Srinagar, August 02: The Jammu and Kashmir government has just completed 20 of 53 projects funded under the Prime Minister’s development package (PMDP), announced in November 2015.
According to the official documents of the planning, development and monitoring department accessed by Rising Kashmir, on November 7, 2015 as many as 63 developmental projects under PMDP with an outlay of Rs 80,068 crore were announced for Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh.
However, post abrogation of Article 370 reorganising the state into two union territories, nine projects with an outlay of Rs 21,441 crore were transferred to Ladakh, while 53 projects having a budgetary allocation of Rs 58,477 crore were left with Jammu and Kashmir.
The documents reveal that out of 53 projects, 20 have been completed or are nearing completion while 13 projects would be completed by the end of this year.
Some of the major projects that have been completed include Batote-Kishwar-Sinthan pass-Anantnag road, four-laning of Jammu-Udhampur, Chenani-Nashri section of NH1A, Qazigund-Banihal section of NH1A, assistance for completely damaged, severely damaged and partially damaged houses, state government jobs to additional 3000 Kashmiri migrants, rehabilitation package for Jammu migrants, rehabilitation package for one-time settlement of 36,384 families from PAK and Chhamb.
The figures reveal that out of 20 projects completed seven projects were executed by the Government of India (GoI) and 13 were taken by the Jammu and Kashmir government. Whereas of 13 projects to be completed, four projects are under GoI, while nine projects are with the UT government.
The projects that are substantially completed include special repairs to roads and buildings within BB Cantt, Kalai Bridge, Sukhato Bridge, bridge on NH 144A at km 150.50, upgrading Srinagar-Uri LoC road, double laning of Srinagar-Leh road via Kargil and Uri-Kaman post.
The projects that are to-be completed are: modernization of NIT Srinagar, construction of government tourist assets in lieu of damaged and destroyed ones, 12 development authorities, 3 tourist circuits, 50 tourist villages proposed under PMRP 2004, solar off-grid home system and street lights, support for sports infrastructure, facilities of coaches and trainers.
On June 30, in a high-level meeting to review PMDP projects, Lieutenant Governor (LG) Manoj Sinha pushed for quick resolution of issues, if any, to speed up the progress of mega infrastructure projects in Jammu and Kashmir.
The meeting witnessed various important directions passed by the Lt Governor to the administrative secretaries and functionaries of the executing agencies for bringing in reforms by adopting an action-oriented approach for the timely completion of the projects.
However, the figures reveal that the two mega projects in Kashmir – the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), and the Ring Road under the PM package have seen no progress since the announcement of the development package.
Director-General planning, development and monitoring department, Shahzada Bilal Ahmad said that the work on the projects is going on and all the pending work would be completed in a time-bound manner.