SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir has received ₹50 crore under the Revamped Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) during 2025–26, with the Union Territory achieving 100% coverage in preparation and uploading of Gram Panchayat Development Plans (GPDPs), the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development and Panchayati Raj has said.
The report noted that all 4,291 Gram Panchayats in J&K have uploaded their GPDPs on the e-GramSwaraj portal, reflecting complete digital integration of grassroots planning, while all Panchayats have also been equipped with computers, placing the UT among the few regions with full digital infrastructure for Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs).
The Committee highlighted that J&K benefits from a special 90:10 Centre–UT funding pattern applicable to hilly states and Union Territories, unlike the 60:40 model followed elsewhere. However, it pointed to a fluctuating trend in fund releases to the UT — ₹40 crore in 2022–23, ₹65 crore in 2023–24 and 2024–25, and ₹50 crore in 2025–26 — indicating variations linked to utilisation and compliance conditions.
The report said fund releases under RGSA are contingent upon submission of utilisation certificates, audit compliance, liquidation of unspent balances and achievement of utilisation benchmarks, and noted that delays in meeting these conditions, along with slow execution of approved plans, have affected timely implementation.
While acknowledging the digital progress through platforms like e-GramSwaraj and PFMS, the Committee flagged that improvements in systems have not fully translated into efficient service delivery on the ground. It further pointed to structural gaps, particularly the incomplete devolution of funds, functions and functionaries, stating that limited transfer of responsibilities and shortage of manpower continue to restrict Panchayati Raj Institutions from functioning as fully empowered units of local governance.
The report also noted that RGSA, the key scheme for capacity building and strengthening Panchayats, is in its final year ending March 2026, with a proposal for continuation under consideration.
Emphasising the need for better outcomes, the Committee called for timely utilisation of funds, stronger monitoring and faster execution of projects, observing that while Jammu and Kashmir has made notable progress in digital adoption and planning, addressing utilisation gaps and structural constraints will be crucial to ensuring effective grassroots governance.
