Distt admn to ensure completion of works
*RDD likely to play major role from next FY
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Mar 2: The district administration will monitor completion of ongoing works approved by the District Development Councils (DDCs) in Jammu and Kashmir for remaining part of current financial year while the Rural Development Department is expected to play major role in allocation of funds to different departments from the next fiscal year of 2026-27 as there appears to be no immediate chance of the Government holding elections to the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs).
Official sources told the Excelsior that the District Development Commissioners (DDCs) and Additional DDCs, who acted as Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) to the DDCs, will be monitoring timely completion of works which were approved by the DDCs for ongoing financial year of 2025-26.
Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp
“Works for current fiscal were approved by the DDCs in all 20 districts and they are under execution. However, the DDCs completed their five-year term nearly a week ago i.e. February 24 and, in the absence of timely elections, the bodies ceased to exist. In absence of the DDCs, which had 14 members each including Chairperson and Vice Chairperson, the DDCs and Additional DDCs will be overseeing the ongoing works to ensure their timely completion,’’ the sources said.
It may be mentioned here that Additional DDC in every district was serving as CEO of the concerned DDCs.
On utilization of funds from the next financial year i.e.2026-27 which were at the disposal of DDCs, mainly the Capital Expenditure, sources said the UT Government is expected to take a call soon as no Cabinet meeting has been held after expiry of the term of DDCs but most likely there is consensus among the Government that the funds will be at the disposal of Rural Development Department which acts as Nodal department for all three Panchayati Raj Institutions i.e. Panchayats/Municipalities, BDCs and DDCs.
The Panchayats, BDCs and DDCs cover rural areas only and, therefore, the Rural Development Department is going to take a call on their funding but it will be seen in the absence of any of the three PRIs who will identify the works for execution. After Panchayats and BDCs ceased to exist on January 9, 2024, the works used to be identified by the DDCs for taking them up during the financial year.
“The things would be clear in next few days,’’ the sources said as the capital expenditure of around Rs 2000 crore was incurred through the DDCs. The Government has so far announced that powers of the DDCs are not being given to anyone
There are also doubts on whether the Central Government grants specifically meant for the PRIs will continue to flow to Jammu and Kashmir in the absence of all three PRIs.
Jammu and Kashmir had total of 20 DDCs. In Jammu region, the BJP was in power in six DDCs and the National Conference in three. An Independent was the Chairperson of Poonch DDC.
The Panchayats, Municipalities and Block Development Councils ceased to exist over two years before while the DDCs completed their five-year term on February 24, 2026. Term of the Municipalities ended on October-November 2023 while Panchayats and Block Development Councils completed their tenure on January 9, 2024.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
