JAMMU: Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo, today chaired 5th UT Level Steering Committee (UTLSC) Meeting of AMRUT 2.0, called for having the review of ongoing projects besides considering new ones for their approval. Those who were present includes Principal Secretary, Agriculture Production & Forest Departments; Principal Secretary, Finance; Commissioner Secretary, H&UDD; Secretary, RDD; Director, ULB J/K; DG, Codes; Chief Engineers Jal Shakti & Irrigation Departments besides other concerned officers.
The Chief Secretary took this occasion to impress upon the officers of the Department to start executing the approved projects at an earliest so that these are completed on time. He observed that such central schemes are of national importance therefore deserving focussed attention and smooth implementation on ground. Dulloo also enjoined upon the concerned to explore all the possibilities of executing these water supply schemes envisaged under AMRUT 2.0 for major towns through different agencies having reputation of implementing these at national level.
He emphasised on making this scheme successful here as this guarantees augmentation of water supply to these urban centres sufficing their water requirements for many decades to come. The Chief Secretary urged the concerned to examine the needs of each of the town to be covered under it and prioritize the implementation accordingly.
He encouraged the engineering staff of the executing agencies to have a knack of solving technical issues at their own level without resorting to the habit of pushing them up. He maintained that such stunts only add to delaying the vital projects at the peril of common masses.
He also enjoined upon the Department to fix responsibility while taking note of few DPRs requiring revision for want of certain technical feasibilities. He made out that projects certified by the Technical Appraisal Committee should only be taken up for approval so that there remains no scope for any glitches to face in implementation of works on ground.
The Commissioner Secretary, H&UDD, Mandeep Kaur gave out details of the projects sanctioned under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) 2.0 for J&K. She revealed that these projects aim at making cities 'water secure' and providing functional water tap connections to all households in all statutory towns. She gave out that the scheme encompasses creating 99 water supply schemes here at a cost of Rs 560 Cr besides some sewage projects for the big cities and rejuvenation of water bodies in these areas.
Mandeep Kaur further added that central allocation to the tune of Rs 611 Cr for water supply, 206 Cr for sewerage & septage management and Rs 50 Cr for rejuvenation of water bodies & development of green spaces in urban areas has been made in favour of the UT.
It is noteworthy to mention here that some of the major towns for which the WSS had been envisaged under AMRUT 2.0 includes Srinagar, Jammu, Budgam, Kulgam, Bhaderwah, Batote, RS Pura, Akhnoor, Chenani, Hiranagar, Kathua, Lakhanpur, Vijaypur, Reasi, Baramulla, Beerwah, Magam, Pattan, Devsar, Uri, Awantipora, Kupwara, Ganderbal, Sopore and many other smaller towns in both the divisions of J&K.
