Reversing the orders of his predecessor NN Vohra, new Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik has restored the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) of MLAs. The CDF had been put in a suspended animation after the fall of the PDP-BJP government on 19 June.

In another decision reversing Vohra’s order, Malik has directed that all public projects could now be inaugurated by legislators and other public representatives.

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After meeting Prime Minister Narendera Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and other top BJP leaders in New Delhi, Malik returned to Srinagar on Wednesdayafternoon and the first thing that he did after that was reverse certain orders that Vohra had issued.

Vohra had ordered the planning department not to release CDF for any project identified by MLAs after 20 June, after the imposition of Governor’s rule. Each legislator has a sum of Rs 3 crore at his disposal for spending in their respective constituencies.

Vohra had also barred the politicians from inaugurating government infrastructure and ordered that all completed buildings and other infrastructure should be made functional without waiting for formal inauguration saying this was waste of resources.

However, Malik directed that all such public projects completed through state funding could be inaugurated by the legislators and other public representatives. He ordered that the elected representatives be requested to inaugurate all such projects in their respective constituencies and dedicate them to the people for early use.

After returning from New Delhi, Malik ordered that the CDF scheme would continue to be operational in the state without any time limits. “Legislators shall continue to recommend works under the CDF scheme subject to availability of balance CDF funds in their respective accounts and in tune with the guidelines of the scheme,” he said.

During the review of development projects, Malik was informed that in view of non-utilisation of substantial amount of CDF, directions were issued to the deputy commissioners to continue sanctioning works under the said scheme till 30 September. The governor, however, instructed that new timeline would not apply anymore and works could be sanctioned as long as funds exist.

Malik observed that unhindered continuation of the CDF scheme was essential to ensuring elected representatives expeditiously respond to developmental issues.