Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo (IAS: 1989: AGMUT) has directed departments to accelerate the formulation and execution of projects under the Union government’s ₹1,579.09-crore Recovery and Reconstruction package, aimed at restoring infrastructure damaged by floods, landslides and cloudbursts in 2025.
The review focused on progress under the Post-Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA)-based Recovery and Reconstruction framework and the utilisation of assistance approved for the Union Territory. Earlier reviews had also placed the recovery package within a wider disaster-restoration effort of more than ₹3,000 crore, including the ₹1,431-crore Disaster Component of the Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI).
₹1,579 Crore Package Covers Critical Sectors
The ₹1,579.09-crore Recovery and Reconstruction assistance was approved by the Sub-Committee of the National Executive Committee based on the PDNA carried out after the 2025 floods and landslides.
The package includes:
- ₹1,421.12 crore as the Central share
- ₹157.91 crore as the Union Territory share
- Restoration of roads, bridges, water supply, power and irrigation infrastructure
- Support for housing, agriculture, horticulture, health, education, tourism and environmental restoration
The focus is on permanent restoration rather than temporary repairs, with infrastructure expected to be strengthened against future disasters.
Departments Told to Adopt ‘Build Back Better’ Approach
Dulloo stressed that reconstructed infrastructure should not simply return to its pre-disaster condition. Instead, projects must incorporate features that improve their ability to withstand future floods, landslides and other hazards.
He directed departments to:
- Ensure disaster-resilient design in reconstructed assets
- Follow applicable seismic safety requirements
- Incorporate measures such as elevated plinths and slope stabilisation
- Geo-tag projects for better monitoring
- Upload work plans on the BEAMS digital platform
- Prevent duplication of funding with existing government schemes
The administration has previously emphasised that projects under the PDNA and SASCI frameworks must be reconciled to prevent overlapping works.
Roads and Bridges Among Key Restoration Priorities
Roads and bridges remain a major focus of J&K’s disaster-recovery efforts. Under the separate ₹1,431-crore SASCI disaster component, the Public Works Department received ₹860 crore, followed by Jal Shakti (₹315 crore) and the Power Development Department (₹173 crore). Agriculture was allocated ₹51 crore and Youth Services and Sports ₹32 crore.
Officials said projects worth nearly ₹1,196 crore had been finalised under SASCI, with work plans exceeding ₹1,025 crore uploaded on BEAMS. More than ₹429 crore had also been released for execution.
Focus on Faster Execution and No Duplication
The Chief Secretary directed departments to speed up project execution while ensuring that every sanctioned rupee translates into durable infrastructure.
He also stressed cross-verification of project proposals against existing schemes to prevent duplication and improve the efficiency of public spending.
The wider recovery programme follows extensive damage caused by the 2025 floods, flash floods, cloudbursts and landslides, with the administration seeking to combine reconstruction with long-term disaster preparedness.
The latest push is aimed at ensuring that J&K’s recovery goes beyond restoring damaged assets and instead creates safer, more resilient infrastructure capable of withstanding future disasters.
