SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir is set to establish a dedicated Project Monitoring Group (JK-PMG) to oversee major infrastructure and development projects and address bottlenecks affecting their implementation, officials said on Friday.
The proposed mechanism, modelled on the National Project Monitoring Group (PMG), was reviewed by Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo during a presentation by representatives of the National PMG.
According to officials, the JK-PMG will focus on monitoring strategically important projects, improving coordination among departments and agencies, and facilitating the resolution of issues related to land acquisition, statutory clearances, construction approvals and other implementation hurdles.
During the meeting, Dulloo stressed the need for technology-driven, real-time monitoring of projects through milestone-based tracking instead of periodic status reporting. He said the proposed digital platform would help authorities monitor progress, identify gaps and take timely decisions based on reliable data.
He also emphasised the importance of a defined escalation mechanism to ensure that issues are resolved at the appropriate level and referred to higher authorities when necessary. The Chief Secretary asked the National PMG team to conduct additional capacity-building programmes for local stakeholders to familiarise them with the system and its workflow.
Commissioner Secretary, Planning, Development and Monitoring Department, R. Alice Vaz, informed the meeting that the National PMG currently monitors 61 projects in Jammu and Kashmir involving investments of about ₹3.91 lakh crore. She said 130 issues related to these projects are presently under review through the National PMG portal.
Officials said the proposed JK-PMG would function under the overall supervision of the Chief Secretary and be supported by a dedicated team of project experts and a designated administrative department.
The framework envisages fortnightly reviews at the departmental level by administrative secretaries and heads of departments, monthly reviews chaired by the Chief Secretary, and periodic reviews by the Chief Minister for issues requiring intervention at the highest level.
The proposed system will use a digital portal with automated reporting and analytical tools. Under the framework, project proponents will register projects and implementation issues on the platform, which will then be verified by sponsoring departments and addressed by the concerned departments or district administrations. Unresolved matters will be escalated to higher forums for intervention.
Following the presentation, the National PMG team conducted a sensitisation workshop for officials of the Planning Department and other stakeholders on the functioning and implementation of the proposed JK-PMG.
