Authority on expenditure of Councils still awaited
*ASs/ HoDs were also divested of powers to some extent
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Jan 2: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) today restored powers of the Lieutenant Governor/ Administrators of five Union Territories, all of which are without Legislature, including Ladakh for appraisal and approval of projects up to Rs 100 crore under DFPRs. These powers were withdrawn on November 27, 2025.
However, LG Ladakh’s some powers including those pertaining to similar expenditure for Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils (LAHDCs), Leh and Kargil haven’t been restored as yet. A decision on these powers is expected to be taken shortly.
Powers of Administrative Secretaries and Head of Departments (HoDs), which were withdrawn have also not been restored.
Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp
The powers of LG/Administrators of five UTs which were withdrawn on November 27 and restored today include Ladakh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu and Lakshadweep.
Many organizations in the Union Territory of Ladakh had demanded restoration of powers of LG Ladakh Kavinder Gupta for approval to projects/ schemes up to Rs 100 crore which were taken away by the Union Home Ministry.
An order issued today by the MHA (UT Division) of the Ministry has approved “the delegation of powers for appraisal and approval of projects up to Rs 100 crore under Delegation of Financial Power Rules (DFPRs), 2024, to the Administrators, LGs” of Union Territories without Legislatures, including Ladakh.
Jammu and Kashmir and Puducherry are the only two UTs which have Legislatures.
“I am directed to refer to convey the approval of the competent authority for the delegation of powers for appraisal and approval of projects up to Rs100 crore under DFPRs, 2024, to the Administrators and LGs of the Union Territories of Ladakh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu and Lakshadweep, (subject to the certain condition)”, the MHA order read.
The order comes over a month after the MHA had withdrawn the existing delegated powers of the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh to approve schemes and projects up to Rs 100 crore, as well as the powers of Administrative Secretaries to approve projects up to Rs 20 crore.
As per the fresh order, the powers will be exercised by the Lieutenant Governor “in consultation with Secretary (Finance), Financial Advisor equivalent of the respective Union Territory,” and subject to the availability of adequate budgetary provisions. The Ministry also clarified that “the delegated powers shall not be further re-delegated.”
It further said that details of all proposals approved under the delegated powers will have to be furnished to the Department of Expenditure through the MHA on a quarterly basis.
The Ministry added that the powers of the Lieutenant Governor to sanction expenditure on schemes, from in-principle approval to final approval, would continue under rule 16 of DFPRs, 2024, but “only after appraisal and approval of schemes by the concerned authorities” in accordance with existing Finance Ministry guidelines.
The order stated that the delegation of powers has been issued “in supersession of earlier order” dated September 19, 2025, and has been approved by the Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance.
Powers of Head of Department including Deputy Commissioners, who act as Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of Leh and Kargil Hill Development Councils for sanctioning individual works up to Rs 5 crore were also withdrawn on November 27. These powers had gone to the MHA.
While the Leh Hill Council has ceased to exist after completing of five-year term because of delay in elections, the Kargil Hill Council is in the place. Powers of the Leh Hill Council have been assigned to the Deputy Commissioner Leh.
Powers of the Chief Engineers and Superintending Engineers for sanction of individual works up to Rs 10 crore and Rs 3 crore respectively were also given to the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
