J&K Govt repaid Rs 28,000 crore power debt: LG Sinha

Srinagar, Aug 12: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha Monday said that the J&K government had repaid Rs 28,000 crore power debt which was pending for several years and made the J&K Bank a profitable institution.

Addressing a news conference about the J&K Budget for the financial year 2024-25, LG Sinha said, “During the past few years, the J&K government has improved the budgetary transparency. The J&K government has repaid power sector dues of about Rs 28,000 crore which were pending and rising for several years.”

He said that a complete turnaround of the J&K Bank also reflects the accelerated growth and strengthened foundations of J&K’s economy.

“During the last four years from a loss of Rs 1139 crore in the year 2019-20, the bank has reported a profit of Rs 1700 crore in the year 2023-24. The NPAs have been reduced from 11 percent to the current level of 5 percent. The bank is focusing its efforts to improve professionalism, efficiency, and transparency in its business operations,” the LG said.

Referring to the effective fiscal management, he said it was for the first time in 77 years that J&K contributed to the contingency funds created by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) like the Consolidated Sinking Fund and Guarantee Redemption Fund.

LG Sinha said that during 2023-24, the J&K government improved its fiscal discipline and curtailed the culture of raising Hundis and overdrafts.

He said that the J&K government brought the off-budget borrowings on its books from 2023-24 and started their timely repayment.

“As a result, stock of such borrowings has started tapering down,” the LG said.

He thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for accelerated and inclusive growth to fulfil the aspirations of citizens.

LG Sinha said that during the past few years, the J&K government had improved budgetary transparency.

Referring to the budget size and key figures, he said, “The J&K Budget for FY 2024-25 was tabled before the Parliament on July 23, 2024, and passed in both Houses on August 8, 2024. The size of the Budget 2024-25 is Rs 1,18,390 crore. It is Rs 30,889 crore higher than the expenditure of 2023-24. The Revenue Receipt Estimate for 2024-25 is Rs 98,719 crore and Capital Receipt Estimate is Rs 19,671 crore. The Revenue Expenditure for 2024-25 is pegged at Rs 81,486 crore with the Administrative Sector getting Rs 9881.68 crore, Social Sector Rs 24870.50 crore, Infrastructure Sector Rs 15719.40 crore, Economic Sector Rs 5555.48 crore, Capital Expenditure (or Developmental Expenditure) for 2024-25 Rs 36,904 crore with the broad sectoral allocation as Administrative Sector getting Rs 1190.50 crore, Social Sector Rs 4217.65 crore, 40 percent (Rs 1675 crore) of which is allocated for Health and Medical Education, Infrastructure Sector Rs 11664.45 crore, of which 35 percent (Rs 4062 crore) is allocated for Public Works, Economic Sector Rs 6943.20 crore of which 54 percent (Rs 3731.54 crore) major chunk will be used on Rural Development.”

The LG said that the Capital Expenditure contribution towards GDP is 14.01 percent.

“GSDP for the year 2024-25 has been projected at Rs 2,63,399 crore, which shows a growth of 7.5 percent over GSDP of 2023-24. The tax and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ratio for 2024-25 has been projected at 7.92 percent which is higher than previous year’s 5.68 percent,” he said.

Referring to the key challenges and initiatives of the J&K government, LG Sinha said, “Historically J&K has faced challenges in fiscal management due to the unabated pressures of externally sponsored terrorism. The high levels of committed expenditure and ATC losses in the power sector had accentuated these challenges. Hence over the past year, the J&K government has stressed on revenue augmentation, improving project execution, reducing ATC losses, and improving quality of governance.”

Regarding the revenue augmentation, he said, “The J&K government improved GST return compliance, initiated e-Stamping system, expanded dealer registration, and conducted transparent excise auctions.”

The LG said that the tax revenues had increased from Rs 12753 crore in 2022-23 to Rs 13,900 crore in 2023-24, registering a growth of 9 percent.

“GST collection increased by 12 percent and excise collection increased by 39 percent in FY 2023-24 as compared to FY 2022-23,” he said. “As part of power sector reforms, 5.74 lakh smart meters have been installed by June 2024, resulting in 25 percent reduction in Transmission and Distribution (T&D) losses and 10 percent increase in tariff collection per month.”

