JAMMU: Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah Friday said that winter should not be an excuse in timeline completion of works in the winter zone of the State.
“There are available technical and other means to keep works going on even in severe cold conditionsâ€, he said adding that the process of development should not come to standstill for winter reason. He said that development works proceed unabated globally during winter and similar work culture has to be developed in the State.
In the second sitting of two day review meeting of mega projects, Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah today took stock of these projects in the sectors of Agriculture, Housing, Urban Development, Public Health Engineering, Industries, Forests, Power, Irrigation and Flood Control.
Deputy Chief Minister, Tara Chand, Minister for Forests, Mian Altaf Ahmad, Minister for PHE, Taj-Mohi-ud-Din, Minister for Agriculture, Ghulam Hassan Mir, Minister of State for Cooperation, Manohar Lal, Minister of State for Housing, Nasir Aslam Wani, Minister of State for Agriculture, Javid Ahmad Dar, Political Advisor to the Chief Minister, Devender Singh Rana, Chief Secretary, Madhav Lal, Principal Secretary Agriculture, Iqbal Khandey, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, B. B. Vyas and Administrative Secretaries of concerned departments were present in the meeting.
Taking appraisal of the National Saffron Mission, the Chief Minister was informed that Rs. 372.18 crores project is on full swing and will be completed within next 4 years. The State level sanctioning committee has approved the Action Plan of the Mission. During the current sowing season 363 additional hectares of land have been rejuvenated under the Mission. As many as 80 vermi-compost units have been established while 13 sites have been identified for bore-wells in saffron growing areas. The work on establishment of spice-park at Galandar is under progress.
The meeting was informed that the DPR for upgradation of seed multiplication farm at Chakori has been prepared. The Farm will among other things focus on the development and growth of basmati rice. Omar Abdullah sought details about the seed replacement programme launched in the Agriculture Department to increase production and productivity.
While receiving the brief of the projects under execution in housing sector, the Chief Minister was presented resume of the Rs. 129 crore Jammu city and Rs. 133 crore Srinagar city sewerage projects. The details about the Dal Development Project, Grabage Disposal Project, Achan, Srinagar, multi-tier parking complex in Jammu city and installation of traffic lights in Jammu and Srinagar cities.
Omar Abdullah also ascertained the status of reforestation project CAMPA and emphasized the need for large scale afforestation and rejuvenation of depleted forest areas. He was told that Rs. 41 crores are being spent on this project next year and more areas have been brought under its ambit. He also received the resume of Rs. 120 crore Wular Conservation Project and eco-friendly tourism projects launched by the Forest Department in the State.
The Chief Minister was briefed about the upcoming IT park at Ompora, Budgam at a cost of Rs. 25.52 crores, Rs. 20 crore Industrial Complex, Khonmoh, Zakura Silk-park, Food-park at Khonmoh, Industrial Growth Center at Samba, Rs. 188 crore National Institute of Fashion Textile Technology at Ompora, upgradation of infrastructure at Bari-Brahamana, Gangyal, Sanat Nagar, Bemina, trading facilities at Salamabad and Chakkan-da-Bagh.
Omar Abdullah asked the Industries Department to examine the feasibility of converting closed ITI complex into IT Incubation Centre. He also directed for speeding up the process of establishment of mega Food- Park at Lassipora, Shopian.
The Chief Minister reviewed the status of Rs. 60 crores, water supply scheme Sitlee and Rs. 9.88 crore water supply scheme, Mahjoor Nagar. He was told that both the schemes are in last phase of completion. He also got brief of Rs.70 crore Rajpora Irrigation Scheme, Rs. 63 crore Rafiabad Irrigation Scheme, Flood Protection Project Jehlum, Rs. 176 crore Modernization of Ranbir Canal, Jammu, Rs. 47 crore Modernization of Partap Canal, Rs. 19.45 crore Master Plan for flood protection works of Chenab.
Taking stock of the progress on various power projects under Restructured Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Programme (RAPDRP), the Chief Minister was informed that 30 towns including Jammu and Srinagar cities are being covered under this Rs. 1900 crore project to establish baseline data, utilize IT applications for energy, accounting, auditing and customer care, implementation of SCADA/DMS system, using HVDS and ABC modes of distribution, capacity building, trainings and construction of 28 grid stations, 45 transmission lines projects and other power stations.
The Chief Minister ascertained the status of Grid Stations being constructed at Poni Chak, Chandak, Batal Manwal, Bhelessa, Veilgam Kupwara, Shopian, Delina, Bandipora and Aalstang. It was given out in the meeting that the work on these stations is on various stages of execution. The Chief Minister also reviewed progress of work on various schemes under Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Viduti Karan Yojana (RGGVKY).