Excelsior Correspondent
AKHNOOR, Jan 25: Minister for PHE, Irrigation & Flood Control, Sham Lal Sharma today laid foundation stone of Lift Irrigation Scheme (Check Dam), and a Panchayat Ghar in Chowki Chowra area.
The proposed Lift Irrigation Scheme will be developed over Kharara Nallah at an estimated cost of Rs. 5.50 crore.
Similarly, the new type Panchayat Ghar has been constructed at village Salyote at a cost of Rs. 20 lakh under MGNREGA and 13th Finance Commission. The building comprises one large conference hall, five medium rooms and toilet.
Chief Engineer, Irrigation & Flood Control, Sushil Aima, Chief Engineer, PHE, K.K. Gupta, Superintending Engineer (Hydraulic), Jammu, Rajiv Malhotra, ACD, Rural Development, K.K. Sidha, Executive Engineers of PHE, Irrigation, Flood Control, Ground Water and sectoral officers of various departments also accompanied the Minister.
Addressing large gatherings of people at Chowki Chowra, Rah and Salyote, the Minister said that agriculture sector is priority area of the Government and efforts are afoot to create irrigational facilities in the potential areas, especially in the hilly and dry belt. He said Government has formulated a comprehensive programme to tap the irrigational potential by developing check dams and lift irrigation schemes, adding that these measures will help in improving the socio-economic profile of the people living in the kandi belt.
Maintaining that Central Government with the special initiatives by the UPA Chairperson, Sonia Gandhi, Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh and Congress Vice President, Rahul Gandhi have helped in providing adequate funding for undertaking major development projects in the State during the past over five years.
He said Government’s main thrust was to upgrade the essential sectors including, road connectivity, drinking water, education, health, electricity and other social services, which are key to the development and prosperity of people.
Responding to the demands of locals, the Minister said that Government was seriously considering the genuine demands of all areas with regard to setting up of new administrative units. He said all such demands will be examined on the basis of set criteria by the Government and all deserving areas will get their due share. The initiative will open new chapter of fast track development in the rural areas which are spread over vast geographical topography and large population.
The deputations of several hilly villages, Sarpanchs/Panchs called on the Minister during his tour to this hilly belt and put forth their demands. The demands mostly pertained to upgradation of basic services. The Minister assured them to address these issues on priority. He issued instructions to the officers to attend the problems of locals on priority.
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