Secretary, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (RDD&PR), Mohammad Aijaz Asad, today chaired a high-level meeting to review the progress under UT-CAPEX, Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI), and implementation status of PM-SHRI and Samagra Shiksha schemes under RDD.

The meeting was attended by DG Rural Sanitation, Anu Malhotra; Mission Director NRLM, Shubhra Sharma; Directors RDD Kashmir and Jammu, Shabir Hussain Bhat and Shahnaz Akhtar; Director Panchayati Raj, Sham Lal; Chief Engineer PWD (R&B) for SASCI projects; Director Finance, Umar Khan; Joint Director Planning, Kamal Kumar Sharma; Additional Secretary, Waseem Raja; Superintending Engineers (REW), ACDs, ACPs, and Executive Engineers of all districts.

The Secretary also reviewed the on-boarding of schemes onto the SNA-SPARSH platform to ensure transparent and efficient management of funds.

During the review, the Secretary emphasized the urgent adoption of SNA-SPARSH platform and obtaining of the ‘Mother Sanction’ for each scheme, terming it crucial for authorizing expenditures and ensuring seamless implementation on the ground. He directed all Scheme Heads to expedite on-boarding and streamline fund flow to avoid delays.

Reviewing UT-CAPEX works, the Secretary instructed that the pace of execution be accelerated with a district-wise review mechanism to bridge gaps between allocations and physical achievements. He laid special emphasis on infrastructure development for PRIs, BDCs, and DDCs, underscoring their vital role in strengthening grassroots governance and enhancing service delivery.

Under SASCI, it was informed that loan assistance of ₹21.10 crore has been sanctioned for RDD projects. The Secretary reiterated the Finance Department’s directions mandating utilization of 75% of funds by December 2025, surrender of non-viable projects for reallocation. He directed HoDs to personally monitor SASCI projects and ensure timely completion of all sanctioned works.

While reviewing PM-SHRI and Samagra Shiksha being executed by Rural Engineering Wing, the Secretary directed officials to expedite execution, strengthen monitoring, and ensure timely utilization of funds.

He also called for the establishment of monthly progress reporting mechanism to ensure that all schemes deliver tangible and timely results, benefiting communities, schools, and students across Jammu and Kashmir.

The Secretary reiterated Administration’s commitment to efficient public spending, transparency in financial management, and time-bound completion of developmental works to achieve sustainable and inclusive growth across the Union Territory.