LG Sinha said that the J&K government’s efforts to undertake metering and improve billing and collection efficiency had resulted in non-tax revenues increasing from Rs 5148 crore in 2022-23 to Rs 6500 crore in 2023-24, registering growth of 25 percent.

Regarding the expenditure reforms, he said, “The J&K government has effectively leveraged Centrally Sponsored Schemes. The J&K government intensified efforts to harness central funds through faster execution of works.”

The LG said that this had led to a sharp increase in receipts of funds under CSS from Rs 6400 crore in 2022-23 to Rs 10,300 crore in 2023-24.

He said that the J&K government had steadfastly undertaken technology reforms to enhance transparency and accountability in budgeting and expenditure management.

“A systematic drive was started to physically monitor and verify all developmental works through independent officers,” LG Sinha said. “The J&K government undertook Aadhaar seeding and biometric verifications systematically for cleaning databases of welfare schemes.”

He said that the J&K government also ensured cost savings through competitive procurements through the GEM and e-tendering.

“These reforms have helped reduce leakages to the tune of Rs 400 crore per year,” the LG said.

About the visible improvements in J&K’s economy, he said: “Through these efforts, the J&K government improved its revenues, reduced wasteful expenditure, and improved fiscal transparency. These initiatives coupled with the judicious welfare measures and infrastructure development have helped the GDP of J&K double from Rs 1.17 lakh crore in 2015-16 to Rs 2.45 lakh crore in 2023-24. The GDP is expected to touch Rs 2.63 lakh crore in 2024-25.

LG Sinha said that what was especially heartening was that this doubling of J&K’s economy during 2013-2024 was achieved by overcoming the enormous challenges of the massive floods in Kashmir, the incessant efforts of sponsored terrorism, and the economic shock of the COVID-19 pandemic.

About the special assistance package from the central government, he said, “I am happy to inform that the C Centre has acknowledged these improvements in the financial management of the J&K government. Accordingly, in the current financial year 2024-25, the Centre approved a special assistance package of Rs 17,000 crore for J&K.”

The LG said that it was noted that around 11 percent of the J&K budget was only used for internal security and policing due to the threat of externally sponsored terrorism.

“Such expenses on policing being unavoidable, leaves limited space for spending on development and welfare projects. The Centre has decided to take the financial burden of J&K Police for which an allocation of Rs 12,000 crore has been made in the annual budget of Government of India,” he said. “In addition, a special additional grant of Rs 5000 crore as additional central assistance is being provided in the current financial year.”

LG Sinha said that as a result of this Rs 17,000 crore central assistance, the fiscal deficit to GDP ratio would reduce to 3 percent in this financial year.

“This increased assistance along with strenuous efforts will lead to complete improvement in fiscal position enabling the J&K government to work towards fulfilling the developmental needs and aspirations of the people while maintaining stable fiscal health,” he said.

