Last Updated on October 30, 2021 at 10:51 am
In a high level meeting with officials of Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab governments Ministry of Home Affairs reviewed the PMDP and iconic projects of Jal Shakti department.
In the meeting Chief Secretary J&K, Dr. Arun Kumar Mehta along with Commissioner Secretary, Jal Shakti department and Secretary, PM&DD. Piyush Goyal, Additional Secretary, MHA, besides representatives of Ministry of expenditure, and Jal Shakti were present in the meeting.
Government is likely to give approval to the flood management plan of river Jhelum, phase-II in the next two months.
As per the reports, irrigation facilities to Samba and Kathua will be provided by Shahpur Kandi project which has an irrigation capacity of 53927 hectares. It was informed by Commissioner Secretary Jal Shakti, J&K that land acquisition proceedings have been started by J&K government for balance portion of Ravi Canal and when the compensation payable to the land owners is worked out, the same shall be informed to the Punjab government officials.
He informed that 192 kanals to be acquired for project, and out of 192 kanals only 5 % remains to be acquired and transferred to the executing agency. The Chief Secretary assured the MHA officials that the requirement of funds for compensation shall be worked out in the next fifteen days and conveyed to the Punjab government.
While reviewing the Phase II of the plan for comprehensive flood management of River Jhelum and its tributaries is approved as a part of PMDP during 2015-16, Dr Mehta requested MHA officials for speeding up to release of funds under the project so that its implementation could be carried out.
The Chief Secretary instructed the Administrative Secretary, Jal Shakti department to come up with a plan to either realign the road or conceive an alternative bridge/road project for execution on priority and in line with the project timelines so that the ‘pondage’ of the reservoir targeted by the Punjab government in the first quarter of the calendar year 2023 is not held up by the submergence of portion of the Lakhanpur-Basohli road.
The Flood Management Plan consists two phases: Phase 1 and Phase 2. 98 percent progress has been achieved on phase 1, while for phase 2, J&K administration is awaiting release for funds from the central government.
