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| Centrally Sponsored Schemes | | | Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo and Additional Secretary Union Ministry of Home Affairs, Nitesh Vyas recently chaired a high-level meeting to review the implementation of various Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) and progress on ongoing developmental projects across Jammu and Kashmir.
They stressed on the need for a focused and outcome-oriented approach towards implementation of centrally sponsored schemes and flagship programmes in the Union Territory. They emphasized that the objective should not only be to achieve physical targets but also to ensure that the infrastructure and services created under these programmes deliver sustained and measurable benefits to the people.
Over the years, the Union Territory has witnessed substantial investments in infrastructure, healthcare, education, rural development, roads, drinking water, housing, social welfare and employment-oriented programmes. Centrally sponsored schemes have played a significant role in extending the reach of government programmes to remote and underserved areas. However, the success of these initiatives ultimately depends on the quality of implementation and the benefits that reach the intended beneficiaries. The emphasis placed by the Chief Secretary and the Additional Secretary on an outcome-oriented approach is therefore timely. Government departments must move beyond a target-driven culture in which completion of a building, road or facility is considered the end of a project. Construction is only the beginning. A school building matters when children receive quality education there. A health centre becomes meaningful when doctors, medicines and diagnostic facilities are available. A water supply project succeeds when households receive safe and reliable drinking water regularly.
The same principle applies to every flagship programme. Infrastructure created with public money must remain functional, accessible and sustainable. There should be mechanisms to assess whether projects are delivering the outcomes for which they were conceived. Periodic evaluation, social audits, field inspections and feedback from beneficiaries can help identify gaps and ensure corrective action.
Jammu and Kashmir presents a particularly challenging development environment because of its difficult terrain, climatic conditions and widely dispersed population. In many remote and border areas, creating infrastructure is considerably more difficult than in accessible locations. This makes efficient utilisation of resources even more important. Projects should be planned after taking local requirements into account rather than adopting a uniform approach everywhere.
The shift from “how much has been spent” to “what has been achieved” is precisely what development governance requires. For the people of Jammu and Kashmir, the true success of every scheme should be visible not in government files, but in better services, greater opportunities and an improved quality of life. |
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