Home Secy briefs Guv, CM; Rs 62,236 cr released
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 31: A high-level Central team headed by Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi and his successor Rajiv Gauba today reviewed Prime Minister’s Development Package (PMDP) and security situation in Jammu and Kashmir with top officials of the State Government after which they announced that so far Rs 62,236 crores out of Rs 80,068 crores worth PMDP have been sanctioned by the Centre.
The Union Secretaries of various Ministries, who were in Srinagar for PMDP review including Mehrishi and Gauba, later also called on Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti in Srinagar, where the review meeting was held, and briefed her on the progress of PMDP works as well as discussing security situation in Jammu and Kashmir with particular reference to anti-militancy operations, tackling unrest and security arrangements for ongoing annual pilgrimage of Shri Amarnath Ji.
Chaired by Mehrishi, the PMDP and security review meetings were among others attended by Gauba, Secretaries of various Union Ministries, Chief Secretary BB Vyas, Principal Secretary Home, RK Goyal, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Rohit Kansal, Director General of Police (DGP) Dr Shesh Pal Vaid, Administrative Secretaries of all Departments, Divisional Commissioners and other senior officers.
Sources said the Central team announced Rs 62,236 crores have been sanctioned out of Rs 80,068 crores worth PMDP so far, which was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Srinagar on November 7, 2015.
The PMDP review meeting decided to give boost to infrastructure development projects for road connectivity, power supply, healthcare, education and tourism besides supplementing relief and rehabilitation efforts for flood victims. The Central team assured the State that more funds under the PMDP would be released in the sectors, where they were required to give boost to the developmental works in the State.
On security front, sources said the Union Home Secretary was briefed on recent successful operations against the militants across Kashmir valley in which a number of local militants have been killed, the sharp decline in incidents of protests, arrest of eight separatist leaders by NIA and Enforcement Directorate, ongoing Amarnath ji pilgrims and situation along the frontiers with Pakistan.
The Home Secretary reportedly expressed satisfaction with security situation in the Valley, where unrest has been controlled to a great extent and number of militants including hardcore ones have been eliminated. The yatra was also progressing smoothly after the terror attack on June 11 in which eight pilgrims were killed, though the rush has declined considerably.
Sources said in her meeting with the Union Home Secretary and other Union Secretaries, who were part of the high-level Central team, the Chief Minister called for speeding up release of funds to the State to expedite developmental works as majority parts of Jammu and Kashmir have very limited working season.
She called for giving boost to key infrastructure, power, urban development and other core sectors and welfare programmes for the youth. She called for setting up of incubation centres for skill development and employability of youth. She suggested crafting of a specific Skill Development Programme for victims of pellet injuries in the State. She favour opening up of a regional unit of the Sports Authority of India to coordinate sporting activities in the State.
The Union Secretaries gave detailed briefing to the Chief Minister on developmental projects undertaken by their Ministries in Jammu and Kashmir.
Mehrishi, Gauba and Gyanesh Kumar, Joint Secretary (J&K), Union Ministry of Home Affairs also called on Governor NN Vohra at Raj Bhawan in Srinagar this evening.
Sources said Mehrishi apprised Governor N N Vohra about the outcome of PMDP review exercise. The Governor and the Home Secretary discussed matters related to internal and external security.
On his part, Mehrishi complimented the Jammu and Kashmir Government for making reasonable progress, amid challenging situation, on the key developmental projects taken up in the State under PMDP.
He said there are minor technical issues involved in some projects which will be taken up at the appropriate levels with the concerned Ministries in the Government of India to expedite them.
The Central team, which arrived here yesterday, also included K P Krishnan, Secretary Union Ministry of Skill Development, I Srinivas, Secretary Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Gyanesh Kumar, Joint Secretary (JK) MHA and other senior officers from Ministries of Home Affairs, Health and Family Welfare, Human Resources Development, Youth Affairs and Sports, Agriculture and Family Welfare, Tourism, Urban Development, Defence, Textiles, Road Transport & Highways, Finance, Power, Rural Development, Water Resources, New and Renewable Energy, Skill Development and NITI Aayog.
The meeting discussed 63 projects, which are being implemented through various Central Ministries and State Government Departments in the State.
The State Chief Secretary apprised the Union Home Secretary about financial and physical progress made under each sector.
The meeting was informed that around Rs 40,000 crore out of the Rs 80,068-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, Zojila 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, semi Ring Road in Jammu Rs 1400 crore, Semi Ring Road in Srinagar Rs 1860 crore, 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.
The PMDP also included 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 were meant for power and new and renewable energy. This includes augmentation of power infrastructure and distribution systems, solar power, and small hydro projects.
In the power distribution sector, Rs 3790 crore have been earmarked for augmentation of infrastructure for distribution systems including capital cities and tourist destinations. It excludes 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 Pakal Dul 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 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 36384 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 lakh JK youth through placement-linked schemes, Rs 50 crore for Pashmina promotion and Rs 200 crore for development of sports infrastructure.
The Union Home Secretary directed for further expediting the pace of work and assured that the Central Government would extend all possible support for effective and efficient implementation of PMDP.
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