least 40 percent of the approved cost of the project.

“All the spillover and ongoing works or activities which are expected to be completed during the year 2024-25 or at the most in succeeding year shall be the first charge on Capex Budget 2024-25. The departments or DDCs shall ensure that no ongoing work is left out,” was another stipulation.