Srinagar, June 3: Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo on Wednesday chaired a high-level meeting to review the status of hostels constructed by various departments across Jammu and Kashmir and to formulate a roadmap for their early operationalisation for intended beneficiaries.

The meeting was attended by the Commissioner Secretary, School Education Department; Commissioner Secretary, Social Welfare Department; Managing Director, Samagra Shiksha; Managing Director, RUSA; Directors of School Education of Jammu and Kashmir, along with other senior officers.
During the review, the Chief Secretary expressed concern over several hostel buildings that remain non-functional despite significant public investment. He stressed that assets created from public funds must be put to optimal use without delay.
He directed all concerned departments to take immediate steps to complete and operationalise pending hostel projects and fix accountability at the district level. The Chief Secretary instructed that Chief Education Officers (CEOs) be made responsible for ensuring timely completion and functioning of hostel facilities under their jurisdictions.
To strengthen monitoring, he also called for the designation of dedicated mentoring officers for each hostel to track progress and address bottlenecks in implementation.
Emphasising efficient use of public resources, Dulloo urged departments to ensure that completed hostel buildings do not remain idle and are fully utilised for their intended purpose of supporting students.
He further directed departments to assess hostel structures that may not be suitable for their original purpose and explore alternative uses in the larger public interest.
The Chief Secretary also sought detailed reports on sanctioned capacity, current occupancy, and enrolment in each hostel to enable better planning and utilisation of infrastructure.
During the meeting, Commissioner Secretary School Education Department Ram Niwas Sharma presented an overview of hostel infrastructure under schemes such as Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV), including operational, non-operational, and under-construction facilities across the Union Territory.
Commissioner Secretary Social Welfare Department Sarmad Hafeez shared details of hostels established for OBC, SC, and Pahari communities, along with their current status and utilisation challenges.
Representatives of the Tribal Affairs Department also briefed the meeting on hostels for tribal students, including operational readiness and ongoing construction works.
The departments assured the Chief Secretary that concerted efforts are underway to ensure early functionalisation of all hostel facilities in line with the directions issued during the meeting.