Only Rs 797 lakh utilized under Samridh Seema Yojna
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Mar 9: Several projects, which were announced under Prime Minister’s Development Package (PMDP) in November 2015, have yet not been completed even after the lapse of over nine years due to slackness on the part of the executing agencies. Moreover, only Rs 797 lakh were utilized against Rs 2152 lakh released under Samridh Seema Yojna for the border districts of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
On November 7, 2015, the Prime Minister announced Rs 80,068 crore development package for Jammu and Kashmir, focusing on Humanitarian Relief, Crisis Management, Social Infrastructure, Development Projects and Economic Infrastructure. This plan aimed to expand economic infrastructure, enhance basic services, promote employment and provide relief to flood victims.
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The Jammu and Kashmir UT originally had 63 PMDP projects but after reorganization 53 projects remained with an outlay of Rs 58,477 crore. Nine projects, totaling Rs 21,441 crore, were transferred to Ladakh and one project was dropped.
According to the official document of the J&K Government, by October 2024, 23 projects (6 by Government of India and 17 by Government of J&K) were completed and 12 projects (6 by Government of India and 6 by Government of J&K) were substantially completed making up 66.03% of the total.
Out of 18 remaining projects, seven more projects are expected to be completed in 2024-25 (the year which will come to an end on March 31, 2025) while 11 will spill over beyond 2024-25, the document said, adding “a total of Rs 52,859.14 crore have been released for these projects with Rs 51,340.34 crore (97.13%) already expended”.
These figures clearly reveal that even after the lapse of more than nine years several projects under PMDP have yet not been completed. However, major projects like construction four-laning of Jammu-Udhampur Section of NH-1A, Chenani-Nashri Tunnel Project, Srinagar-Banihal section of NH-1A have been completed and opened for traffic.
As per the document, J&K Government introduced the Samridh Seema Yojna (SSY) in the financial year 2023-24 under the CAPEX Budget with an allocation of Rs 5000 lakh with the objective to fill developmental gaps in border areas, focusing on roads and bridges, health infrastructure, education infrastructure, agriculture infrastructure, sports infrastructure, drinking water supply projects and social sector infrastructure.
An amount of Rs 4554 lakh was allocated under Samridh Seema Yojna during 2024-25 (ending November, 2024) against which an amount of Rs 2152.36 lakh (47.26%) was released to the concerned border districts. However, an expenditure of only Rs 797.61 lakh has been incurred during the year up to November 2024 by completing 56 works. In order to meet the objective of the Yojna the concerned authorities are required to gear up the works.
It is pertinent to mention here that Border Area Development Programme (PMDP) launched in 1986-87 addresses the developmental needs of remote and inaccessible border areas.
The programme aims to provide essential infrastructure and promote security and well-being among border populations through convergence with Central/State/UT schemes. The BADP is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme with a 90:10 funding ratio for North Eastern States, Himalayan States and the Jammu and Kashmir since 2016-17.
In J&K, BADP operates in 83 blocks and 1779 villages across eight districts, covering 5439.55 square kilometers and a population of 25.97 lakh (Census 2011). For the financial year 2024-25 (ending November, 2024), an amount of Rs 12.20 crore was spent completing 10 out of 64 ongoing works. The programme is implemented through District Development Commissioners (DDCs) and since 2020, funds for Border Guarding Forces are integrated into the District Level Committees.
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