Jammu, February 17 The Jammu and Kashmir government announced on Tuesday the launch of a "Viksit village project" aimed at the holistic development of rural areas across all assemblies in the Union territory, with a significant budgetary allocation under the 2026-27 capital expenditure.
Concluding the discussion on grants to his department, Agriculture Minister Javed Ahmed Dar said, "I am pleased to announce that in this budget, we are introducing a Viksit village project fund, which will be provided to all MLAs. We are announcing one 'Viksit Village' in each constituency."
He said the project is aligned with the model village framework. "We propose to establish one model village in each legislative constituency in the rural areas of Jammu and Kashmir, equipped with modern infrastructure, quality education facilities, healthcare services, and sustainable livelihood opportunities to ensure the holistic upliftment of rural communities."
Dar said the initiative builds on the earlier model village concept of the previous government, under which every constituency had received a model village fund through the concerned MLA, with additional components added over time.
Announcing the proposal during the budget presentation of the rural development department, the minister said a dedicated financial allocation has been made for the establishment of one model village in each constituency.
"An outlay of Rs 1,800 crore has been proposed under the Urban Development (UD) Capex 2026–27 for the flagship initiative," he said, adding that of this, Rs 90 crore has been earmarked under the community development program, while Rs 38.50 crore will be routed through the infrastructure of block development councils and district development councils.
The minister further said that the development of one model village under the scheme would entail an estimated expenditure of around Rs 2 crore. "MLAs have been advised to identify suitable villages within their constituencies and implement development works based on components prepared at the gram panchayat level," he said.
Dar added that the initiative is expected to strengthen rural infrastructure and improve access to essential services across Jammu and Kashmir.