₹22 Crore to ₹34 Crore in Capital Expenditure Funds Lapsed Over the Last Three Fiscal Years
J&K Govt Affirms SKIMS Soura’s Autonomy, Reports Lapse of ₹21-34 Crore in Capital Funds Over Three Years
JAMMU, Mar 23: The Jammu & Kashmir government on Saturday informed the Legislative Assembly that SKIMS Soura continues to function as an autonomous institution, with no changes in its status before or after the reorganization of J&K.
In response to a query by MLA Tangmarg Farooq Ahmad Shah, Minister for Health and Medical Education, Sakina Masood Ittoo, reiterated that SKIMS remains independent both as a tertiary care hospital and a deemed university. “SKIMS Soura was established in 1976 and continues to grant degrees under the SKIMS (Grant of Degrees Act), 1983. The budget allocation for SKIMS remains under the grants of the Health Department as before,” she stated.
The government clarified that SKIMS’ administrative setup under J&K’s business rules remains unchanged. “As per the First Schedule of Government Business Rules of erstwhile J&K State, SKIMS was under the Health and Medical Education Department, and this continued post-reorganization under the Transaction of Business Rules-2019 issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs,” the minister informed.
The minister also addressed concerns regarding recruitment at SKIMS, stating that the appointment process for both gazetted and non-gazetted staff has been streamlined under the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC) and the Jammu & Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB). “This step was taken to ensure a transparent, time-bound, and merit-based recruitment process, addressing the backlog of vacancies that had piled up over the years,” she explained.
Regarding medical supplies, the minister revealed that SKIMS Soura’s internal procurement mechanism was deemed inadequate, leading to the extension of services from the Jammu & Kashmir Medical Supplies Corporation to streamline the supply process.
The government further disclosed a significant lapse in capital expenditure funds at SKIMS over the past three financial years. ₹34.16 crore lapsed in 2021-22, ₹21.72 crore in 2022-23, and ₹34.22 crore in 2023-24.
The issue of fund lapses and administrative inefficiencies at SKIMS continues to be a major concern, with legislators calling for stronger oversight to prevent further financial wastage.
