Chief Secretary reviews implementation of SASCI, SNA SPARSH, revenue augmentation programmes

Srinagar, Aug 11: Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo, today chaired a high-level meeting to review the progress on Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI), SNA SPARSH and various revenue augmentation initiatives in the Union Territory of J&K.

The meeting was attended by concerned Administrative Secretaries and senior officers of the Finance Department.

During the meeting, the Chief Secretary underscored the potential of the SASCI scheme, an interest-free loan facility being extended to all the States and Union Territories over and above their normal borrowing limits,  setting an ambitious target of securing around Rs 2,000 crore for J&K under the scheme.

It was informed that 27 departments have already submitted their project proposals, which have been duly uploaded by the Finance Department.

The meeting also deliberated on key sectoral reforms in Transport, Mining, Urban Planning and modernisation of land records, aimed at boosting the infrastructure and governance efficiency.

Taking stock of the Aadhaar-based payments being made to the beneficiaries of various government schemes, the Chief Secretary emphasised the need to achieve full saturation across all beneficiary-oriented programmes. He directed the departments to seek guidance from the central ministries, particularly in cases where benefits are provided in kind rather than cash.

Principal Secretary, Finance Department, Santosh D Vaidya, informed the meeting that Aadhaar penetration in J&K has seen a remarkable rise from just over 50% to 97%, with most of the schemes already achieving 100% coverage.

The Chief Secretary also reviewed the UT’s revenue performance, including collections from power and water utility provisioning, GST revenue, motor spirit tax, stamp duty and other tax and non-tax sources. Stressing the importance of plugging revenue leakages, he called for strict checks on input tax credit theft, improved e-way bill compliance and enhanced enforcement mechanisms.

He directed the Power Development Department (PDD) to accelerate the installation of smart meters and improve billing efficiency to maximise revenue realisation.

The Chief Secretary reiterated the administration’s commitment towards leveraging the financial assistance schemes effectively while ensuring robust revenue generation mechanisms to support the UT’s development priorities.