Referring to the major outlays under the Budget 2024-25, the LG said: “Rs 9400 crore has been kept for subsidy and budgetary support for the purchase of power from the National Grid and the power purchase agreements with power generation companies. Rs 3983 crore has been kept for the construction of roads and bridges under PMGSY, CRIF, NABARD loan schemes and Bridge scheme. Rs 1875 crore has been kept for rejuvenating school education infrastructure and services through funding of Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), career counselling services, and setting up of modern schools for quality education with PM SHRI funding. Rs 1808 crore has been kept for strengthening decentralised governance by providing for local area development works of PRIs, ULBs, BDCs and DDCs. Rs 1714 crore has been provisioned for tap-water connectivity for rural areas under Jal Jeevan Mission. Rs 1484 crore has been kept for the completion of Smart City projects in Srinagar and Jammu cities, construction of infrastructure projects under the Jhelum Tawi Flood Recovery Project (JTFRP), construction of sewerage treatment plants in urban areas, and development of new townships for housing. Rs 1430 crore has been kept for comprehensive social security coverage under assistance schemes for old age, widows, and disabled, and for the women empowerment interventions of Ladli Beti and Marriage Assistance schemes. Rs 1317 crore has been kept for strengthening infrastructure and services in the health sector under the National Health Mission mechanism. Rs 1104 crore has been kept for the construction of houses of houseless poor families in rural areas with PM Awas Yojana- Grameen support. Rs 1068 crore has been kept for provision for salaries, food grains, cash assistance for Kashmiri migrants and construction of transit accommodation for Kashmiri migrant employees. Rs 1021 crore has been kept for transforming agriculture and allied sectors of J&K through the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP), with a 5-year outlay of Rs 5013 crore, including provisions for IFAD-funded J&K Comprehensive Investment Plan (JKCIP) and development of cold storage and high-density plantation. Rs 923 crore has been kept for the development and upgradation of industrial estates, for providing GST refund incentives and incentives as per the Industrial Policy for industrial units, and promotion of trade through JKTPO’s events for boosting investment and employment. Rs 776 crore has been kept for equity support for the hydroelectric projects at Ratle, Kwar, and Kiru, which would provide a stable revenue source and cheaper power. Rs 586 crore has been kept for universal health insurance coverage for all families of J&K. Rs 500 crore has been kept for providing drugs, machinery, and equipment for health institutions. Rs 475 crore has been kept for the upgradation infrastructure of colleges and universities and the rollout of the National Education Policy. Rs 518 crore has been kept for the promotion of tourism, development of new tourism destinations and new circuits, construction of ropeways, conduct of Amarnath Yatra, film festival, and promotion policy. Rs. 445 crore has been kept for improving sanitation and waste disposal facilities, IHHLs, CSCs, and achieving ODF status in the rural areas. Rs 390 crore has been kept for flood management projects of River Jhelum. Rs 405 crore has been kept for schemes for self-employment, start-ups, Seed Capital Fund, implementation of Mission Youth schemes, and support to self-help groups for generation livelihoods. Rs 179 crore has been kept for the construction of security-related infrastructure, Police housing colonies, bunkers in border areas, and installation of CCTVs in police stations. Rs 150 crore has been kept for the installation of solar rooftops and solar pumps. Rs 335 crore has been kept for the creation of sports infrastructure, heritage preservation, promotion of festivals and theatre, and development of Infrastructure and initiatives for the welfare of tribals like tribal hostels, milk villages, and nomad shelters.

Rs 100 crore has been kept for capital support for the revitalisation of Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) and Cooperative Banks. Rs 500 crore has been kept for MGNREGA works at Gram Panchayat level and Rs 401 crore has been kept for development of Dal Lake, afforestation, wildlife management, and preservation of protected areas.”

Talking about the major initiatives, he said that the Centre was supporting enhancing power generation from 3500 MW to about 6500 MW till 2026-27.

“So far, the Government of India has provided equity share of Rs 2430.60 crore to the J&K for development of four new hydroelectric projects,” LG Sinha said.

He said that the central government had rolled out the New Central Sector Scheme (NCSS) in 2021 with an outlay of Rs 28,400 crore for industrial development in J&K.

“Total 889 units with proposed investment of Rs 18,185 crore and employment of 46,857 have already started work on the ground. To date investment worth Rs 6600 crore has been realised on the ground,” the LG said.

He said the Competitiveness Improvement of Agriculture and Allied Sectors project would be implemented in J&K with a loan of $100 million from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

“This initiative will generate employment opportunities for 2.8 lakh farmers,” LG Sinha said.

He said 29 projects had been approved under the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP) for Rs 5013 crore over 5 years.

“The contribution of agriculture towards GSDP is expected to be doubled over the next 5 years in J&K. This initiative will generate livelihood opportunities for 13 lakh farmer families,” the LG said.

He said Kashmir would be connected with the rest of the country through railways during this year.

“The existing train services from Baramulla to Banihal have been extended to Sangaldan and the section has been completely electrified as well,” LG Sinha said.

He said border tourism in areas of Kashmir like Gurez, Keran, Lolab, and Karna-Teethwal had received domestic tourist arrivals of 1.5 lakh during 2023.

“Gurez in northern Kashmir which remained without electricity since independence has now been connected to the electricity grid during last year,” the LG said.

Referring to the sector-wise focus areas and allocations of the Budget 2024-25, he said that in agriculture and allied sectors, 2000 Kisan Khidmat Ghars (KKGs) would be established to provide facilities to the farming community at their doorstep.

“Through HADP, agriculture and allied sectors will be reinvigorated by strengthening seed systems, boosting production and productivity, creating agri-business ecosystems and securing livelihoods through enhanced jobs and income creation,” LG Sinha said.

He said Departmental Seed Multiplication Farms would be strengthened.

“Competitiveness Improvement of Agriculture and Allied Sectors project in Jammu and Kashmir (JKCIP) will be implemented with an estimated value of USD 100 million loan from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). The goal of the project is to contribute to the sustained increase in income of rural households by improving the competitiveness of farming operations,” the LG said.

