Srinagar, Aug 16: Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo on Sunday reviewed the implementation of the Recovery & Reconstruction (R&R) Plan–2025 and utilisation of the disaster recovery assistance sanctioned for Jammu and Kashmir by the Government of India, directing departments to accelerate project formulation and execution while ensuring that every reconstructed asset is made more resilient to future disasters.
The meeting was attended by Additional Chief Secretary, Finance; Additional Chief Secretary, PWD; Principal Secretary, DMRR&R; Director, CD & SDRF; Administrative Secretaries, Divisional Commissioner, Jammu/Kashmir; and other senior officers. Deputy Commissioners from all 20 districts participated virtually.
The Chief Secretary took detailed stock of the Rs 1,579.09 crore recovery package approved by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) under the NDRF/SDRF R&R Funding Window. The same was approved through MHA for Post-Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) for damages caused by floods, cloudbursts, landslides and other disasters to the tune of Rs 1,534.58 crore, besides Rs 44.52 crore for the dedicated Ramban District recovery plan following the April 2025 cloudburst and flash floods.
Reviewing the progress, the Chief Secretary noted that departments have so far prepared costed action plans amounting to Rs 1,225.78 crore, leaving a balance of Rs 353.31 crore to be operationalised by the Jal Shakti and Agriculture sectors.
Emphasising that disaster recovery should not merely restore damaged infrastructure to its pre-disaster condition, the Chief Secretary directed all executing agencies to strictly follow the ‘Build Back Better’ (BBB) approach. He called for reconstructed assets to incorporate appropriate disaster-resilient features, including compliance with Seismic Zone IV/V requirements, elevated plinths and slope stabilisation measures, wherever applicable.
The departments were also asked to optimally utilise both norm-based and flexible assistance available under the approved recovery framework to meet incremental resilience requirements.
Dulloo also called for strict cross-verification of beneficiary lists and project proposals with major ongoing schemes, including PMAY-G, Jal Jeevan Mission, AMRUT, SASCI, NABARD, PMGSY and Samagra Shiksha, to eliminate any possibility of duplication and ensure optimal use of public resources.
The Chief Secretary further directed that all projects be geo-tagged forthwith and uploaded on the BEAMS digital platform, creating a unified digital record for monitoring progress, financial utilisation and physical outcomes.
Giving the sector-wise review, the Principal Secretary, DMRR&R, Chandraker Bharti revealed that significant progress has been achieved in several components of the recovery programme.
In the Social Sector, against an approved allocation of Rs 289.40 crore, departments have formulated plans amounting to Rs 262.11 crore. In the Housing component, 100 per cent commitment of its Rs 193.19 crore allocation has been achieved, covering 9,083 households, including 5,227 fully and 3,856 severely damaged houses.
The Roads & Bridges component has emerged as one of the strongest performing infrastructure segments, with its entire Rs 461.64 crore allocation planned for restoration of approximately 1,230.7 km of roads and 4,494.5 metres of bridges.
The Power sector has planned utilisation of Rs 70.08 crore against Rs 72.97 crore, targeting restoration of more than 21,000 poles, 1,100 circuit kilometres of conductors and 800 transformers, benefiting around 1.45 lakh consumers.
The meeting was apprised that Drinking Water & Sanitation has so far formulated plans for Rs 59.02 crore against Rs 139.65 crore, while Irrigation & Flood Control has planned Rs 93.01 crore against Rs 199.79 crore and are in the process of utilising the full kitty of funds available.
In the productive sectors, Agriculture has formulated plans worth Rs 168.36 crore against Rs 223.67 crore, covering 45 packages relating to crop inputs, land reclamation and restoration of research infrastructure at SKUAST-Jammu. Animal Husbandry & Livestock has planned Rs 8.86 crore against Rs 10.28 crore, while Horticulture has fully utilised its Rs 3.87 crore allocation to support 3,493 farmers.
The Chief Secretary also reviewed the dedicated Rs 44.52 crore Ramban recovery plan prepared in response to the cloudburst and flash floods of April 19–20, 2025. The plan includes Rs 23.24 crore for Roads & Bridges, Rs 3.34 crore for Irrigation & Flood Control, Rs 1.78 crore for Education and Rs 1.48 crore for Animal Husbandry & Livestock, with approved and proposed allocations fully reconciled in these components.
The Chief Secretary directed that household relief under the recovery programme be disbursed strictly in accordance with the 30:40:30 progress-linked Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) pattern, ensuring that payments remain aligned with actual progress of reconstruction.
He further directed block, sub-divisional and district-level Nodal Officers to ensure complete resolution of E-Samadhan and CPGRAMS grievances within 15 days, making grievance redressal an integral part of the recovery monitoring mechanism.
The Chief Secretary underscored that the recovery programme should result not only in timely restoration of damaged assets but also in a more resilient and disaster-ready Jammu and Kashmir, with every rupee sanctioned translating into durable public infrastructure and tangible relief for affected communities.
