Excelsior Correspondent
RAJOURI, Apr 29: Maintaining that Government was responsible and committed to the development of far flung and backward areas, Minister for PHE, Irrigation & Flood Control, Taj Mohi ud Din today said every effort would be made to upgrade these areas in terms of facilities available in cities and towns. He disclosed that the reforms undertaken in PHE sector including Water Resources Act-2010 and subsequent levying of water usage charges has enabled the state for enhanced allocations from the centre in these sectors.
Addressing a series of public meetings at Rakki Ban, Peeri, Choudhary Nar, Palma, Muradpur, Dalogra and other areas in the district, the Minister reiterated the commitment of the present Coalition Government for equitable development of all regions of the State. He said Government is committed to the development of these backward areas which till now were eclipsed from the development scenario of Jammu & Kashmir. He said Government, with active support of the centre, has embarked on an ambitious programme of infrastructural development in these backward areas to make the inhabitants equal partners of growth and development.
Mr. Taj disclosed that the reforms initiated in his Departments in terms of enactment of J&K Water Resources Act-2010 and subsequent levying of water usage charges. He said the successful implementation of the Act has led to doubling of central allocation in schemes like National Rural Drinking Water Programme-from Rs 200 crore to Rs 400 crore and Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme from Rs. 300 crore to Rs 560 crore.
The Minister said during his three years tenure many big and successful steps were taken by the State Government including the decision of demanding return of power projects from NHPC, reclaiming State’s share of power and water from Ranjit Sagar Dam in Punjab and re-evaluating the irrigated command area of the state which got depleted due to urbanization.
He said the water usage charges from NHPC would constitute 30 % of the State’s own revenue and would also go up every year and would be used to improve the energy scenario of the State.
Minister of State for Power and MLA, Rajouri, Shabir Ahmad Khan, who accompanied Mr. Taj during the tour, said the development needs of Rajouri district are being addressed in phased manner.
During the tour, Mr. Taj announced that water supply scheme at Dalogra would be augmented and soon the people would get potable drinking water. At Muradpur, He said a Rs. Two crore Batoni and Rs 74 lakh Muradpur water supply schemes have been approved by the Government. Similarly, he said that Rs two crore Krad and Rs five crore Palma-Dhana water supply schemes have also been approved and work on them would start shortly.
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