Major push to infrastructure, development in J&K

JAMMU: Central Government’s unstinting support in accelerating the pace of development in Jammu and Kashmir has resulted in the transformation of Union Territory on all fronts. The transformation in every sector has brought economic enabling the UT to march towards a golden future as the government is making every effort to ensure that benefits of development reach all sections of the society. With an aim to improve the physical infrastructure in Jammu and Kashmir, the government has accelerated the pace of execution of Prime Minister’s Development Package (PMDP) projects. Official data suggests that the expenditure has reached upto Rs.34,653 crore ending October 2021 resulting in fast moving improvement of physical infrastructure here. As per the data, 21 major projects have been completed/substantially completed and nine projects are likely to be completed by this financial year. In an another significant achievement, J&K has achieved 100% household electrification under Saubhagya scheme before the target date and 3,57,405 beneficiaries have been covered. The government has also embarked on path of smart metering and around 20 Lakh consumers shall be covered under Smart Metering Programme. As of now, the Installation of two Lakh meters is already under way and installation of another six lakh is being finalized under Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme. Further to improve the power infrastructure as well as distribution in Jammu and Kashmir, Government is committed to increase power generation of J&K as the UT is vast potential for Hydroelectricity. Power projects with 3500 MW capacity are going to solve most of the power woes in Jammu and Kashmir. Moreover, in Jammu & Kashmir, all the rural Anganwari centres, Schools and Health institutions have been provided with functional tap water connections. It is worthwhile to note that two districts, Srinagar and Ganderbal have provided 100% functional tap water connection to all households. UT is targeting provision of 100% functional tap water connection to all households by 15th August 2022. To provide good all-weather road connectivity to unconnected Habitations, all habitations over 1000 population (as per 2011 census) have been provided road connectivity and the habitations with 500 population will be provided roads by ending 2022. In respect of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana(PMGSY), J&K has moved in overall ranking in the country from 9th place in 2016-17 to 3rd position in 2020-21. Dedicated policy for maintenance of road infrastructure has been approved by UT government during 2021-22. Defect Liability Period (DLP) of 3 years has been made mandatory wherein the contractor associated with the project has to maintain the road during the DLP and the contractor has been made liable for the same. Significant improvement has been achieved in the status of National Highway-44 thereby reducing the time from 10 hours to 6 hours, owing to opening of Navyug Tunnel and completion of different stretches under the four laning of NH-44 project. To provide livelihood opportunities to weaker sections of society, 21000 Certificates of Vending (CoV) have been issues by government to street vendors under Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014, giving them assured right of vending at specified places without any hindrance. For the cleaning and restoration of Dal Lake, massive cleaning operation of Dal Lake has been started and as a result, more than 10 sq. Kms. of area has been cleared of weed both manually well as mechanical means. The Committee of Experts constituted by Hon’ble High Court of J&K recommended that LAWDA will engage DMRC (Delhi Metro Rail Corporation) for design, development, manufacture, transport and commissioning of Lake Cleaning Machines in Dal Lake.