Deputy Chief Minister, Dr. Nirmal Singh, today said that a comprehensive development plan for Billawar has been formulated to make it a model constituency.The Deputy Chief Minister said this, while addressing people at a function organized at Billawar to highlight the Central as well as State Governments’ welfare schemes.The Deputy Chief Minister said that to bring governance at the doorsteps of people living in remote areas, post of Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) has been sanctioned for Billawar and Basohli as well which can be seen as first step towards creating separate districts for Billawar and Basohli.Underscoring the importance of tourism sector in overall development of an area, Dy CM said that two tourism development authorities have been created for catering to the requirements of far flung areas of Kathua district viz. Billawar-Duggan and Basholi-Bani Tourism Development Authority. “These development authorities would create state of the art tourist infra so that tourist footfall may get a further fillip”, he maintained.
Emphasizing on various development works being done by the present dispensation during the past two and a half year in Billawar, Dr Singh said that no stone has been left unturned to mitigate problems of the people. He further said that Rs 21 crore have been expended on Hospital, Rs 102 crore on 22 PMGSY roads, Rs 6.5 crore on Dayalachak-Challan road, Rs 35 lakh on critical ambulance, Rs 46 crore on Juthana bridge, Rs 98 lakh on Bus and Matador Stand while Rs 4 crore have been spent by Billawar Municipality to provide better facilities to the populace of Billawar.Dy.CM stated that an indoor stadium for Billawar is in pipeline and 50% of his CDF has been spent on consolidating PHE infra so that people living in far flung areas can have access to potable drinking water. He added that expansion of existing roads will also be taken up besides revamping PDD, PHE, Irrigation, Education and Health sector is the priority of the present government.Vice Chairman J&K State Advisory Board for Development of Kisans, Daljit Singh Chib also highlighted various path breaking schemes of the government viz. PM Fasal Bima Yojana and Krishi Sinchai Yojana. He appealed the farmers to take maximum benefit from these schemes.Vice Chairman, J and K State Advisory Board for Welfare and Development of Other Backward Classes, Rashpaul Verma said that schemes like Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) and PM Ujjwala Yojana have helped greatly millions of households.Among others Additional SP Kathua, Khalil Poswal; SDM Billawar, Tehsildars and other district as well as Sub Divisional officers were present during the program.