Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, May 15: Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti today announced release of Rs one crore each in respect of all the MLAs of Srinagar district for rebuilding social infrastructure in their constituencies even as the District Capex Plan has been pegged at Rs 149.54 crore for 2018-19.
Chairing the District Development Board meeting of Srinagar district here today, the Chief Minister also announced release of Rs five crore to be kept at the disposal of SKIMS for establishing a Cancer Centre there. A similar release of Rs five crore would be made for Jammu for establishing a Cancer Centre there as well.She directed earmarking Rs. 10 crore for constructing Community Halls in various parts of the city, particularly Shehre Khaas.
Ministers, Syed Altaf Bukhari, Javed Ahmad Mir, Mohammad Ashraf Mir, Asiea Naqash; legislators, Ali Mohammad Sagar, Mubarak Gul, Shamima Firdous, Noor Mohammad, Moulvi Abid Ansari, Ishfaq Jabbar, Khursheed Alam and Anjum Fazili were present in the meeting.
Mehbooba directed the officers to undertake repair of lanes, drains, macadamisation of roads and strengthening of power distribution system in the Srinagar city, particularly Shehre Khaas, on priority adding that the allocations of Rs one crore each be utilized for pacing up these works. She said there is a need for developing more parks and green spaces in the city and till the Smart City project kicks off these interventions should be made on priority.
The Chief Minister directed immediate operationalisation of Radpora stadium and identifying a patch of land at Eidgah for establishing a children’s park there. She also directed completion of heritage gate by Tourism Department at Eidgah for which she asked the IGP Kashmir zone to sort out issues with CRPF. She also asked the Health Department to explore the possibility of shifting the shopkeepers at Gousia hospital to a nearby complex and use that space for hospital activities.
The meeting was informed that five bridges are being commissioned in the city soon besides two each schemes under CRF and NABARD. Also an expert team from New Delhi is coming to Srinagar to survey the need for establishment of grade separators at various spots in the city to arrest the traffic congestion.
Besides, the meeting was informed that Cluster University, Srinagar and SPS Library complex at M A Road are almost ready for operationalization and two colleges at Zakura and Bagh-e-Dilawar Khan would be inaugurated by year end. Besides work on additional blocks at LD Hospital is on and a project for Rs 19 crore has been projected for compensating the relocation of shopkeepers coming in the construction of Mini Secretariat, Batmaloo.
The Chief Minister directed to look into the causes of cost escalation of projects and check this unhealthy trend so that projects are not left midway for paucity of funds.
The meeting was also informed that projects worth Rs 65 crore are under execution in Sports and other youth activities in the district.
The meeting was informed that to tide over the problem of dispruption in power supply the capacity of grid stations is being enhanced besides commissioning some new grid stations. Alastaing Grid station, the meeting was informed, is expected to be commissioned by October this year along the commissioning of Srinagar-Kargil-Leh transmission line. Also work on grid stations at Bagh-e-Ali Mardan Khan and Tengpora is going to be started shortly.
Also, the meeting was informed, the existing grid stations in the Srinagar city would be expanded in capacity by addition of more transformers to tide over the problem of frequent power cuts, low voltage and other issues. These measures on completion are expected to give major relief to people in coming winter from power disruptions.
Mehbooba asked the Chief Secretary to monitor the pace of work and capacity enhancement on these grid stations regularly so that these are operationalized before the onset of winter this year. She also directed the Divisional Kashmir, Kashmir to sort out the issues of land acquisition coming in the way of construction of some of these grid stations.
Later, the board approved an enhanced outlay of Rs 149.54 crore for the district for 2018-19.
Meanwhile, Mehbooba today reviewed the status of the air connectivity scheme launched by the Government last year to connect all the far-flung areas of the State to the capital cities, particularly during road blockades.
Currently, the State Government runs chopper service to some 14 far flung destinations across the State including Gurez, Tulail, Doda, Kishtwar, Karnah, Kargil, Drass, Padum, Lingshit (Leh), Nubra, Poonch, Rajouri and other locations. The subsidized chopper service was launched by the Government last year. The aim has been to provide round the year and easy connectivity to the people of these areas in particular students, aged, infirm and other such categories.
Mehbooba directed the concerned agencies to raise necessary helipad facilities at these places for smooth landing of the choppers. She also directed raising of other requisite infrastructure needed for efficient operation of these services.
Mehbooba in particular directed clearing bottlenecks in raising airstrips at Kishtwar, Rajouri and at Kargil and sort out the issues with the concerned stakeholders.
The meeting was informed that since the launch of the scheme, 535 flying hours have been provided by these choppers benefitting a large number of people from these areas. The service has also fetched the exchequer a revenue of Rs. 44 lakhs during the period, the meeting was told.
Chief Secretary, B B Vyas; DGP, Dr. S P Vaid; Financial Commissioner, Housing & Urban Development, K B Aggarwal; Administrative Secretaries of concerned Departments; Divisional Commissioners of Kashmir and Jammu; representatives from Airport Authority of India and officers of Divisional and district administration were present in the meeting.
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