Chief Secretary reviews progress of Rs 80000 cr PMDP

Calls for fast-pacing implementation in power, road communication, health, education, flood management sectors

JAMMU, NOVEMBER 30: Chief Secretary, B B Vyas, reviewed the progress of implementation of projects under the Prime Minister’s Development Package (PMDP) at a high-level meeting convened here this morning. 

The Chief Secretary received detailed brief from the Administrative Secretaries and other concerned officers on the progress of implementation of projects under PMDP.

Principal Secretary Home, R K Goyal, Principal Secretary Higher Education, Dr Asgar Hassan Samoon, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Rohit Kansal, Commissioner Secretary Industries, Shailendra Kumar, Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Dr Mandeep Bhandari, Commissioner Secretary Rural Development Department, Ms Nirmal Sharma, Commissioner Secretary Relief & Rehabilitation, Shafiq Raina, Secretary PHE, Irrigation & Flood Control, M Raju, Secretary Horticulture, Manzoor Ahmad Lone, Secretary Tourism, Sarmad Hafeez, Chief Executive Officer, Economic Reconstruction Agency (ERA), Dr Farooq Ahmad Lone, Director Planning, Shahzada Bilal and other officers of the Planning, PWD, Health & Sports were present at the meeting.

Appreciating the progress made in Housing & Urban Development, Horticulture, Sports and Relief & Rehabilitation sectors under PMDP, the Chief Secretary, however, expressed concern over the sluggish advancement in power, road and highway projects, education, flood control, tourism, health and Himayat.  He said resolute efforts need to be made by the concerned Departments to fast-pace PMDP projects in these key sectors including strengthening of transmission and distribution network for better power supply, upgradation of Srinagar-Jammu highway, construction of semi-ring roads in Srinagar and Jammu, establishment up of two AIIMS, Jhelum flood management, establishment of IIM & IIT and enrollment under Himayat.

The Chief Secretary called upon the Administrative Secretaries to lay focused attention on time-bound completion of the projects and personally monitor progress of each project. He emphasized the need for ensuring close synergy between different agencies for achieving timely results. He said the technical hassles involved in some projects should be taken up at the appropriate levels with the concerned Departments in the Government to address the bottlenecks.

Pertinently, under PMDP, 63 projects are being implemented through various Central Ministries and State Government Departments in the state. So far Rs 62236 crore have been sanctioned out of Rs 80068 crore development package which was announced by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a public meeting in Srinagar on 7 November 2015.

The meeting was informed that around Rs 40000 crore out of the Rs 80,000-crore package have been earmarked for improving road infrastructure, including semi-ring roads in Jammu and Srinagar and upgradation of important highways besides others.

The connectivity projects taken up under PMDP include roads under Bharat Mala with a total length of about 105 Kms covered under tourist connectivity at a cost of Rs 2700 crore, Zojilla Tunnel Rs 9090 crore, upgradation of Kargil-Zanskar road Rs 4200 crore, Srinagar-Shopian-Qazigund highway Rs 1800 crore, upgradation of Jammu-Akhnoor-Poonch highway Rs 5100 crore, Chenani-Sudhmahadev-Goha road Rs 2100 crore, construction of tunnels at Lachulunga pass and Tanglang pass Rs 5000 crore, construction of semi Ring Road in Jammu Rs 1400 crore, construction of Semi Ring Road in Srinagar Rs 1860 crore, construction of double lane road Batote-Kishtwar-Sinthan Pass-Anantnag Rs 130 crore, Udhampur-Ramban road Rs 2137, Ramban-Banihal road Rs 2169 and 4-laning of Srinagar-Banihal section of highway including tunnel Rs 2121 crore.

It also includes upgradation of Srinagar–Uri–Kaman Post Road and double laning of Srinagar-Leh road at a cost of Rs 233 crore and upgradation of Nimu-Padam-Darcha road at a cost of Rs 1707 crore.

In addition, Rs 11708 crore is for power, new and renewable energy. This includes augmentation of power infrastructure and distribution system, solar power, and small hydro projects.

In the power distribution sector, Rs 3790 crore have been earmarked for augmentation of infrastructure for distribution system, excluding normal entitlement of J&K under DDUGJY and IPDS, Rs 105 crore have been earmarked for advance technology interventions including smart grids and smart meters, Rs 4153 crore have been earmarked for PakalDul hydropower project while Rs 1115 have been earmarked for Srinagar-Leh 200 KV Transmission Line.

An amount of Rs 7854 crore has been earmarked for flood relief, reconstruction and flood management. This includes Rs 1458 crore for comprehensive flood management of River Jhelum and its tributaries.

Rs 1350 crore have been earmarked as matching grant for $250 million World Bank-funded Jhelum-Tawi flood reconstruction project.

A total of Rs 2241 crore is meant for promoting tourism by developing new projects and tourist circuits and setting up of 50 tourist villages and conservation of Wullar Lake.

An amount of Rs 4900 crore has been earmarked for improving healthcare facilities in the state which includes the creation of two AIIMS in and support for the creation of infrastructure in hospitals and primary health centres.

It also includes Rs 1600 crore for development of urban infrastructure, Rs 529 crore for development of horticulture in the State, Rs 273 crore for rehabilitation and conservation of Dal and Nageen lakes, Rs 1000 crore for establishment of IIM campus at Jammu with the out-campus at Srinagar, Rs 1000 crore for IIT Jammu, Rs 100 crore for modernization of NIT Srinagar, Rs 50 crore for construction of girls hostels, Rs 500 crore for high-end security system, Rs 1000 crore for one-time compensation to families from PoK and Chhamb, Rs 300 crore for 5 new IRP Battalions, Rs 450 crore for enhancement of remuneration of SPOs from Rs 3000 to Rs 6000 PM, Rs 250 crore for stepping up efforts under HIMAYAT scheme to train 1.24 lakh JK youth through placement-linked schemes, Rs 50 crore for Pashmina promotion and Rs 200 crore for development of sports infrastructure.