Srinagar, Jul 28 (NVI): Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday directed all government departments to accelerate capital expenditure and ensure timely utilisation of allocated funds, saying leaving available money unspent reflected administrative inefficiency.
Chairing a high-level review meeting on Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) at the Civil Secretariat here, Abdullah said departments should avoid delaying expenditure until the end of the financial year and instead make full use of the ongoing working season.
“To have money and not spend it is incompetence. Not having money is easier to explain, but it is impossible to explain when funds are available and remain unutilised,” the chief minister said.
He said the review was held early in the financial year to enable departments to take corrective measures and effectively utilise the remaining working season in both Kashmir and Jammu.
Reviewing the implementation of the Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI), Abdullah directed departments to fully utilise allocations under the scheme, warning that unspent funds could reduce Jammu and Kashmir’s allocation in the next financial year.
He instructed ministers to review reform-linked targets under SASCI every fortnight so that the Union Territory could qualify for additional financial assistance.
The chief minister also directed departments to immediately begin work on projects for which administrative approvals and tendering had already been completed and asked them to prepare a strong pipeline of projects for the 2027-28 financial year in advance.
Expressing concern over delays in project identification despite the availability of funds, Abdullah said departments should revisit development proposals submitted by MLAs during Budget consultations and include eligible projects under future SASCI funding.
He also stressed the need to improve utilisation of funds under Centrally Sponsored Schemes and asked departments to streamline procurement and tendering processes while maintaining transparency and accountability.
Earlier, Additional Chief Secretary, Finance, Shailendra Kumar, presented the capital expenditure position for 2026-27 and highlighted departments where spending remained below expected levels, along with the reasons for slow utilisation of funds.(NVI)
