Srinagar, June 12: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday chaired a series of high-level review meetings to assess the Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) plans for the financial year 2025–26 across four critical departments—Estates, Revenue, Tourism, and Culture.
The review sessions, held in Srinagar, were attended by Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, Additional Chief Secretary Estates Shaleen Kabra, Additional Chief Secretary to CM Dheeraj Gupta, Principal Secretary Finance Santosh D Vaidya, Principal Secretary Culture Brij Mohan Sharma, Commissioner Secretary Tourism Yasha Mudgal, Secretary Revenue Kumar Rajiv Ranjan, and other senior officials.
During the meetings, the Chief Minister underscored the importance of prompt approval of departmental plans, smooth fund disbursement, and timely execution of development works. He emphasized that efficient service delivery, resource optimization, and project monitoring are central to achieving developmental outcomes aligned with public expectations.
Additional Chief Secretary Shaleen Kabra informed the meeting that the Estates Department had utilized 94.93% (Rs 2,452.34 lakh) of the Rs 2,583.19 lakh released under CAPEX 2024–25. Of the 217 sanctioned works, 182 have been completed.
For 2025–26, the department has a proposed CAPEX outlay of Rs 10,000 lakh. Key components include Rs 3,304.69 lakh for ongoing projects, Rs 863 lakh for utilities at Sempora flats, Rs 2,541 lakh for shifting recurring expenditure to CAPEX, and Rs 3,291.31 lakh for new initiatives. Notable projects under execution include 400 flats at Pampore and residential units at Sarwal, Ahata Amar Singh, and Lower Muthi in Jammu, with expected completion by October 2025.
New announcements for 2025–26 include the construction of 300 2-BHK and 3-BHK flats, twin towers at Canal Road, Jammu, and additional secretariat blocks in Srinagar and Jammu, alongside upgrades in Jawahar Nagar, road infrastructure, CCTV systems, and power supply enhancements in government housing complexes.
Secretary Revenue Kumar Rajiv Ranjan presented a comprehensive status report, highlighting the department’s ongoing digital transformation and infrastructure development. Of the Rs 79 crore CAPEX approved for 2024–25, Rs 69 crore has been uploaded on the BEAMS portal.
For the upcoming fiscal year, 133 new projects have been proposed, including:18 SDM offices (Rs 4.5 crore), 21 Tehsil offices (Rs 6.3 crore), 50 Niabats (Rs 3 crore) and 40 office rooms with lavatories (Rs 2 crore).
The department has completed 100% scanning of revenue records, digitised over 94.36% of cadastral maps, and geo-referenced nearly 90% of villages. More than 99.9% of Record of Rights (RoR) data has been digitized under the Land Records Information System (LRIS).
Key digital initiatives such as Aapki Zameen Aapki Nigrani, the J&K Revenue Court Case Monitoring System (JKRCCMS), SVAMITVA cards, dynamic RoRs, and map-based land governance systems have substantially improved service efficiency. The department is also undertaking the transliteration of Urdu land records into 22 Indian languages and expanding access to digitized land passbooks in Urdu, Hindi, and English.
Commissioner Secretary Yasha Mudgal reported that the Tourism Department utilized Rs 247.66 crore of the Rs 388.20 crore CAPEX approved for 2024–25, achieving a 56% project completion rate with 871 out of 1,551 works finished.
For 2025–26, the department has outlined 1,071 works under a proposed outlay of Rs 191.87 crore, including Rs 75.5 crore for 312 new projects and Rs 10 crore earmarked for priority works suggested by elected representatives.
Notable allocations include: Rs 27 crore for waste management in Gulmarg, Rs 15 crore for winter sports infrastructure, Rs 6 crore for water sports at major lakes, Rs 10 crore for tourism master plans and Rs 20 crore for identifying new destinations.
The department aims to revive idle assets, modernize tourist facilities, enhance destination branding, and strengthen promotional efforts to boost tourist inflows. Work is ongoing to upgrade wayside amenities, monetize under-utilized government properties, and develop infrastructure through tourism development authorities, JKTDC, SKICC, and other bodies.
Secretary Culture highlighted the department’s efforts in restoring heritage sites, modernizing museums, and promoting regional art and languages. Of 106 heritage projects, 16 have been completed, and 46 are targeted for completion by March 2026. A significant Rs 30.02 crore has been earmarked for restoration work at Jammu’s historic Mubarak Mandi complex.
Under Phase III of the Heritage Revival Scheme, 123 new projects have been identified across districts. The Culture Department is also working to modernize the SPS Museum, with a revised DPR of Rs 19.80 crore submitted for full operationalization.
A draft Cultural Policy is under finalization, and the revival of the Tehzeeb Mahal project in Srinagar is being actively pursued. On the digitization front, the department is developing an AI-supported archival system and upgrading its digital platforms.
Efforts are also underway to re-launch the literary journal Sheeraza in Sheena and Bhaderwahi, following a renewed recruitment drive for editorial staff.
The proposed budget for 2025–26 stands at Rs 132 crore, with key allocations for the Directorate of Archives, Archaeology & Museums, Libraries, and the J&K Academy of Art, Culture & Languages.
Commending the progress and planning across departments, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah called for “swift, transparent, and impactful” execution of all development works. He reiterated his government’s commitment to strengthening governance, modernizing infrastructure, and ensuring inclusive, region-wide development.
“Plans must translate into real, visible improvements in the lives of people. Timely approvals, seamless fund flow, and effective project implementation are key to achieving our developmental goals,” the Chief Minister concluded.
Key Highlights
Estates Dept :
Achieved 94.93% expenditure in 2024–25
Proposed ₹10,000 lakh budget for FY26 covering ongoing projects & 300 new residential flats.
Major projects like Pampore flats and Jammu housing progressing on schedule
Revenue Dept :
₹79 crore CAPEX approved for 2024–25; ₹69 crore funds uploaded on BEAMS portal
Proposed 133 new projects, including SDM offices, Tehsil offices, & expansion of Niabats
Digitisation milestones: 100% records scanned, over 94% cadastral maps digitized, 99.9% Record of Rights digitised
Tourism Dept:
₹388.20 crore approved in 2024–25; 56% of works completed
Proposed ₹191.87 crore for FY26 across 1,071 projects
Initiatives include tourism master plans, waste management in Gulmarg, water and winter sports infrastructure, and revival of idle assets
Culture dept:
16 heritage restoration projects completed; 46 targeted by March 2026
₹30.02 crore allocated for Mubarak Mandi complex restoration
Draft Cultural Policy nearing completion; AI-assisted digitization of archives underway
₹132 crore proposed for FY26 with focus on archives, museums, and cultural promotion
