| 28 years on, Raya Lift Irrigation scheme awaits completion | | | Akshay Azad
JAMMU, Dec 17: With the increasing demand of food grains in state, the State Government in year 1985 had given approval to a project namely Raya Lift Irrigation project, in Samba district.
"An area measuring 2760 acres lying on northern side of National Highway between Khad near Tarore and Aik Nallah was identified, way back in 1980 for providing irrigation facility from the Tawi canal project, by Raya Lift Irrigation scheme", sources said.
They further said that a project report of Raya Lift Irrigation scheme was prepared in the year 1980 and approved for an estimated cost of Rs 315 Lakhs in the year 1985.
"The main component envisaged under the project was construction of intake structure on Tawi canal near Tarore, establishment of a pumping station with electric substation for power supply, laying of rising main pipeline of 0.9 meters dia from pumping station towards north of NH-1A (perpendicular to highway) for a distance of over 3368 meters, construction of main canal of 8 km length from end point of rising main at Tarore towards Aik Nallah parallel to the NH-1A, construction of 7 distributaries along with minors and khuls for irrigating land between National Highway-1A and the main canal running parallel to it on the north side", sources said.
They further said that against the approved length of 8000 meters only 5600 meters of the main canal was constructed, while out of 7 distributaries 4 distributaries and 2 minor were constructed besides many other works remained unexecuted.
An official said that in year 2012, it was decided by Government to resume the project from where it was left and a revised estimate of project were worked out to Rs 1835.51 Lakhs which included Rs 1072.17 lakhs as cost of works already executed and Rs 763.34 lakhs as cost of the unexecuted works.
In October 2012, the Irrigation and Flood Control Department accorded administrative approval for completion of all the physical components of the lift irrigation scheme as initially conceptualised at a cost of Rs 602.92 Lakhs.
"The revised balance cost of the project is Rs 6.03 crore. However, only Rs 1.06 Crore was released in 2012-13 and that too in December 2012 as a result of which only Rs 72.76 lakhs could be expended by the executing agency while the remaining funds were surrendered", sources said.
Moreover, sources said that in the financial year 2013-14, funds have not been released. "The project is envisaged to be completed in a span of 3 years, i.e. by 2014-15, but going by the slow release of funding the project is unlikely to complete as per scheduled time", an official seeking anonymity said. |
|
