New Delhi– The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Friday restored the delegation of financial powers to the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh for the appraisal and approval of projects costing up to ₹100 crore under the Delegation of Financial Powers Rules (DFPRs), 2024.
In an official order, the ministry said it has approved the delegation of powers for appraisal and approval of projects up to ₹100 crore to the Administrators and Lieutenant Governors of Union Territories without legislatures. These include Ladakh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, and Lakshadweep.
The order, issued by Under Secretary to the Government of India in the MHA, Lendup Sherpa, stated that the approval of the competent authority has been conveyed, subject to certain conditions. It comes nearly a month after the MHA had withdrawn the existing delegated powers of the Ladakh Lieutenant Governor to approve schemes and projects up to ₹100 crore, along with the powers of Administrative Secretaries to clear projects up to ₹20 crore.
According to the fresh directive, the restored powers will be exercised by the Lieutenant Governor in consultation with the Secretary (Finance) or an equivalent Financial Advisor of the respective Union Territory. The approvals will also be subject to the availability of adequate budgetary provisions.
The ministry clarified that the delegated powers cannot be further re-delegated. It also directed that details of all proposals approved under these powers must be submitted to the Department of Expenditure through the MHA on a quarterly basis.
The order further stated that the Lieutenant Governor’s authority to sanction expenditure on schemes, from in-principle approval to final approval, will continue under Rule 16 of the DFPRs, 2024. However, such sanctions can be issued only after the appraisal and approval of schemes by the concerned authorities, in line with existing guidelines of the Ministry of Finance.
The MHA said the latest delegation of powers has been issued in supersession of an earlier order dated September 19, 2025, and has received the approval of the Department of Expenditure under the Ministry of Finance.