He said all 29 projects approved under the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme would be implemented.

“Twenty agriculture and allied sector products have been identified of which five products – Kashmiri Saffron, Sulai Honey, Muskhbudgi Rice, Bhaderwah Rajmash, and Udhampur Kalari - have got Geographical Indication (GI) registration and the rest are under process,” LG Sinha said.

He said farm machinery benefitting 70,000 farmers would be distributed.

The LG said designer plants for the promotion of high-density plantation and rejuvenation of orchards would be produced.

“A 25,000 MTs of Controlled Atmosphere (CA) storage capacity will be added,” he said.

“Chrysanthemum theme Park at Cheshmashahi, Srinagar will be developed. 3000 dairy units will be established providing direct employment to around 4000 people. Milk production will be increased from 25 to 45 lakh metric tons while milk collection and chilling will be increased from 2 to 8.5 lakh litres per day (LLPD) over 5 years. 100 satellite heifer-rearing units will be established in the private sector. 1800 Pashu Sakhis will receive incentives for ration balancing for 6,00,000 cows and for the milk recording programme of 30,000 dairy cows. 60,000 backyard poultry units will be established in rural areas. Hybrid fodder seed kits will be provided for 3600 hectares of land. 100 hydroponic fodder units and 60 silage-making units, along with 6 fodder depots will be established to ensure availability in fodder-deficient areas. Fish production will be enhanced from 30,670 MT to 35,250 MT with technological interventions. For the agriculture and allied sectors an allocation of about Rs 2053.39 crore has been made under capital expenditure for the year 2024-25 which is Rs 524.33 crore more than the revised allocation of 2023-24,” LG Sinha said.

Referring to the Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Departments, he said: “Under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), 400 lakh man-days will be generated. Under HIMAYAT, training of around 7000 candidates will be completed. A total of 12,000 additional Self-Help Groups (SHGs) will be formed during 2024-25. At least 600 new panchayat ghars will be constructed under Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) with 100 percent internet connectivity. A total of 2.60 lakh man-days of training for Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI) members under Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) will be provided. At least 80,000 houses will be constructed under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Gramin (PMAY-G). Six villages will have solid and liquid waste management facilities to become clean with litter and plastic-free. At least 26,000 hectares area will be treated with the completion of 1800 works under the Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) during 2024-25. For the rural sector, an allocation of about Rs 3731.54 crore has been made under capital expenditure for the year 2024-25.”

About Tourism and Culture, the LG said, “Border tourism in areas of Kashmir like Gurez, Keran, Lolab, and Teethwal has received domestic tourist arrival of 1.5 lakhs during 2023. A new initiative for the development of infrastructure and basic amenities in 12 off-beat tourist destinations, six each in the Jammu and Kashmir divisions, to enhance tourism appeal and expand local business and job opportunities will be taken up. Keran will be developed as a border tourist village. Tosamaidan and Sitharan circuits will also be developed. Duggar Dani village at Samba will be developed with the traditional set-up in the form of a “mock village”. A 130-meter (425-foot) high national flag mast will be constructed and installed at Patnitop. Revival and restoration of 75 identified heritage sites and cultural sites will be completed. Eight cultural centres will be established and operationalised. Development and modernisation of Shri Pratap Singh (SPS) Museum Srinagar will be undertaken. Sufism in J&K will be promoted and propagated through structured programmes including the operationalisation of state-of-the-art Suffiana School at Srinagar. All libraries will be digitised. For the Tourism and Culture sector, an allocation of about Rs 519.70 crore has been made under capital expenditure for the year 2024-25 which is Rs 205.45 crore more than the revised allocation of 2023-24.”

He said that for the Forestry and Environment, 1.90 crore native trees will be planted and 1 crore low-cost greening interventions will be undertaken that will be aimed at restoring ecosystems, preventing soil erosion, and enhancing biodiversity.

