Srinagar: The Jammu & Kashmir Housing and Urban Development Department (H&UDD) has earned national recognition by securing two prestigious SKOCH National Awards—Gold and Silver—for its innovative digital governance initiatives aimed at enhancing public service delivery and promoting technology-driven administration.
The award-winning projects were conceptualized and implemented under the leadership and guidance of Ms. Mandeep Kaur, IAS, Commissioner/Secretary, J&K H&UDD, with a focus on improving transparency, efficiency and citizen-centric governance across the urban development sector.
Representing the department, Ankush Kapoor, Chief Informatics Officer and Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), J&K H&UDD, received the awards during the SKOCH Awards Ceremony held in New Delhi.
The department received the honours for two flagship digital initiatives: the Automated Building Permission System (ABPS) using AutoDCR technology integrated with GIS-based land-use verification, and the J&K Gati Shakti GIS Asset Mapping System, designed for comprehensive GIS-based asset mapping, monitoring and infrastructure planning.
Officials said the ABPS has transformed the building permission process by enabling automated scrutiny of building plans, significantly reducing processing time, improving transparency, ensuring compliance with planning regulations and enhancing ease of doing business for citizens and stakeholders.
The J&K Gati Shakti GIS Asset Mapping System has facilitated digital mapping and monitoring of public infrastructure assets across Urban Local Bodies and government agencies. The platform supports evidence-based planning, better inter-departmental coordination, efficient asset management and informed decision-making through advanced GIS technology.
Both initiatives have contributed significantly to strengthening digital governance, improving monitoring mechanisms and promoting data-driven decision-making across Jammu and Kashmir.
Following the award ceremony, Ankush Kapoor formally presented the SKOCH Gold and Silver Awards to Commissioner/Secretary Mandeep Kaur in Srinagar, acknowledging her role in steering the projects from conception to successful implementation and national recognition.
Mandeep Kaur appreciated the efforts of officers, technical teams, Urban Local Bodies and other stakeholders involved in the initiatives. She reiterated the department’s commitment to leveraging technology for delivering efficient, transparent and citizen-focused services.
The national recognition further reinforces Jammu & Kashmir’s growing reputation in digital governance and highlights the department’s continued efforts towards building a modern, technology-enabled and responsive urban administration.
J&K H&UDD Bags Two SKOCH National Awards for Digital Governance Initiatives
