SRINAGAR: Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo has urged government departments to expedite the planning and implementation of projects under the comprehensive Rs 1,579.09-crore disaster recovery package for Jammu and Kashmir. He emphasised the critical need to ensure that reconstructed infrastructure is built to withstand future natural calamities.
Information was available with The Chenab Times that these directives were issued during a high-level review meeting focused on the progress of the Recovery and Reconstruction (R&R) Plan-2025 and the effective utilisation of disaster recovery assistance sanctioned by the central government. The significant package, endorsed by the Ministry of Home Affairs through the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) using the NDRF/SDRF R&R funding window, allocates Rs 1,534.58 crore towards mitigating damages caused by past events such as floods, cloudbursts, and landslides. An additional Rs 44.52 crore has been specifically designated for a dedicated recovery plan for Ramban district, addressing the impact of the cloudburst and flash floods experienced in April 2025.
During the review, it was reported that departments have successfully prepared costed action plans amounting to Rs 1,225.78 crore. However, a balance of Rs 353.31 crore remains to be operationalised, particularly within the Jal Shakti and Agriculture sectors. The Chief Secretary underscored the importance of adopting the ‘Build Back Better’ principle, stating that the objective of disaster recovery must extend beyond simply restoring damaged infrastructure to its pre-disaster state, aiming instead for enhanced resilience.
Furthermore, Mr. Dulloo called for stringent cross-verification of beneficiary lists and project proposals against existing major schemes, including the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Gramin (PMAY-G), Jal Jeevan Mission, AMRUT, SASCI, NABARD, Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), and Samagra Shiksha. This measure aims to prevent any potential duplication of efforts and ensure the optimal allocation of public funds.
He also directed executing agencies to integrate disaster-resilient features into all reconstructed assets. This includes adherence to Seismic Zone IV/V requirements, the construction of elevated plinths, and the implementation of slope stabilisation measures wherever deemed necessary. Officials were instructed to leverage both norm-based and flexible assistance available under the approved recovery framework to address any additional resilience requirements.
To ensure transparency and facilitate effective monitoring, the Chief Secretary mandated that all projects be geo-tagged and uploaded onto the BEAMS digital platform. This will establish a unified record for tracking physical progress, financial utilisation, and overall project outcomes.
In a sector-wise breakdown, Principal Secretary, Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction (DMRR&R), Chandraker Bharti, informed the meeting about the substantial progress achieved across various components of the programme. In the social sector, against an approved allocation of Rs 289.40 crore, departments have formulated plans worth Rs 262.11 crore.
The housing component has seen a complete commitment of its Rs 193.19-crore allocation, encompassing the restoration of 9,083 households, including 5,227 fully damaged and 3,856 severely damaged houses. Similarly, the Roads and Bridges component has achieved full planning for its Rs 461.64-crore allocation, targeting the restoration of approximately 1,230.7 km of roads and 4,494.5 metres of bridges.
In the power sector, Rs 70.08 crore has been planned against an allocation of Rs 72.97 crore. The planned works involve the restoration of over 21,000 poles, 1,100 circuit kilometres of conductors, and 800 transformers, which are expected to benefit around 1.45 lakh consumers. The Drinking Water and Sanitation sector has formulated plans worth Rs 59.02 crore against its allocated Rs 139.65 crore, while the Irrigation and Flood Control department has planned works amounting to Rs 93.01 crore against Rs 199.79 crore and is actively progressing towards utilising the remaining funds.
Within the productive sectors, the Agriculture department has formulated plans valued at Rs 168.36 crore against an allocation of Rs 233.67 crore, covering 45 packages focused on crop inputs, land reclamation, and the restoration of research infrastructure at SKUAST-Jammu. The Animal Husbandry and Livestock sector has planned for Rs 8.86 crore against Rs 10.28 crore, and the Horticulture sector has fully utilised its Rs 3.87-crore allocation, providing support to 3,493 farmers.
The meeting also reviewed the specific Rs 44.52-crore recovery plan for Ramban district, developed in response to the cloudburst and flash floods of April 19-20, 2025. This plan includes allocations of Rs 23.24 crore for Roads and Bridges, Rs 3.34 crore for Irrigation and Flood Control, Rs 1.78 crore for Education, and Rs 1.48 crore for Animal Husbandry and Livestock.
Mr. Dulloo instructed that household relief disbursed under the recovery programme should strictly adhere to the 30:40:30 progress-linked Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) pattern, ensuring that payments are directly correlated with the actual progress of reconstruction efforts. He also directed nodal officers at the block, sub-divisional, and district levels to resolve grievances submitted through E-Samadhan and CPGRAMS portals within a strict 15-day timeframe, integrating efficient grievance redressal as a core component of the recovery monitoring mechanism.
The Chenab Times News Desk