“All 78 Urban Local Bodies of J&K will have at least one Nagar Van, Nagar Vatika, or an Eco Park. A total of 10 lakh saplings of local, medicinal, and economically important species will be distributed among the farmers for planting to augment trees outside forests and improve livelihood. Infrastructure at wetlands like Gharana, Hokersar and Shallbugh will be developed for the promotion of eco-tourism. Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Station (CAAQMS) will be established in Jammu. Van se Jal, Jal se Jeevan, an innovative water conservation technique through a watershed management approach will be implemented, sustainable agricultural practices will be promoted and traditional water bodies, including wetlands revitalised. Wular Lake will be conserved and rejuvenated to enhance the livelihood of the local people, through ecotourism. Avenues of livelihood generation through the involvement of the Panchayat level Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) will be enhanced and integrated with Self Help Groups (SHGs) registered with NRLM for sustainable collection and disposal of forest produce. For the Forest sector, an allocation of about Rs 186.45 crore has been made under capital expenditure for the year 2024-25 which is Rs 52 crore more than the revised allocation of 2023-24,” LG Sinha said.

Regarding the Cooperative sector, he said: “Micro food processing units will be established for creating employment opportunities, especially in rural areas. Construction will be taken up for the establishment of Mini Super Bazars at district, village, and block levels. Construction will be taken up for making six-grain storage units in six districts which are deficient in grain storage facilities under the scheme ‘World’s Largest Grain Storage’. For the Cooperative sector, an allocation of about Rs 25 crore has been made under capital expenditure for the year 2024-25 which is Rs 5 crore more than the revised allocation of 2023-24.”

About Health and Wellness, the LG said, “Two cancer institutes will be made fully operational at Srinagar and Jammu during 2024-25. DNB seats will be enhanced to 400, thereby improving the availability of specialists. Health records will be saturated by the creation of ABHA IDs for the 1.35 crore population. There will be 100 percent screening of the 30 age population for hypertension and diabetes. Dialysis services will be strengthened further at 16 existing facilities and 10 new health facilities. AIIMS, Awantipora will be made functional by March 2025. A New Nursing College at Handwara will be set up. TB-free status will be attained in all the remaining districts. For the Health and Medical Education sector, an allocation of about Rs 1674.51 crore has been made under capital expenditure for the year 2024-25.”

For the Education sector, he said: “A total of 2176 new kindergartens will be established to attain saturation in all the 13,804 schools in a phased manner. Separate annual library grants ranging from Rs 5000 to Rs 20,000 covering schools from Primary to Senior Secondary for the purchase of books under Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan will be provided. Only fortified rice will be served to about 8.95 lakh students at the elementary level (I to VIII) under the Mid-Day Meal Scheme to improve the nutritional health of students. The infrastructure of 389 schools will be upgraded under the Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme. A total of 3.50 lakh adults will be made literate under the New India Literacy Programmer (NILP). A scholarship of Rs 5000 per student will be provided under the Beti Anmol Scheme for BPL girl students. A total of 18,499 schools will be provided with sports equipment with the financial implication of Rs 16.04 crore. Another 2584 schools will be provided with ICT labs and smart classrooms. A total of 43 Robotic Labs and 30 Virtual Reality Labs will be established. Science Centres will be established in 100 schools. Vocational education will be introduced in 554 new schools. Construction of five newly established colleges will be completed during 2024-25. Two hostel blocks, two science blocks, and six additional lecture blocks in various colleges will be completed. Eight colleges will be assessed and accredited in 2024-25. Hundred percent admissions will be done through Common University Entrance Test (CUET) e-Samarth across J&K. For the School and Higher Education Sector, an allocation of about Rs 1284.47 crore has been made under capital expenditure for the year 2024-25 which is Rs 185.69 crore more than the revised allocation of 2023-24.

About Social and Tribal Welfare, LG Sinha said: “All persons with disability will be covered under Niramaya Health Insurance Scheme Four Vatsalya Sadans will be operationalised for intellectually challenged persons (girls and boys), two each in Kashmir and Jammu. A total of 653 Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) have been targeted for upgrading to Bal Vidyalayas. Eleven Shakti Sadan and four Sakhi Niwas will be established. A total of 7708 women beneficiaries with the establishment of 1502 units will be targeted under the self-employment scheme. Fourteen Palash and 13 Parisha Childcare Institutes have been targeted for modernisation with state-of-the-art facilities. A total of 250 small nature of tractor and link road connectivity will be provided to the tribal population. Eighty schools will be transformed into smart schools in tribal areas. Smart cards will be provided to the migratory tribal population. Transit accommodations will be established for the transhuman tribal population, which includes accommodation for 150-200 families, community kitchens, medical dispensaries, veterinary dispensaries, community toilets, and livestock yards. A total of 186 villages, having 500 scheduled tribe populations, will be covered under the ‘Pradhan Mantri Adi Adarsh Gram Yojana (PMAAGY)’ scheme. Ten Cluster Tribal Model villages to be completed in 2024-25. Ten milk villages have been targeted to be completed during 2024-25. For Social and Tribal Welfare, an allocation of about Rs 358.52 crore has been made under capital expenditure for the year 2024-25 which is Rs 11.32 crore more than the revised allocation of 2023-24.”

