Parliament Approves Appropriation for Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory for FY 2024-25

The Parliament of India enacted The Jammu and Kashmir Appropriation (No. 3) Act, 2024, which received the President's assent on August 13, 2024, and came into force upon its publication in the Official Gazette on the same date. This Act, designated as No. 13 of 2024, serves to authorize the payment and appropriation of specific sums from the Consolidated Fund of the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The legislation was passed to meet the financial requirements for the services of the financial year 2024-25. The Act sanctions an aggregate sum of one lakh fifty-one thousand five hundred twenty-five crore, seventy-seven lakh and forty-three thousand rupees (Rs. 1,51,525,77,43,000) to defray various charges that will arise during the current financial year. The legislation provided: “An Act to authorise payment and appropriation of certain sums from and out of the Consolidated Fund of the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir for the services of the financial year 2024-25.” These funds are allocated across numerous departments and services within the Union territory, covering both revenue and capital expenditures.

The primary objective of the Jammu and Kashmir Appropriation (No. 3) Act, 2024, is to ensure the smooth functioning and financial stability of the Union territory by providing the necessary budgetary allocations. Enacted by Parliament in the seventy-fifth year of the Republic of India, the Act exercises powers vested under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, which governs the administrative and financial framework of the Union Territory. The legislation addresses the critical need for parliamentary approval for expenditure from the Consolidated Fund, a fundamental principle of financial governance. The Schedule appended to the Act meticulously details the departmental allocations, including significant sums for the Finance Department (over Rs. 25,327 crore revenue and Rs. 45,480 crore capital), Power Development Department (over Rs. 10,799 crore revenue and Rs. 2,020 crore capital), and Education Department (over Rs. 12,147 crore revenue and Rs. 807 crore capital). Other key departments receiving substantial appropriations include Home, Health and Medical Education, Public Works, and Rural Development, ensuring that essential services and developmental projects across the Union territory receive adequate funding. The Act mandates that the authorized sums shall be appropriated specifically for the services and purposes outlined in the Schedule, thereby establishing a clear framework for financial accountability and expenditure management for the financial year 2024-25.

Keywords: Jammu and Kashmir, Appropriation Act, Consolidated Fund, Union Territory, Financial Year 2024-25, Parliamentary Act, Budget, Expenditure Geo Tags: India, Jammu and Kashmir District: Not Applicable