Jammu, January 05: Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo on Monday said the PRAGATI (Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation) platform has emerged as a decisive technology-driven governance mechanism, significantly accelerating the execution of major developmental projects across Jammu and Kashmir by resolving long-pending bottlenecks and ensuring timely delivery.
Addressing a press briefing, the Chief Secretary highlighted the importance of PRAGATI@50, noting that several projects stalled for decades due to inter-departmental coordination issues and procedural delays have gained momentum under the platform’s structured and high-level monitoring.
The briefing was attended by Commissioner Secretary Information M. Raju, Director Information Nitish Rajora, Director PIB Jammu Neha Jalali, Joint Director Information Headquarters Zahoor Ahmad Raina, Joint Director Information Jammu Deepak Dubey, and other senior officers of the Directorate of Information and Public Relations.
Citing the Udhampur–Srinagar–Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) as a key example, Dulloo said the project, initiated in 1995, saw limited progress for nearly 25 years but advanced rapidly after being brought under PRAGATI, aided by enhanced inter-departmental coordination and direct reviews by the Prime Minister.
He informed that all projects with an outlay exceeding ₹500 crore are monitored by the Prime Minister’s Group (PMG) headed by the Cabinet Secretary, while the most critical projects are reviewed directly by the Prime Minister through PRAGATI meetings.
According to the Chief Secretary, the PMG is currently monitoring 61 projects in Jammu and Kashmir with a cumulative investment of over ₹4.12 lakh crore across sectors such as connectivity, energy and social infrastructure. Of these, 15 projects worth ₹69,000 crore have been completed, while the remaining are at various stages of execution.
He further stated that 15 major projects in the Union Territory are under the Prime Minister’s direct monitoring through PRAGATI, facilitating swift resolution of issues related to land acquisition, financial and physical constraints, and ensuring timely and fair compensation to affected families.
Highlighting the platform’s effectiveness, Dulloo said that out of 59 issues related to J&K taken up in earlier PRAGATI meetings, 57 have been resolved on merit, placing the Union Territory among the top-performing regions in the country, supported by strong district-level follow-up.
On outcomes, he said six high-impact projects worth around ₹53,000 crore have been completed under PRAGATI monitoring. These include the USBRL project, Kishanganga Hydroelectric Project with its transmission line, AIIMS Jammu, the Banihal stretch of NH-44, and the Alsteng–Kargil–Khaltse–Leh transmission line.
He added that nine additional projects, including the Delhi–Amritsar–Katra Expressway Corridor, AIIMS Awantipora, Pakul Dul Hydroelectric Project and 4G mobile connectivity under USOF, are progressing satisfactorily.
Concluding, the Chief Secretary reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to strictly implement directions issued through the PRAGATI mechanism, stating that the platform has positioned Jammu and Kashmir to sustain development momentum and ensure outcome-oriented completion of projects within approved timelines.