For the Relief and Rehabilitation of Kashmiri Migrants, he said: “Construction of 1500 flats as transit accommodation for Kashmiri Migrant employees will be completed during 2024-25. The remaining 276 posts out of 6000 posts under PM-Package for Kashmiri Migrants will be filled in 2024-25. For relief and rehabilitation of Kashmir migrants, an allocation of Rs 1044.92 crore has been made under revenue and capital expenditure during 2024-25, which is Rs 134.70 crore more than the revised allocation of 2023-24.

The LG said that for Sports and Youth Initiatives, “75 lakh youth engagement in various sports events will be held at the panchayat, block, district, J&K, and national level during 2024-25. Twenty national sports events will be organised in 2024-25. A total of 200 playfields and 100 sports courts will be constructed. Swimming pools will be completed at Maulana Azad Stadium, Jammu, and Gindun Park at Rajbagh, Srinagar. For the Sports sector, an allocation of about Rs 145.19 crore has been made under capital expenditure for the year 2024-25, which is Rs 35.19 crore more than the revised allocation of 2023-24.”

Referring to Skill Development, Youth Empowerment, and Employment, he said: “New initiative will be taken to create an ecosystem for promotion of enterprises and self-employment and generate over 5 lakh opportunities for self-employment and expand investments through credit support. New age courses will be introduced in 10 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs). Placement drives for 1000 pass-outs will be organised in collaboration with big business and industrial establishments. Training of 6000 women Self Help Groups registered with NRLM will be completed. Financial support through self-employment schemes like the Seed Capital Fund Scheme, Youth Start-up Loan Scheme, National Minorities Development and Finance Corporation, Women Entrepreneurship Programme and under Mission Youth schemes will be provided to youth to undertake self-employment ventures. Outreach and counselling activities will be conducted for aspiring job seekers through Model Career Centers (MCCs). Upskilling of youth will be done through youth clubs. For Skill Development and Employment, an allocation of about Rs 176.98 crore has been made under capital expenditure for the year 2024-25 which is Rs 60.78 crore more than the revised allocation of 2023-24.”

About the Food Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, LG Sinha said: “An additional 10 kg of rice per month will be provided to Priority Households under the Prime Minister's Food Supplementation Scheme. e-KYC of all beneficiaries under the Public Distribution System will be completed. Smart PDS in Jammu and Kashmir will be rolled out. For the Food and Civil Supplies sector, an allocation of about Rs 445.25 crore has been made under capital expenditure for the year 2024-25, which is Rs 65.79 crore more than the revised allocation of 2023-24.”

He said that for the Power sector, the Government of India was supporting to enhance power generation from 3500 MW to about 6500 MW till 2026-27.

