State-level DISHA Committee led by CM not constituted yet
NAVNEET DUBEY
Jammu: In Jammu and Kashmir, District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committees (DISHA) have held merely 57 meetings in the past five years, far short of the mandatory 400 meetings. DISHA, headed by Members of Parliament, aims to monitor central government schemes and ensure development in districts. DISHA meetings are required to be held quarterly, meaning at least four meetings per year. However, J&K has seen a significant shortfall in meeting this requirement.
Given that Jammu & Kashmir comprises 20 districts, this translates to a total of 80 meetings each year. So, over a span of five years, 400 DISHA committee meetings should have taken place in the Union Territory.
According to a report titled – Effective Functioning of DISHA Committees- which was tabled by the Department-related parliamentary standing committee on Rural Development and Panchayati Raj in Lok Sabha on Monday, only 57 DISHA committee meetings have taken place across the UT in last five financial years.
The report reveals that eight such meetings took place in 2020-21, 10 in 2021-22, 20 in 2022-23, eight in 2023-24 and 11 in 2024-25. The infrequent meetings may hinder the effective implementation and monitoring of development projects, potentially affecting the delivery of benefits to the local population.
It further reveals that only three such meetings have taken place in J&K during the ongoing financial year. These district-level committees’ act as watchdogs of key central sector programmes and schemes. Currently, 96 schemes of 35 union ministries are covered by DISHA Committees.
The report laid in the Parliament on Monday also reveals that Jammu and Kashmir has not yet constituted a State-level DISHA Committee. As per guidelines, the chairperson of the state-level DISHA Committee shall be the Chief Minister of the State/UTs with legislature and the Minister of Rural Development of the State shall be designated as co-chairperson.
Despite the low frequency, when meetings are held, they comprehensively review various central government schemes, such as PMGSY, MGNREGA, Jal Jeevan Mission, and healthcare initiatives.
Some recent DISHA meetings in J&K include-MP Jugal Kishore Sharma chaired a DISHA meeting in Jammu, emphasizing timely delivery and citizen empowerment. The meeting reviewed projects like the Indri-Pattan bridge and Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway. In Samba meeting he reviewed infrastructure projects, including roads and the Samba Flyover, stressing the need for transparency and public accountability.
Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh chaired a DISHA meeting in Kathua, focusing on completing projects like the Kalibari-Janglote link road and enhancing service delivery. In Kishtwar meeting Singh reviewed ongoing projects, including hydropower initiatives, and emphasized the need for environmental protection and public awareness campaigns.
