Raja Syed Rather
The Government of India has approved Rs 350.56 crore for strengthening Panchayat infrastructure in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh over the past three years, reveals the official data.
The Union Ministry of Panchayati Raj under the Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) has allocated significant funds to J&K for rural governance and digital infrastructure development.
According to the data a total of Rs 290.23 crore has been sanctioned for the construction of Panchayat Bhawans, while Rs 164.9 crore has been allocated for Common Service Centres (CSCs). “Additionally, Rs 6.31 crore has been earmarked for providing computers to enhance digital governance in the region,” it states.
“In the fiscal year 2022-23, Rs 104.6 crore was sanctioned for Gram Panchayat buildings in J&K. This was followed by allocations of Rs 100 crore in 2023-24 and Rs 85.63 crore in 2024-25. For CSC the allocation remained consistent at Rs 55.3 crore in both 2022-23 and 2023-24, with a slight reduction to Rs 54.3 crore in 2024-25,” the data reveals.
In comparison, Ladakh received a smaller allocation of Rs 0.6 crore in 2024-25 for the construction of Gram Panchayat Bhawans. Over the last three years, the region has been allocated Rs 0.77 crore for digital infrastructure, including the provision of computers.
Jammu and Kashmir has made significant strides in e-governance adoption, with 7,795 Gram Panchayats onboarded on the eGramSwaraj platform. Of these, 7,729 Gram Panchayats are actively making online payments, showcasing the region’s progress in digital governance.
LADAKH’S PANCHAYAT E-GOVERNANCE INITIATIVES
In contrast, Ladakh’s Panchayat e-governance initiatives remain limited, with gradual adoption of digital tools and platforms. Despite these efforts, the Union Ministry of Panchayati Raj has no specific data on the use of eco-friendly materials in the construction of Gram Panchayat buildings in J&K and Ladakh.
