Jammu, July 26: 53 projects, pertaining to 15 ministries, are being implemented at a cost of Rs 58,477 Cr in various sectors such as roads, power, health, education, tourism, agriculture, skill development etc. in Jammu and Kashmir under the Prime Minister Development Package (PMDP).
On terrorism front, the J&K government has taken several measures to “protect the citizens which include proactive operations against terrorists, identification and arrest of over ground workers of terrorism.”
This information was provided by the Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today.
He also enumerated “action against members of banned or supporters organizations, intensified night patrolling and checking at Nakas, security arrangements through appropriate deployment, coordination meetings amongst security agencies, high level of alertness maintained by the security forces, legal action in cases of terror funding, etc.” as other steps being taken by the UT government against terrorism and to protect its citizens.
With regard to employment opportunities, the House was informed that the Government of Jammu and Kashmir carried out recruitment in the public sector from the year 2019 onwards totalling 29,806. In addition, employment for 5.2 lakh persons was estimated to have been created through self-employment schemes from August 2019 up to June 2022.
Among other achievements and initiatives, the House was informed, “The Union Territory has received investment applications of more than Rs 54,000 Cr following the notification of a new central sector scheme for its industrial development in February, 2021; out of them, projects of over Rs 36,000 Cr have been allotted industrial land.”
Spelling out several initiatives taken by the government for the development of Jammu & Kashmir, the Minister said that the progress of projects being implemented in the Union Territory under the Prime Minister’s Development Package (PMDP) -2015 had been accelerated.
He informed that under the languishing projects programme, 1193 projects worth Rs 1984 Cr were completed, including 5 projects which were incomplete for more than 20 years, 15 projects for more than 15 years and 165 projects for more than 10 years.
“International flight from Srinagar to Sharjah has been started on October 23, 2021. In addition, night flights from Jammu and Srinagar have also been started,” the Minister told the Lower House.
“53 projects pertaining to 15 ministries are being implemented at a cost of Rs 58,477 Cr in various sectors such as roads, power, health, education, tourism, agriculture, skill development etc., out of which 29 projects have been completed or substantially completed and the remaining projects are at advanced stage of progress,” Rai said.
He stated that a new central sector scheme was notified on February 19, 2021 for the industrial development of the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir, with an outlay of Rs 28,400 Cr. “Jammu and Kashmir has received investment applications of more than Rs 54,000 crore, out of which projects worth more than Rs 36,000 crore have been allotted industrial land,” it was stated.
He said that the construction work of 17601 km of road under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna was completed by March, 2022, which connected 2074 places. New Banihal tunnel and Chenani Nashri Tunnel completed and opened to traffic.
Detailing about other initiatives, he said that to connect Kashmir by train, Udhampur-Katra section, Banihal-Qazigund section and Qazigund-Baramulla section were commissioned. Two new AIIMS, seven new medical colleges, two State Cancer Institutes and fifteen nursing colleges were taken up and operationalised recently. “Intake capacity of 854 seats was added, which included 600 MBBS, 50 PG courses, 26 BDS, 38 MDS and 140 DNB,” he informed.
Rai said that Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Jammu and Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Jammu were made functional. The number of government degree colleges and engineering colleges increased from 96 to 147. In the last 2 years, power projects for about 3000 MW capacity revived and progress was on track.
“The scope of the High Density Plantation Scheme for Apple has been expanded to include Mango, Litchi, Cherry, Walnut etc. Kashmiri saffron has been given the Geographical Indication (GI) tag. Under the Jal Jeevan Mission, household tap water connections have increased from 5.75 lakh households (31 percent) to 10.55 lakh households (57 percent). Two districts (Srinagar and Ganderbal) have been made Har Ghar Jal districts. All rural schools, Anganwari centres and health institutions are provided with tap water connections,” the reply mentioned.
Three major irrigation projects viz., main Ravi canal (Rs 62 Cr), 3rd stage of Tral lift irrigation scheme (Rs 45 Cr) and Comprehensive Flood Management Plan of river Jhelum and its tributaries–Phase–I costing Rs 399.29 Cr were completed, it added.
Rai said that J&K had been declared Open Defecation Free (ODF) under Swachh Bharat Mission and 100 percent saturation was achieved in 17 Individual beneficiary centric schemes, including Saubhagya, Ujala, Ujjwala and Indradhanush schemes.