Raju reviews progress on PMDP projects, flagship schemes

Jammu: Secretary, Planning, Development and Monitoring Department, M Raju Monday reviewed the progress on key projects here at a meeting of the senior functionaries of the concerned departments.
Threadbare discussions were held on various issues including Border Villages-Saturation, Prime Minister’s Development Program (PMDP), Iconic projects, Flagship Programs and Aspirational Blocks proposal etc.
Director General, PM&CE, Satvir Kour; Director Planning, Sunil Pandita; Joint Director Planning, Tarsem Kumar and other senior officers of concerned department attended the meeting.
The meeting discussed the Rs 2793 crore Shahpurkandi Barrage (multipurpose) project started after a fresh agreement signed on 8th September, 2018 between Government of J&K and Punjab- which was later declared as a National Project by the Union Cabinet. The project on completion would provide assured irrigation to 53927-hectare land and generate 470-MU electricity per annum at a comparatively very low cost for Jammu and Kashmir.
The meeting also discussed the status of different components of 624-MW Kiru Hydroelectric Project – 540 MW, Ujh Multipurpose Project, Bhatinda-Jammu Natural Gas Pipeline, 445 mtr span bridge over river Ujh (CRF), besides status of various flagship schemes of 2019-20 like Renewable Energy, Business Reform Action Plan-EoDB, PMAY, Jal Jeevan Mission, Smart Cities Mission etc.
The meeting also discussed the proposed small Hydro- projects and implementation of SHP projects of Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), besides Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) Projects proposed to be taken up under Bharat Mala envisaging construction of 105 Kms road length for tourist connectivity.
The Secretary also took details about the upgrading works of 30 KM Jammu-Akhnoor on Jammu- Poonch road and 4-lanning of Chenani-Nashri section of NH-1A (Km 89 to 130).
The Secretary was also informed about the present status of Smart Cities Mission project for Jammu and Srinagar cities. It was informed that 182 projects, 86 for Jammu city and 96 for Srinagar are proposed, of which 7 projects of Rs 402 crore and 17 projects costing Rs 663 crore are under progress, while 42 projects costing Rs 1213 crore have been tendered out.
The Secretary stressed on the concerned authorities to take all possible measures to accelerate the ongoing works on various projects under PMDP and other central flagship schemes for their time bound completion. He also stressed upon them to tie up with the concerned quarters to start the projects which are not taken in hand despite completion of DPRs.