Kashmir Impulse Desk

Srinagar, July 6

The Jammu and Kashmir government has amended the rules governing the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) to allow Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) to use part of their annual allocation to provide financial assistance to economically weaker patients suffering from life-threatening illnesses.

The revised guidelines, issued by the Finance Department through Government Order No. 149-FD of 2026 dated July 6, permit each MLA to earmark up to Rs 20 lakh annually from the CDF for medical assistance, marking a significant expansion in the scope of the fund beyond infrastructure and development works.

The amendment partially modifies Government Order No. 279-FD of 2025 and is aimed at enabling legislators to support patients facing high treatment costs while ensuring that public funds are utilised through a transparent and accountable mechanism, the government said.

Under the revised norms, assistance of up to Rs 2.75 lakh can be provided for cancer treatment, up to Rs 5 lakh for organ transplantation, and up to Rs 1 lakh for patients suffering from chronic kidney disease requiring dialysis. Financial aid may also be extended for other life-threatening diseases notified by the government from time to time.

The benefit has been restricted to patients belonging to Below Poverty Line (BPL) families and other economically weaker sections identified by the government.

The order makes it mandatory for beneficiaries to first exhaust assistance available under existing government health schemes, including the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana-SEHAT (PM-JAY SEHAT), the Medical Aid Trust (MAT), the Cancer Treatment and Management Fund for Poor (CTMFFP) and other applicable programmes before seeking support from the MLA’s CDF allocation.

Financial assistance under the revised CDF guidelines will be limited to the portion of treatment expenses that remains uncovered after benefits under those schemes have been availed.

To strengthen transparency and prevent misuse, the government has directed that payments be made directly to empanelled hospitals or recognised medical institutions instead of being released to beneficiaries.

The guidelines also require every application to be supported by certification from the competent medical authority, while income eligibility must be verified by the concerned district authorities before assistance is approved.

In addition, the order provides for a structured approval process and mandatory audit mechanism to ensure accountability in the utilisation of public funds.

Officials said the revised framework is intended to enable elected representatives to respond to medical emergencies faced by poor families while maintaining financial discipline and ensuring that assistance reaches genuine beneficiaries through institutional safeguards.