Dr Syed Abid Rasheed Shah today assumed the charge of the Chief Executive Officer, J&K Economic Reconstruction Agency (ERA).Dr. Abid has served at various key posts like Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, Anantnag, Pulwama and Kulgam and is currently holding charge of CEO Mission Youth and Additional Secretary Finance.After assuming the charge, Dr Abid Shah chaired an elaborate meeting with the senior officers of ERA and JTFRP and discussed in detail about the functioning and ongoing works. ERA is a Special Purpose Vehicle for Implementation of Externally Aided Projects. ERA has successfully executed Loan-I Multi sector Project for Infrastructure Rehabilitation (MPIR) funded by Asian Development Bank (ADB) at a cost of Rs. 1116 crores. ERA successfully completed 117 projects in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. The project is aimed at augmenting potable water supply, improving sanitation, waste management, expanding urban transport, and other municipal services. It also helped to improve the capacity of participating institutions to manage sector reforms and deliver better services.It was given out that Currently ERA is executing J&K Urban Sector Development, Investment Program (JKUSDIP) funded by ADB at a cost of Rs. 1639 crores. Under the JKUSDIP construction of two flyovers - “Jehangir Chowk- Rambagh-Barzalla” in Srinagar and “Bikram Chowk flyover” in Jammu and “Grade Separator at TRC Junction, Srinagar were conceived with a purpose to decongest the traffic on the routes with frequent traffic jamming. Mechanised car parking facility at Old KMDA Adda, Srinagar has been completed at a cost of Rs 28.98 crores and construction of Mechanised car Parking Facility at Super Bazaar, City Chowk, Jammu has been completed at a cost of Rs 47.1 crores.
Dr. Abid took an elaborate review of ongoing Jehlum Tawi Flood Recovery Project (JTFRP) which is part of Economic Reconstruction Agency is executing World Bank funded project at a cost of Rs. 1564 crore. The JTFRP came into being after the devastating floods of September 2014. The Project activities of JTFRP includes restoration of damaged infrastructures such as Roads, Bridges, Schools, Supply of equipment to SDRF and Morphology Study of River Tawi and Jehlum. The construction of new hospital block at LD Hospital, and state of art six modular operation theatres at Bone and Joint Hospital is in full swing at a cost of Rs. 221 crores, fire and emergency buiding at a cost of Rs. 20 crores, Silk Factory buiding at Raj Bagh and Market Center at Bemina at a cost of Rs. 14 crores will be constructed in Kashmir Province. In Jammu region 87 Km Road Length and three number bridges will be constructed in District Jammu, Reasi, Udhampur, Rajouri and Doda. Total of 10 lacs souls will be benefitted. Inaddition, 26 schools will be constructed in different districts of Jammu region.Dr. Abid enjoined upon the officers to work with complete zeal and dedication in a missionary mode to ensure that ERA/JTFRP becomes an engine of growth and development for J&K across sectors benefitting the public in general. On the occasion the CEO impressed upon the officers and officials of ERA/JTFRP for transparency, effective and efficient operations with focussed and public participations and social impact assessment and data driven decisions making for effective service delivery and infrastructure development.Meeting was attended by Director P&C Iftikhar Ahmad Hakim, Director Jammu B.L. Bhagat, Director Kashmir Javid Iqbal Tara, Director Safeguards Naim Ahmad Naim, Director Technical Iftikhar Kakroo, Director Finance Tasawuf Amin and other officers of ERA.