Work on 2 power projects to begin soon
Centre wants to ensure Ujh water doesn’t flow to Pak
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Jan 8: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is understood to have directed for carrying forward the process for restoration of democracy at grass-root level in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir by conducting elections to third and final tier of the Panchayati Raj System i.e. District Planning and Development Boards (DPDBs) and called for expediting all development related projects in the UT to ensure that they don’t miss the timelines.
The Union Home Ministry gave special presentation to the Prime Minister last night on four major aspects of situation in Jammu and Kashmir including Security, Development, Political and Administrative. This was the first such briefing during last about two months of the creation of J&K as Union Territory though Modi regularly reviews the situation.
“The Prime Minister was briefed by the MHA top officials that after holding elections to Panchayats and Urban Local Bodies in Jammu and Kashmir in 2018, the Government has successfully completed the process of establishing the Block Development Councils (BDCs), the second tier of the Panchayati Raj System and the BDC Chairpersons have started performing their role very effectively,” sources told the Excelsior and said Modi has reportedly directed for completing all three tiers of the Panchayati Raj System in Jammu and Kashmir at the earliest i.e. holding elections to the DPDBs.
The elections to the DPDBs, according to sources, can now be held after the winter in Jammu and Kashmir is over. Elections were also likely to be conducted in the Union Territory of Ladakh, which was part of the erstwhile State of J&K till October 31 last year.
Third tier of the Panchayats has never been established in Jammu and Kashmir and the District Development Boards (DDBs) used to be headed by the Chief Minister and the Cabinet Ministers.
“The Prime Minister was reported to have been briefed on upcoming hydro-electric power projects of Pakal Dul, Kiru and Ratle, all of which will be constructed on the river of Chenab. While work has started on Pakal Dul and Ratle, it was expected to be taken up on Kiru shortly after completion of all formalities,” sources said.
Sources said work on Shahpur Kandi project on Kathua-Punjab border has started while the Government has decided to redesign Ujh Multipurpose Project to ensure that excess water from the project doesn’t flow to Pakistan. The design of Ujh project will be revised and, in view of this, start of the project can be delayed for some time as it has been decided at the highest level that canal system for Kathua and onwards should be decided in such a way that excess water from the project doesn’t flow to Pakistan.
According to sources, work on Bhatinda-Jammu-Srinagar gas pipeline and Batote-Doda New National Highway via Sudh Mahadev will also be taken up and expedited shortly while the Central Government also proposed to initiate work on Akhnoor-Poonch National Highway through the Border Roads Organization (BRO).
The Prime Minister was briefed on number of developmental projects undertaken in the Kashmir valley including Ring Road. Work on some of the projects take temporary halt for the months of January and February due to snowfall and is resumed in March when the weather starts improving.
According to sources, Modi has been briefed on new Industrial Policy which is being framed for Jammu and Kashmir and the Investors Summit which will be held shortly in the Union Territory for which the preparations are afoot. He was briefed that last year there had been record sales of Kashmiri apples which has benefited the growers a lot.
“A detailed briefing was also given to the Prime Minister on all security aspects in Jammu and Kashmir including situation prevailing in the Valley post abrogation of special Constitutional provisions of the erstwhile State and bifurcation of the State into two Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh,” sources said.
They added that Modi was briefed on the situation in hinterland in the Union Territory especially the Valley and Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB) with Pakistan where the latter has been repeatedly resorting to ceasefire violations and facilitating infiltration attempts by the militants.
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