Maintaining that implementation of various developmental activities undertaken by the government has been fast-paced and is being regularly monitored, the Deputy Chief Minister Dr. Nirmal Singh today said it is the endeavor of the Government to ensure time-bound completion of works so that people get benefitted.The Deputy Chief Minister was addressing impressive gatherings after kick-starting work on 13-kms road stretches and inaugurating augmentation of various receiving stations in the Billawar constituency today during his extensive tour of the area.District Development Commissioner, Kathua, senior officers of various departments accompanied the Deputy Chief Minister during his tour.The Deputy Chief Minister said due to the sustained efforts of the government much headway has been achieved in ensuring time bound completion of the developmental initiatives undertaken in various sectors. He said necessary instructions have already been passed to the executing agencies to hold regular meetings by which the pace of implementation of these works can be gauged and their completion within the stipulated time lines ensured.“We have undertaken a massive programme for ensuring that various far-flung areas of the state are connected to the main towns by way of a dedicated network of roads. This would also ensure proper development of these areas both socially as well as economically besides providing them the requisite connectivity and in this regard besides the state and centrally sponsored schemes much headway has also been achieved through Prime Minister’s Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY)”, he added.
Referring to the initiatives being undertaken in the augmentation and creation of new infra in the power sector, the Deputy Chief Minister said that several centrally sponsored schemes like DDUJGY, RAPDRP, Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS) etc have also contributed immensely in ensuring that the power transmission and also various un-electrified areas are provided with electricity. He said that the Prime Minister’s Development Package has also earmarked huge funds in the power sector which would also ensure that the people get benefitted by getting the requisite amount of electricity besides also augmenting the generation and transmission capacity of the state.The Deputy Chief Minister said that in order to ensure development of tourism in the area, the government has recently re-christened the Lakhanpur-Sarthal Tourism Development Authority as Billawar-Duggan Development Authority. This step would ensure the development of tourist infra in the area besides also attracting prospective visitors to this picturesque area which would give a fillip to the economy of the area and also ensure generation of job opportunities for the local youth.
The Deputy Chief Minister kick-started work on about 13 kms of the road, which include 4km Dan-Lakhri costing Rs 2.41 crore, 4km Kishenpur-Nargari road costing Rs 2.18 crore, 2.80 km Ujj Bridge, Birdajt road costing Rs. 1.47 crore which would ensure connectivity to various village as well as huge chunk of populace.The Deputy Chief Minister also inaugurated the augmentation of 33/11 KV Receiving Station at Gurha-Kalyal by installing 5.0 MVA transformer which would increase its present capacity from 3.15 MVA to 8.15 MVA. The estimated cost of the exercise is Rs. 53.42 lakh and would improve the electricity availability of the area benefitting Lakhri, gurha-Kalyal, Ludra and adjoining areas. He also inaugurated augmentation of 33/11 KVA Receiving Station at Phinter by installing 10MVA transformer enhancing its capacity of 11.3 KVA to 16.3KVA. The augmentation has been completed with the cost of Rs. 90 lakh and will benefit huge populace of Bhaddu, Billawar, Mandli, Lahri and Bathri.