“So far, the Government of India has provided equity share of Rs 2430.60 crore to J&K for development of four new Hydro Electric Projects. Gurez valley in northern Kashmir which remained without electricity since Independence has now been connected to the electricity grid during last year. There will be better availability of power which will give a boost to tourism and industries, thus fulfilling the goal of no poverty, and economic growth to provide sustainable jobs and promote equality. Smart meters will be installed for all consumers. Implementation of Loss Reduction works is already in place. Majorly LT-AB cabling work and removal of bare conductor will improve billing efficiency and bring down the AT&C losses. Implementation of the underground cabling project will extend the grid connectivity to the Amarnath cave shrine on both the Baltal and Pahalgam routes. There will be the improvement of 105.00 km HT and LT line for smooth and uninterrupted power supply to its consumers. Augmentation and creation of 35.45 MVA sub-stations will give relief to critically overloaded power transformers and ensure the availability of additional power supply to avoid frequent breakdown and load shedding. The creation and augmentation of 38,150 KVA distribution transformer sub-stations will improve voltage regulation of the distribution network and enhance the capacity of existing sub-stations. Under segregation of critically overloaded 11 KV feeders, 55 Ckm are being segregated for enhanced feeder stability. Replacement of 14,000 Ckm of dilapidated LT bare conductor by LT-AB cable will strengthen the LT networks and stop the theft of power. This replacement of bare conductor by LT- AB cable coupled with the installation of smart meters will help in reducing AT&C losses. At 11 KV level, 5351.53 Ckm of feeders will be renovated with new and better (thicker) conductors to reduce T&D losses. At 66/11 KV and 33/11 KV substations, 200 capacitor banks will be installed to improve the voltage profile at peak load hours and will reduce the MVA consumption. 31 receiving stations (33/11kV) have been projected for a capacity addition of 210.60 MVA. A reliable power supply will be provided to far-flung and remote areas of Gurez. Four GSSs at 132KV level will be constructed which will enhance capacity by 40 MVA during 2024-25, 100MVA during 2025-26, and 90 MVA during 2026-27. Sixteen GSSs at 132kV level will be augmented which will enhance capacity by 556 MVA during 2024-25 and 50 MVA during 2025-26. Six GSSs at 220kV level will be augmented which will enhance capacity by 90 MVA during 2024-25 and 720 MVA by or before 2026-27. There will be an addition of 3014 MW installed capacity in a phased manner till the year 2026-27 with a cumulative increase of design energy of 10,714.50 Million units per annum. For the Power sector, an allocation of about Rs 2020.67 crore has been made under capital expenditure for the year 2024-25 which is Rs 698.28 crore more than the revised allocation of 2023-24,” the LG said.

About the Jal Shakti (Water Supply and Irrigation) Department, he said: “Of the 3256 water supply schemes under Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), 776 schemes have been completed and remaining 2480 schemes have been targeted for completion for coverage of balance 4.26 lakh households with Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTCs) to achieve 100 percent coverage under tap water connections. NABL of all 76 Sub Divisional level laboratories has been recognised. Operation and Maintenance policy for rural water supply schemes has been rolled out. Training of about 15,000 Nal Jal Mitras under NJMP through the Skill Development Mission will be conducted. A total of 450 water supply schemes under the languishing programme and 159 water supply schemes under the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) loan assistance are targeted for completion in 2024-25. Another 225 flood control schemes will be completed, which will protect 1467 hectares of land from erosion and flood threats. Sixteen flood control projects under the Flood Management and Border Area (FMBA) programme and the River Management and Border Areas (RMBA) programme will be completed during the current financial year. The Shahpur Kandi Dam project likely to be commissioned during the current financial year will benefit J&K with 1150 cusecs of irrigation water facilities to 32,186 hectares of land in Kathua and Samba. Balance work of Tawi Barrage will be completed during 2024-25. A total of 197 minor irrigation schemes will be completed during 2024-25, which envisages the creation of an irrigation potential of 38,723 hectares. For Jal Shakti Department, an allocation of about Rs 2661.96 crore has been made under capital expenditure for the year 2024-25 which is Rs 1129.03 crore more than the revised allocation of 2023-24.”

Referring to the Housing and Urban Development, LG Sinha said: “Five Sewerage Treatment Plants (STPs) with sewerage treatment of capacity of 65.33 MLD are under implementation. Under AMRUT 2.0, the UT Water Action Plan for 153 projects of 78 ULBS has been completed. This includes 99 projects for water supply connections aiming to provide 2.25 lakh new tap household connections. Also, 50 projects for the rejuvenation of water bodies will be undertaken. Under the Smart Cities Mission of the 309 projects, 223 projects have been completed and 86 projects are likely to be completed in 2024-25. Pollution abatement of River Tawi by way of laying interception and diversion network at the old city will be completed. Transport Nagar Narwal Jammu and Parimpora Srinagar will be revamped. A 100 percent source segregation of municipal solid waste will be done by March 2025. Smart Integrated Satellite Township along Ring Road at Srinagar and Jammu will be developed. Two hundred e-buses under the PM e-Bus Sewa scheme will be inaugurated. Pollution abatement projects of rivers Basentar at Samba and Doodh Ganga at Srinagar and Budgam is being undertaken and the project pollution abatement of River Devika at Udhampur will be completed. Western Foreshore Road along Dal Lake, Srinagar will be constructed. Inter Model Station (IMS) in collaboration with NHAI will be developed at Katra. The Master Plan of all 78 cities and towns will be finalised. A sewerage network of houseboats in Dal and Nigeen lakes including a sewerage network of hamlets inside the lake will be developed. Modern abattoirs at Gujjar Nagar and Dogra Hall Jammu will be constructed. The sewerage scheme will be taken at Charar-e-Sharief, Budgam. For the Housing and Urban Development sector, an allocation of about Rs 2760.26 crore has been made under capital expenditure for the year 2024-25 which is Rs 131.99 crore more than the revised allocation of 2023-24.”

