STATE TIMES NEWS
KATHUA: Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) and MoS PMO, Dr Jitendra Singh said today that in the last two-and-a-half years since the Modi Government took over at the Centre, a record amount of over Rs. 850 crore has been sanctioned from the Central Government for construction of roads and bridges in District Kathua. This is not only possibly the “record” highest amount, so far, sanctioned for Kathua roads in the last several decades, but is also possibly the highest among the various districts of Jammu & Kashmir State.
Speaking after laying the foundation stone of the Kathua to Boura road under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), Dr Jitendra Singh said, under the scheme of PMGSY alone, Kathua has been given Rs. 405.66 crore from Union Rural Development Ministry. This amount, he said, will cover 73 roads under PMGSY scheme with a total length of nearly 547.14 kms. The amount of Rs. 405.66 crore sanctioned for Kathua district under PMGSY is appreciably high for any single district when we consider that the three districts of Doda, Ramban and Kishtwar together have got Rs. 600 crore under the same scheme.
Under the Central Road Fund (CRF) available from the Union Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, Dr Jitendra Singh said, the major works include Juthana Bridge at the cost of Rs. 45.54 crore, Halti road upgradation at Rs. 40.52 crore and Lakhanpur-Thien road to Ranjeet Sagar Dam costing Rs. 43.49 crore. In addition, another amount of Rs. 34.25 crore under CRF category is in the pipeline for construction of roads adjoining the historic Keedhiyan-Gandiyal Bridge, which is under construction at a cost of nearly Rs.150 crore.
The National Highway Authority of India has undertaken the work for Dayalachak road and National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has sanctioned 21.38 crore for seven roads and one bridge.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, the Keedhiyan-Gandiyal bridge will be a landmark shortening the distance of travel by several kilometers and the budget of nearly Rs. 150 crore spent on this is in addition to amounts under various heads mentioned above. He also referred to the first of its kind “Atal Setu” bridge in Basohli, which was, however, sanctioned by the earlier UPA government, but its work got expedited and completion achieved with the intervention of Defence Ministry after the present government took over.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, Kathua is on fast-track of development and will soon emerge as a role model for other districts. He said, since the programme today is devoted to roads, he is not mentioning the other important works undertaken through Central funds, MPLAD and convergence from other sources. These, he said, for example, include the construction of North India’s first-ever Bio-tech Park at Gaati, Dreamland Park in Kathua, new Railway Station at Kathua and construction of sheds and benches at existing Kathua Railway Station.
Dr Jitendra Singh also disclosed that the Union Health Minister will soon be invited to lay the foundation stone of new Medical College at Kathua while the new Engineering College has also been sanctioned under the Central Government’s “Rashtriya Ucchatar Shiksha Abhiyan” (RUSA). Under Central Government’s “Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana” (DDUGJY), a target has been set to achieve 100% rural electrification in Kathua district by the middle of next year, he added.
MLA Rajiv Jasrotia also addressed the gathering. Prem Nath Dogra, Dr Narinder, Janak Bharti, Gopal Mahajan, Raghuv Babloo, Shashi and others also were present on the occasion.
