Rajnath to brief PM on implementation of development package for J-K

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday reached 7, Lok Kalyan Marg to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to brief the latter on implementation of development package for Jammu and Kashmir.

Singh will also discuss the situation in Jammu and Kashmir and the Sukma Naxal attack with the Prime Minister.

Singh yesterday reviewed the Prime Minister's Development Package (PMDP) for Jammu and Kashmir.

The PMDP was announced by Prime Minister Modi during his visit to Jammu and Kashmir on November 7, 2015.

The package consists of 63 projects concerning 15 Ministries of Government of India and has an outlay of Rs. 80,068 crore.

The review meeting was attended by the Minister of State for Home Affairs Hansraj Gangaram Ahir, Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi, Secretaries and senior officers from all the 15 Ministries, Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir along with Secretaries of various departments of the Jammu and Kashmir Government.

Out of Rs. 80,068 crore outlay of PMDP, Rs. 61,112 crore have already been sanctioned by the various Ministries of Government of India (more than 75 percent).

Rs 19,961 crore have already been released to the implementing agencies including the State Government (more than 25 percent).

The PMDP will provide a major development push for Jammu and Kashmir with projects such as AIIMS for Jammu, AIIMS at Srinagar, Support for District as well as Sub-District Hospitals and Primary Health Centers, IIM at Jammu with an out campus at Srinagar, IIT, upgradation of NIT at Srinagar and additional Girls' Hostels in Higher Educational Institutions.

The Government of India has also approved to provide 1,00,000 jobs for undergraduates and school dropouts under HIMAYAT scheme, an elaborate layout for sports infrastructure in all the 22 Districts, Development of Pashmina wool, Cold Storage facilities for Agricultural produce and Development of Horticulture.

The package also includes a major support to Urban development under AMRUT scheme, Swachh Bharat Mission and Smart Cities. Major Water Resources projects include flood management of River Jhelum and its tributaries, conservation of major water bodies such as Dal, Nageen and Wular lakes.

18 Major Road Transport and Tunnel projects under PMDP are expected to provide much better connectivity for the people of Jammu and Kashmir and allow the farmers to transport their produce to the desired markets.

Three Himalayan Circuits have been sanctioned under Tourism that include extensive development in all the three regions i.e. Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh, under the tourism front also.

There are five major power projects which include Srinagar - Leh transmission line, Smart Grid and Smart Meters and augmentation of electricity distribution systems.

In addition, approval has been given for Semi Ring roads for Jammu and Srinagar and hydro and solar power projects.

These projects are in various stages of implementation. While work has started on many projects, in some cases DPRs are in final stages of preparation and in a few difficult cases, the DPRs are under preparation. Nearly 87 DPRs are being finalized for small hydro projects.

Singh asked the team of Central and state government officials to further accelerate the implementation of PMDP with definite timelines so that the people of the state of Jammu and Kashmir are able to reap the benefits of these development initiatives of Government of India at the earliest.