Srinagar, July 2: In a significant administrative decision, the Government of Jammu and Kashmir has delegated financial powers to Administrative Departments to sanction the dismantling of public buildings across the Union Territory, subject to prescribed conditions and financial concurrence.
According to a notification issued by the Finance Department (Codes Division) under S.O. 180, the Lieutenant Governor, exercising powers under Section 67 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, has authorized Administrative Departments to sanction the dismantling of public buildings, excluding purely temporary structures, with the concurrence of their respective Director Finance, Financial Advisor (FA), or Chief Accounts Officer (CAO).
The notification states that no public building shall be dismantled unless it has first been established that the structure is no longer required by any Government department or has outlived its useful life, as certified by the Public Works (R&B) Department.
It further provides that demolition of a public building will only be permitted if the structure has been declared structurally unsafe, beyond economical repair by the competent technical authority, or where demolition is necessary to vacate the site for construction of a more important government building or public infrastructure.
The order also mandates that materials obtained from dismantled public buildings shall be disposed of through public auction by the Public Works Department, ensuring transparency and accountability in the disposal process.
Additionally, the notification empowers Administrative Departments to independently sanction dismantling of purely temporary structures. It clarifies that a purely temporary structure refers to a building with a lifespan of not more than two years.
The notification has been issued by the Finance Department under the orders of the Lieutenant Governor and is aimed at streamlining the approval process for removal of obsolete, unsafe, or unserviceable government buildings while ensuring compliance with technical and financial safeguards.
The order has been circulated to all Administrative Secretaries, Financial Commissioners, the Director General of Police, Principal Accountant General, the Lieutenant Governor’s Secretariat, and other concerned authorities for necessary action. (KNC)
