After Pahalgam Attack, Modi Govt Scales Up Grassroots Push In J&K With 970 Panchayat Bhawans

News18

2 days ago

The plan is to flood the rural and remote landscape with visible, active governance infrastructure and make enhanced outreach
In the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack, the Narendra Modi government has now doubled down on its grassroots administrative expansion in Jammu & Kashmir. The strategic move is aimed at increasing the presence of the administration through political participation which may, in a way, deter youth radicalisation and cut off recruitment pathways for OGWs (Overground Workers) of terror outfits.
In an instance of massive infrastructure rollout under the Support for Panchayat Infrastructure programme in J&K, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) has approved a staggering 970 Gram Panchayat (GP) Bhawans for construction in the 2024–25 cycle alone, along with 1,606 community service centres with digitally equipped infrastructure. The government has sanctioned Rs 216 crore for current projects, which are in different phases of implementation.
A team of Union government officers led by a senior officer from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) will be in J&K on Monday to make further outreach in the region and take stock of the situation.
Of all the sanctioned infrastructure, 470 GP Bhawans were carried over from the previous year, which includes 330 Bhawans as already completed, and 140 under active construction. An additional 500 new GP Bhawans have been sanctioned this year, of which 370 have already been tendered out. Land identification for 130 of these has also been completed, said the official document, exclusively accessed by News 18.
The plan is to flood the rural and remote landscape with visible, active governance infrastructure and make enhanced outreach.
To accelerate pace and to keep track of the work, the MoPR has instructed its CB Division teams to verify physical progress of at least 20 per cent of these projects before further release of funds.
Parallelly, another major push is underway for digital integration at the village level across the region. The government has approved 1,606 Common Service Centre (CSC) co-locations within GP Bhawans to promote digital governance and efficient citizen services access.
Of the 1,106 CSCs carried over from 2023–24, 926 are now functional in the area, with 180 expected to be operational soon. Another 500 new CSCs have been approved for the current year, with 370 tendered and land identified for 130.
For this phase, the UT administration has received approval for 680 CSC co-locations, backed by Rs 68.67 crore in funding.
In administrative and strategic terms, this is more than an infrastructure update for the J&K. It is a visible assertion of state authority in high-risk zones.
With security forces tackling militants and their backers on the ground, these administrative centres are being designed to take on the longer battle of increasing governance, countering misinformation, and turning the tide on radicalisation.
First Published:
July 07, 2025, 10:01 IST