Works, Power, Health sectors to get big boost
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 27: The Centre Government is all set to release a handsome amount under Prime Minister’s Development Package (PMDP) to Jammu and Kashmir in the State sector for giving pace to major developmental projects in Works, Power, Health, Rehabilitation and some other departments.
Sources told the Excelsior that the funds around Rs 5500 crore could be released in the State sector for various works by the Ministry of Home Affairs, which monitors the PMDP, during the initial period of upcoming financial year of 2018-19. More funds would be considered depending upon the submission of Utilization Certificates, they said.
Meanwhile, Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba today met Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti in Srinagar, where he had reached yesterday for high-level review of PMDP and security situation. Gauba had half-an-hour long meeting with Mehbooba at her official residence in summer capital of the State during which they were reported to have discussed overall security and law and order situation in Jammu and Kashmir with special reference to the Valley where summer is about to set-in.
Sources said Mehbooba and Rajiv Gauba reportedly discussed the steps that the Ministry of Home Affairs can take for maintenance of law and order situation and keep the militancy under control in the Kashmir valley during upcoming crucial tourist season and annual pilgrimage of Shri Amarnath Ji during the summer.
“Both Centre and State Governments were concerned about maintenance of peace in the Valley to facilitate good tourist season and Shri Amarnath Ji pilgrimage which would strengthen peace as previous two summers in 2016 and 2017 were almost lost to street protests,’’ sources said.
Some more Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) that the State Government wants the Ministry of Home Affairs to announce were also discussed. Significantly, Centre Government’s Special Representative on Jammu and Kashmir, Dineshwar Sharma also reached the Valley today and visited parts of Bandipora district. He is likely to stay in the Valley for three-four days before coming to Jammu, the summer capital of the State. Early this month, Dineshwar had paid four-day maiden visit to Ladakh region covering both mountain-locked Leh and Kargil districts.
Meanwhile, according to sources, the Ministry of Home Affairs has agreed to the State Government demand for release of funds in the State sector to give boost to developmental projects in various Departments including Works, Power, Health, Rehabilitation etc. The State Government was of the view that the Centre was releasing majority of PMDP funds in the Central sector and had demanded that it should give due weightage to the State sector also.
According to sources, the Centre could release around Rs 5500 crore in the initial phase of Financial Year 2018-19 under the PMDP in the State sector, thus, conceding the State Government demand.
Sources said 63 projects of the PMDP, which were under execution in Centre and State sectors could get boost in the upcoming Financial Year due to liberal release of funds by the MHA in both the sectors. However, the Centre has laid down the condition that it would release more funds only when the State gives Utilization Certificates for the already given funds.
According to sources, the MHA has so far sanctioned Rs 62,236 crores out of Rs 80,068 crores worth PMDP. However, latest estimates had revealed that cost of the PMDP has increased from Rs 80,068 crores to around Rs one lakh crore due to delay in execution of projects, leading to massive escalation of cost.
Sources pointed out, it was not only the Jammu and Kashmir Government whose projects were missing timelines but even major projects, which have been undertaken by the Central Government Corporations and Departments in the Central sector, were also getting delayed.
Top officers of the Central Corporations like National Hydro-electric Power Corporation (NHPC), National Highway Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL) and other companies, which were executing power projects, have also been directed by the MHA to accelerate the projects.
Sources said there has been an increase of about Rs 21,000 crores in the PMDP due to revised cost of various projects, which were either under execution or were in the process of being taken up and the Centre Government has briefed State leadership that they would bear increased cost of the projects.
“The PMDP, which was Rs 80,068 crores when it was announced by the Prime Minister has increased to Rs one lakh crores during two years,” sources said but added that this was being anticipated as some of the projects were very big in nature and delay in their start and execution was on expected lines.
They said the cost of major projects like under-construction and upcoming National Highways and roads, power projects etc has gone up drastically during the last two years prompting the Centre Government to revise cost of the PMDP and increase it to facilitate construction of the approved projects.
Not ruling out more increase in cost of the projects, sources pointed out that delay in start of two All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS)-one each in Jammu and Kashmir, Smart Cities for Jammu and Srinagar and some other mega Projects could further increase cost of the PMDP.
However, they said, cost of the projects would be revised later especially when work starts on them and the executing agencies are in a position to work out their enhanced cost in view of delay.
The Centre has already assured the State Government that it would bear increase cost of the PMDP, which has been worked out at around Rs 21,000 crores.
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.
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 were kept for advance technology interventions including smart grids and smart meters, Rs 4153 crore have been sanctioned for Pakal Dul hydropower project while Rs 1115 have been earmarked for Srinagar-Leh 200 KV Transmission Line.
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