“Established in 1995-96 Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) provides loans to State and UT Govtsto finance rural projects in irrigation, roads, and social sectors. It leverages priority sector lending shortfalls from banks to bridge funding gaps and drive rural development.
As current financial year is likely to end in next two months the top Government functionaries have shifted their attention to completion of incomplete developmental projects in given timelines particularly those taken up under centrally sponsored schemes. In Jammu & Kashmir most of the infrastructural facilities are being developed under centrally sponsored schemes. Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) established in 1995-96 to provide loans to State and UT Governments for funding rural infrastructure projects like roads, irrigation, and social sectors is in operation in Jammu & Kashmir besides many states and union territories of the country. This fund is being utilized for bridging funding gaps and supporting rural development by utilizing shortfalls from banks’ under priority sector lending initiatives. Chief Secretary Attal Dulloo Tuesday this week held a meeting of a high powered committee of the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development to review the progress and achievements under Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) besides assessing new projects proposed under RIDF XXXI (2025–26) across Jammu and Kashmir. Interestingly the funding of NABARD developmental projects is not reduced to just allocation but the key concerns is implementation of such projects in given timelines. Lately project completion certificates and as well as project completion reports have been declared mandatory for allocations to states and union territories under Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF). An enhanced impetus on completion of the developmental projects in given timelines at the recently held review meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Attal Dulloo shows the deepening interest of the Government on improving the infrastructural facilities for the convenience of the rural populations in Jammu & Kashmir.
“To transform rural landscape of Jammu & Kashmir, the Government is prioritizing optimal fund utilization alongside strict adherence to project timelines. The strategy shifts from paper-based progress to tangible impact by focusing on Fiscal Discipline by inducing accountability through timely submission of Project Completion Certificates (PCC) and Project Completion Reports (PCR) and leveraging the PM Gati Shakti platform for enhanced monitoring and precision in infrastructure development.”
A direction from the Chief Secretary to departments to expeditiously secure the remaining tranches from NABARD can obviously reduce the possibilities of any additional burden on the normal Capex budgets of departments. The use of PM Gati Shakti portal as directed by the Chief Secretary can further activate the pace of ongoing infrastructural facilities under RIDF before the end of the current financial year in Jammu & Kashmir. Though Principal Secretary Finance during his presentation at the meeting spoke about a steady increase in utilization of the funds but still gaps in fund utilization have to be reduced for completion of the ongoing projects in given timelines. Significantly Chief Secretary has stressed on timely submission of Project Completion Certificates (PCCs) and Project Completion Reports (PCRs) for completed works to facilitate the release of additional funds and enable approval of new projects. While the focus is on given timelines, optimal utilization of funds remains the concern of the Government for implementation of all NABARD-funded projects. An equal focus on fiscal discipline (timely PCC/PCR submission) and technological monitoring (PM Gati Shakti) is the right way to prepare a blueprint for sustainable growth for transforming the rural landscape of Jammu & Kashmir that is visible not just on papers but in the daily lives of the rural populations.
