Srinagar: Advisor to Governor B B Vyas Tuesday underlined the need for proper planning and management to ensure planned development and decent urban life to people.
The Advisor was speaking during 46th Board of Directors meeting of Jammu and Kashmir Housing Board and 5th Board Directors meeting of Building Centre Srinagar, convened to discuss their working and the projects being undertaken by these Corporations.
The Advisor was briefed about the functioning of Jammu and Kashmir Housing Board and the progress of various developmental works being carried out by them.
During the meeting, the development of Housing colonies at KotBhalwal, Jammu, Samba and Vijaipur were also discussed. It was informed that about 1500 Kanals of private land has been identified at KotBhalwal for development of a housing colony.
The meeting discussed setting up of housing colonies in Kashmir and Jammu Divisions. The progress under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, housing for all – Scheme under which affordable houses to the urban poor was also discussed.
He said with the increase in the population the need for establishing new colonies and vertical dwelling units has increased in a geometric progression and the corporations should fulfil their role to meet these needs.
The Advisor directed the officers to come up with self- sustaining commercial assets which would also ensure proper revenue generation to these authorities, besides giving impetus to the economic activities of the state.
Advisor while reviewing the status of implementation of various projects being undertaken by these organisations called for their completion within the stipulated time frame. He directed for strict monitoring of projects and immediate redressal of any kind of bottlenecks.
He also called for expediting work on all the developmental projects under the Board at an earliest and also reviewed the progress of deposit works being executed by the Housing Board on behalf of the other Government Departments.
Financial Commissioner Housing and Urban development, KB Agarwal, Principal Secretary Finance, Navin Choudhary, Principal Secretary Planning, Rohit Kansal, Managing Director Housing Board and other officers attended the meeting.
Divisional Commissioner Jammu Sanjiv Verma and vice chairman JDA Pawan Kotwal attended the meeting through video conferencing.
While holding meeting of Board of Directors of Building Centre Jammu/Srinagar, the Advisor was briefed that the Building Centre promotes cost-effective building technologies and manufacturing of low-cost building materials substitute to conventional building materials.
The Advisor was apprised that Building Centre Srinagar is providing cost effective building materials and the rates for building materials are 15% lesser than the market rate.
The meeting was informed that Building Centre’s main objectives is to collect, develop and disseminate information on various low-cost technologies and to provide assistance for promoting entrepreneurship by organising various training programs and standardisation of modular construction practices.
The Advisor was further apprised that these products are cost-effective, environment-friendly, meet quality standards and are substantially being used in the construction of lanes, drains, pavements, boundary walls and houses both in public as well as private sectors.
The Advisor directed the Building Centre to come up with cost effective innovations so that people are provided with cheap building materials which are in consonance with modern techniques and trends.
He said they should also come up with the products which are in tune with the building material trends available in the market so that they can also effectively compete and create a niche for themselves.
The meeting attended by financial commissioner housing and urban development K.B Agarwal, Secretary Housing and urban development, Commissioner SMC, VC SDA, Managing Director Building Centre Srinagar, director rural development Kashmir and other senior officers.
