JAMMU: The Union Government has proposed an allocation of ₹41,000.07 crore for Jammu & Kashmir and ₹4,692.15 crore for Ladakh in the Union Budget for the financial year 2025-26.
The budgetary provisions, announced by the Union Finance Ministry on Saturday, indicate no increase in central assistance for J&K compared to the previous year.
Of the ₹41,000.07 crore allotted to Jammu & Kashmir, ₹40,619.30 crore has been earmarked as central assistance to bridge the region’s resource gap. The budget also includes ₹279 crore as grants for the Union Territory Disaster Response Fund and ₹101.77 crore for resource gap funding in infrastructure projects.
The financial assistance for J&K for the ongoing fiscal has been revised from ₹42,277.74 crore to ₹41,000.07 crore.
The Government of India has allocated ₹9,325.73 crore for the Jammu & Kashmir Police, which operates under the administrative control of the Union Home Ministry.
As per the Ministry of Home Affairs’ demands for grants for 2025-26, ₹8,897.72 crore has been designated for revenue expenditure, while ₹428.01 crore is allocated for capital expenditure. These funds will be used to cover the administrative expenses of the J&K Police, responsible for maintaining law and order and managing traffic operations. Since 2024-25, the J&K Police budget has been included in the Union Budget, a move the Union Government describes as financial support, while opposition parties argue it signals prolonged central control over J&K’s administration.
For Ladakh, the Union Government has proposed ₹4,692.15 crore for the 2025-26 financial year. According to budget documents, ₹2,450 crore has been designated as revenue expenditure, while ₹2,242.15 crore is allocated for capital expenditure.
Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh were granted Union Territory status following the J&K Reorganisation Act 2019, which bifurcated the erstwhile state. Under this act, the J&K Legislative Assembly has limited powers, as matters related to public order and police remain under the direct jurisdiction of the Union Government.
