Omar Abdullah Pushes J&K Departments to Speed Up Capex Spending and Avoid Fiscal Delays

SRINAGAR, July 28 — Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today chaired a high-level review meeting on Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) at the Civil Secretariat, issuing strict directives to all government departments to accelerate spending and ensure the timely utilization of funds for infrastructure and economic growth. Expressing sharp criticism over unspent allocations, the Chief Minister remarked that possessing funds without spending them amounts to incompetence, emphasizing that delays close to the financial year’s end will not be tolerated. Holding the review early in the fiscal cycle to allow corrective action during the active working season across both Kashmir and Jammu regions, he urged lagging departments to step up project execution immediately.

The review placed special focus on the Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) scheme. Abdullah warned that unspent funds under SASCI would reduce Jammu and Kashmir’s future central allocations. He instructed ministers to conduct fortnightly reviews of reform-linked targets to qualify for additional central financial aid, while advising departments to kickstart pre-approved and tendered projects using the current CAPEX budget. Addressing systemic delays, he called on departments to prepare a robust pipeline of future projects—including proposals over ₹2 crore submitted by Legislative Assembly members during budget talks—and finish early administrative approvals so that projects for the 2027–28 financial year are execution-ready as soon as funds are released. Additionally, the government plans to streamline tendering procedures to remove procurement bottlenecks, with the Chief Minister promising that the next review will strictly evaluate tangible spending improvements across all sectors.