SRINAGAR, OCTOBER 23, 2026 : Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo has directed administrative departments to expedite preparations for implementing an SDG-aligned budgeting framework ahead of the next financial year, with a focus on linking government expenditure to measurable development outcomes, transparency and accountability.
Chairing an interdepartmental coordination meeting in Srinagar, the Chief Secretary sensitised departments about integrating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into their forthcoming budgetary proposals and addressed concerns relating to the implementation of the proposed framework.
The meeting was attended by the Additional Chief Secretary, Finance; Secretary, Planning, Development and Monitoring Department (PD&MD); other administrative heads; the State Informatics Officer (SIO), National Informatics Centre (NIC); and officers from various departments.
Digital Integration to Strengthen Financial Monitoring
Emphasising technology-driven governance, Dulloo called for seamless integration of the proposed SDG Monitoring Dashboard with the Public Financial Management System (PFMS) and the Budget Estimation, Allocation and Monitoring System (BEAMS).
The proposed integration is expected to enable automated, real-time tracking of budgetary allocations and expenditure, helping departments monitor financial utilisation alongside physical outputs and socio-economic indicators.
The Chief Secretary stressed that the framework must be operationalised in a systematic manner before the forthcoming budget exercise, ensuring that departments understand the methodology and possess the necessary capacity to implement it effectively.
Higher Education Department Selected for Pilot Project
The Higher Education Department has been selected to pilot the initiative during the Revised Estimates (RE) exercise for 2026–27.
Under the pilot, the department will map its ongoing schemes against relevant SDG targets and indicators, providing an operational model for the wider rollout of the framework across other administrative departments.
Dulloo directed that the pilot be pursued systematically, with implementation challenges and lessons identified during the exercise addressed before expanding the initiative across the Union Territory.
Budget Proposals to Be Linked With Measurable Outcomes
The initiative aims to establish a direct connection between budgetary allocations and the development objectives pursued by the government.
Under the proposed framework, departments will identify how their ongoing and newly proposed schemes contribute to specific SDG goals, targets and indicators. This process is intended to help policymakers assess whether public expenditure is aligned with identified development priorities and where additional interventions may be required.
The Planning, Development and Monitoring Department is pursuing the initiative in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Secretary PD&MD Owais Ahmad shared the National Indicator Framework (NIF)-aligned SDG goals, targets and indicators with administrative departments and district administrations to provide a common basis for mapping schemes and aligning budgetary provisions.
Training and Capacity Building for Departments
To facilitate uniform implementation, Phase-I workshops for master trainers have been completed. Regional-level Phase-II training sessions are planned for departmental heads and district officers.
The sessions will familiarise officials with SDG mapping, budget-tagging procedures and the methodology for identifying the development outcomes associated with departmental schemes.
The exercise is also intended to address implementation-related concerns, clarify procedural requirements and ensure coordinated action before departments prepare their budget proposals for the next financial year.
Institutional Mechanism for Effective Implementation
The proposed institutional arrangements envisage a High-Level SDG Steering Committee to oversee the exercise, with the Finance and Planning Departments coordinating the reconciliation of departmental frameworks.
Individual line departments will be responsible for identifying the SDG contributions of their schemes, while the dedicated SDG Cell will facilitate cross-referencing against the State Indicator Framework (SIF).
The framework distinguishes between two key processes:
- Scheme-SDG Mapping: Assessing how the objectives and guidelines of government schemes correspond to specific SDG targets.
- SDG Budget Tagging: Identifying the financial allocations associated with those development objectives.
Together, these processes are intended to provide a clearer picture of how government spending supports specific development priorities.
All Five Phases of the Budget Cycle to Be Covered
The proposed framework is envisaged to cover all five phases of the budget cycle: preparation, approval, execution, accounting and oversight.
Technical teams from NIC and UNDP are working towards integrating the SDG Monitoring Dashboard with relevant financial management and budget-monitoring systems, including BEAMS.
Once operationalised, the proposed digital linkage is expected to improve the monitoring of allocations and expenditure while enabling departments to assess progress against relevant physical outputs and socio-economic indicators.
Focus on Transparency and Development Priorities
The ongoing consultations are expected to help departments adopt the framework more smoothly during the forthcoming budget exercise.
By linking financial allocations with clearly defined development goals, the initiative seeks to strengthen evidence-based planning, improve accountability in public spending and help identify areas where government interventions require greater focus.
The pilot in the Higher Education Department will be an important preparatory step towards wider adoption of SDG-aligned budgeting across Jammu and Kashmir.
