Srinagar, Jul 6, KDC: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has amended the guidelines governing the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) Scheme, authorising Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) to utilise up to Rs 20 lakh annually from their Constituency Development Fund for providing medical assistance to patients suffering from life-threatening diseases. The amendment has been issued through a Finance Department order dated July 6, 2026.
According to the Government Order, issued in partial modification of Government Order No. 279-FD of 2025 dated October 30, 2025, each MLA can allocate up to Rs 20 lakh per annum from the CDF for medical assistance. However, assistance to an individual beneficiary has been capped at Rs 2.75 lakh for cancer treatment, Rs 5 lakh for organ transplantation, and Rs 1 lakh for chronic kidney disease requiring dialysis, besides other diseases that may be notified by the Government from time to time.
The Finance Department has laid down a series of conditions governing the utilisation of these funds to ensure that the assistance reaches the intended beneficiaries and complements existing healthcare support schemes.
The order stipulates that financial assistance shall be restricted to Below Poverty Line (BPL) families and other economically weaker sections as notified by the Government. It further provides that assistance shall be available only for specified life-threatening illnesses, including cancer, organ transplantation, chronic kidney disease requiring dialysis or transplantation, and such other diseases as may subsequently be notified.
Before seeking assistance under the CDF, patients will be required to first exhaust all benefits available under existing government healthcare schemes, including PM-JAY SEHAT, the Medical Aid Trust (MAT), the Cancer Treatment and Management Fund for Poor (CTMFFP), and any other applicable schemes. The CDF assistance will be limited only to the uncovered portion of the treatment cost after these benefits have been availed.
The Government has also clarified that payments under the scheme will not be released directly to beneficiaries. Instead, the sanctioned amount will be transferred directly to the empanelled hospital or medical institution where the patient is undergoing treatment. The order further provides that a monetary ceiling per patient and an annual ceiling from each MLA’s CDF allocation may be prescribed.
To ensure transparency and accountability, every case must be supported by certification from the competent medical authority, while income eligibility will be verified by the concerned district authorities. The Finance Department has also directed that a transparent approval and audit mechanism shall be put in place to prevent misuse of the scheme and ensure proper utilisation of public funds. (KDC)