About the Connectivity sector, he said: “Kashmir will be connected with the rest of the country through railways during this year. The existing train services from Baramulla to Banihal have been extended to Sangaldan and the section has been completely electrified as well.  A total of 5000 km of road length will be black-topped during 2024-25 under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) and Cities and Towns Scheme, Central Scheme, Central Road and Infrastructure Fund (CRIF), National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) loan assistance, and Pothole Free Road Scheme. A total of 194 new projects sanctioned at an estimated cost of Rs 1023.42 crore under NABARD will be taken for execution during 2024-25. Rs 1000 crore new road and bridge projects will be taken up under NABARD loan assistance under the RIDF Tranche during 2024-25. Completion of 60 ongoing bridges will be targeted during 2024-25. For Road and Bridge Sector, an allocation of about Rs 4061.74 crore has been made under capital expenditure for the year 2024-25 which is Rs 118.87 crore more than the revised allocation for 2023-24.

About the Industrial Development, the LG said: “The central government has rolled out the New Central Sector Scheme (NCSS) since 2021 with an outlay of Rs 28,400 crore for industrial development in J&K. Total 889 units with proposed investment of Rs 18,185 crore and employment of 46,857 have already started work on the ground. To date, investment worth Rs 6600 crore has been realised on the ground. The rapid development of 46 new industrial estates will attract investment and create employment opportunities. Under the Jammu and Kashmir Rural Employment Generation Programme (J&K REGP), 1372 units are targeted to be set up during 2024-25. A New Start-up Policy will be introduced to create an entrepreneurship ecosystem. Infrastructure in existing industrial estates will be upgraded. The Private Industrial Estate Development Policy will be revamped. A total of 324 units are expected to come into production this year having an employment potential of 18,000 persons. For the Industries and Commerce sector, an allocation of about Rs 534.62 crore has been made under capital expenditure for the year 2024-25 which is Rs 138.36 crore more than the revised allocation of 2023-24.”

Referring to the Science and Technology sector, he said: “Four thousand AC agriculture pumps will be replaced by solar pumps in a phased manner under PM-KUSUM Component ‘C’. Around four MW rooftop solar power plants will be installed on the government buildings. A total of 22,494 government buildings will be 100 percent solarised in a phased manner. A 100 kw floating solar power plant will be installed in the Dal Lake, Srinagar, for demonstration purposes to attract tourists. A total of 5000 improved biomass cook-stoves will be provided in the tribal areas to reduce indoor air pollution and fuel use. A land bank will be identified for the development of solar parks. Under the Special Area Development Programme (SADP), tourist and religious places will be taken-up for complete solarisation. Solarisation of all routes and camps of Amarnath Yatra will be taken up. Bio-Technology Park at Kathua will be operationalised. Science Talent Scholarships for Undergraduate and PG Students will be set up. Young Scientist Awards and Fellowships would be provided to the outstanding researchers. For the Science and Technology Sector, an allocation of about Rs 159.80 crore has been made under capital expenditure for the year 2024-25 which is Rs 71.80 crore more than the revised allocation of 2023-24.”

Referring to the Transport sector, LG Sinha said: “IDTR at Kot Bhalwal, Jammu is likely to be completed and operationalised in 2024-25. Institute of Inspection and Certification Centre (ICC) at Samba, Jammu is likely to be completed in 2024-25. Vehicle Location Tracking Platform (VLTP) will be implemented for the safety of women in public transport vehicles. Automated Testing Stations (ATSs) will be established for testing the fitness of motor vehicles in the private sector. Policy of Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facility (RVSF) will be introduced for carrying out dismantling and scrapping operations of vehicles for End of Life Vehicles (ELVs) in a scientific manner. A Modern Bus Terminal at TRC, Srinagar will be constructed. For the Transport sector, an allocation of about Rs 22 crore has been made under capital expenditure for the year 2024-25 which is Rs 8.11 crore more than the revised allocation of 2023-24.”