Early Times Report
JAMMU, Feb 19: An amount of Rs. 305.94 crore has been collected as Excise revenue up to ending December-2013, while as an amount of Rs. 420.15 crore has been collected in 2012-13 and Rs 245.56 crore in 2008-09.
The information was given by the Minister for Finance and Ladakh Affairs, Abdul Rahim Rather while replying a question by Ravinder Kumar Sharma in Legislative Council today. Minister further informed the House that 407.02 lakh bottles of IMFL/JK Desi Whisky/Beer/RTD have been sold during 2013-14 up to ending December 2013 in the state.
Minister for PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control Sham Lal Sharma replying to a question by Sham Lal Bhagat informed the House that work on 273 Water Supply Schemes (WSS) is in progress with an estimated cost of Rs. 538.90 crore to provide drinking water to the partially covered habitations of erstwhile Doda District.
Minister further informed that, in addition, 3 new WSS with an estimated cost of Rs. 11.90 crore have also been proposed for Batote, Ramban and Banihal towns of Ramban District with funding under LIC Loan Assistance. Naresh Kumar Gupta also raised supplementaries to the question.
Replying to another question by Sheikh Ghulam Qadir Pardesi, Sham Lal informed that the project of renovation and restoration of Water Conservation Reservoir (WCR) of Harwan was approved under 10th TAC with an estimated cost of Rs. 9.66 crore and the work on the project has been taken by the department during 2011-12.
Minister informed that the project comprises of many components including extraction of deposited material within reservoir, construction of bank, toe wall and lining, adding that the extraction of the deposit has been completed, while as work on the other components is going full swing. The construction of Settling Tank has been allotted and the work would be started soon as weather improves, he added.
An amount of Rs. 78.10 crore has been released to clear the liabilities created on account of execution of various developmental works under road sector in the state. This information was given by the Minister for Roads & Buildings Abdul Majid Wani while replying to a question by Naresh Kumar Gupta in the Legislative Council today.
Minister informed that department firmed up the liabilities at Rs. 147.03 crore up to ending March 2010, adding that the exercise to determine the extent of liabilities, if any, created during 2010-11, 2011-12 and 2012-13 are being ascertained.
Changthang Cold Desert Wildlife Sanctuary, Leh has been notified during the year 1987 covering an area of 4000 sq. Km including Pasture land. This information was given by the Minister for Forests, Altaf Ahmad while replying to a question by Nurboo Gialchan in Legislative Council today.
Minister further informed that the ITBP has applied for environmental clearance in respect of five roads viz Phobrang-Marslimik-La road, Korzok-Chumur road, Kyul-Zarsar road, Phobrang-Chartse-Point 4433 and Chushmule-Demchock road passing through Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary, the permission for environment clearance stands issued on the direction of the Supreme Court.
He further informed the House that there is no delay by the department in processing the cases and the same are processed in a time bound manner on the prescribed format issued by Union Ministry of Environment and Forestry, as per the directions of the Supreme Court of India.
The draft Srinagar Master Plan (MP) was put in the public domain once, but was withdrawn due to the fact that the required notification of the government was pending which is pre-requisite as per the J&K Development Act, 1970 and a private consultancy Sai Consultants has been hired for the revision of Master Plan.
The information was given by the Minister of State for Industries and Commerce, Sajad Ahmad Kitchloo while replying to question by Mohammad Ashraf Mir. Minister further informed the House areas of Ganderbal, Bandipora, Pulwama, Baramulla, Budgam districts are also included in the Master Plan. Kitchloo added that before the local area of Ganderbal was included in Srinagar Master Plan, the Ganderbal Master Plan was outsourced and the draft of the same, after its completion, was submitted to Government in May, 2013.
The same has been incorporated verbatim in the draft Srinagar Master Plan, he maintained. Supplementaries were also raised by G. N. Monga, Bashir Ahmad Magray and Naeem Akhtar. In another question by Rani Gargi Billowria, the Minister informed the House that government intends to provide Municipal Status to the village Gurha Salathia and the matter is under consideration and the notification to this effect shall be issued in due course of time.
There are 114 LPG outlets in the State, 62 in Jammu division and 52 in Kashmir division. The LPG distributors are being appointed by the Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas through its oil marketing companies and the CAPD department has a limited role in it. The department regularly checks the shortfalls, if any, through the field functionaries and communicates the same to oil marketing companies for redressal. |
