Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo on Monday said that in J&K, 61 projects worth Rs 4.12 lakh Cr were currently being monitored on the Project Monitoring Group (PMG) portal while under PRAGATI, 15 high-priority projects worth Rs 1.12 lakh Cr were being closely monitored by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Dulloo was highlighting the pivotal role of the ICT-enabled multi-modal platform, Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation (PRAGATI) in accelerating infrastructure development and improving governance outcomes in the Union Territory, in a press conference organised by the Press Information Bureau (PIB), Jammu in collaboration with the Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) here.Referring to the Project Monitoring Group (PMG) portal, the Chief Secretary said that projects worth Rs 500 Cr or more undertaken by the Government of India were monitored through this platform under the Cabinet Secretariat, with active involvement of the concerned ministries. “In Jammu & Kashmir, 61 projects worth Rs 4.12 lakh Cr are currently being monitored on the PMG portal, covering connectivity, energy and social infrastructure sectors. Of these, 15 projects worth Rs 69,000 Cr have been completed, while 46 projects worth Rs 3.43 lakh Cr are under implementation at various stages,” he informed.
Dulloo stated that PRAGATI emerged as a major coordination mechanism of the Government of India for monitoring large infrastructure projects, flagship schemes and public grievance redressal, with projects being reviewed in real time every month by the Prime Minister.
He noted that world-class infrastructure was being developed in Jammu and Kashmir across sectors such as all-weather roads, power, health, industry, education and digital connectivity. He emphasised that timely completion of large projects required close coordination among the central government, the UT administration and implementing agencies.
“The J&K Government plays a critical role in facilitating land acquisition, environmental clearances, utility shifting and maintenance of law and order,” he said.
“Under PRAGATI, 15 high-priority projects worth Rs 1.12 lakh Cr in J&K are being closely monitored by the Prime Minister. So far, 59 issues related to these projects have been discussed, of which 57 issues—around 96 per cent—have been resolved. These issues were primarily related to land acquisition, environmental clearances, financial approvals and construction-related bottlenecks,” Dulloo informed.
Highlighting the tangible impact of PRAGATI, the Chief Secretary stated that six high-priority projects worth Rs 53,000 Cr were already completed or commissioned. These include the Jammu–Udhampur–Srinagar–Baramulla Rail Link; resolution of coordination issues in the Kishanganga Hydro Electric Project and its transmission system; clearance of utility shifting issues for AIIMS Jammu; completion of the NH-44 Srinagar–Banihal project; and commissioning of the Alusteng (Srinagar–Drass–Kargil–Khalsi–Leh) Transmission System, which was handed over to Union Territory of Ladakh.
“At present, nine projects worth Rs 59,000 Cr are under active monitoring on PRAGATI in Jammu and Kashmir, including the Delhi–Amritsar–Katra Expressway, AIIMS Awantipora, Pakal Dul Hydro Electric Project and the 4G coverage scheme under the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF). Out of 29 issues identified in these projects, 27 have already been resolved,” Dulloo said.
The Chief Secretary observed that the high resolution rate reflected the effectiveness of PRAGATI’s structured monitoring framework, supported by continuous follow-up at the UT and district levels. He added that apart from large infrastructure projects, PRAGATI also reviewed social sector schemes and public grievances, reinforcing its role as a people-centric governance platform.
According to Dulloo, at present, 56 schemes and programmes across the country, including those in Jammu and Kashmir, are being reviewed through PRAGATI, with the overarching objective of ensuring timely, efficient and outcome-oriented implementation of development initiatives.
The Chief Secretary stated that the pace of execution of several key infrastructure projects in Jammu and Kashmir witnessed a significant acceleration due to the PRAGATI mechanism. He highlighted that flagship projects such as the ambitious Katra–Baramulla railway line, AIIMS Jammu, and the Delhi–Amritsar–Katra Express Corridor benefitted immensely from enhanced inter-departmental coordination, timely resolution of bottlenecks, and continuous monitoring under PRAGATI.
He further added that the mechanism ensured improved decision-making, accountability, and seamless collaboration among various stakeholders, thereby facilitating timely implementation of critical development initiatives in the Union Territory.
In her opening remarks, Director, PIB, Neha Jalali, highlighted PRAGATI as a powerful illustration of how digital governance could effectively translate intent into tangible and visible outcomes.
She stated that PRAGATI was not merely a review platform, but a transformative governance mechanism aimed at breaking bureaucratic inertia, strengthening the Team India approach through enhanced coordination between the Centre and the States, and fostering a culture of time-bound decision-making, accountability and outcome-based monitoring.
Citing the Jammu–Udhampur–Srinagar–Baramulla (JUSBRL) rail link as a key example, she noted that work on the project began in 1995 but witnessed limited progress for nearly 25 years due to multiple challenges, including difficult terrain, land acquisition issues, forest clearances and security-related constraints. She explained that after the project was reviewed under PRAGATI, critical approvals and statutory clearances were expedited and long-pending bottlenecks were resolved through sustained inter-ministerial and inter-agency coordination.
Jalali further observed that this coordinated and proactive approach ultimately resulted in the completion of the project, enabling operational rail connectivity in the Kashmir Valley and marking a major milestone in the region’s infrastructure development.
The press conference was held against the backdrop of the 50th PRAGATI meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 31, 2025, in New Delhi. During the meeting, the Prime Minister described PRAGATI as an effective model of cooperative federalism, where the Centre and States function as one team and ministries and departments move beyond silos to resolve issues. He noted that since its inception, around 500 Secretaries to the Government of India and Chief Secretaries of States participated in PRAGATI meetings, and thanked them for their participation, commitment, and ground-level understanding, which helped PRAGATI evolve from a review mechanism into a genuine problem-solving platform.
