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| Soz factor: Bursar, Ujh declared national assets | | | Early Times Reporter
Jammu | Feb 7
In a land mark decision, the central government has decided to declare two important rivers of Jammu and Kashmir as national assets.
Bursar and Ujh multipurpose projects are among 14 which have been declared as national assets. Reports said, with an aim of improving irrigation and enhancing power generation capacity, the Centre today decided to declare 14 river projects as national assets for which it would provide as much as 90 per cent funds. The proposal was cleared by the Union Cabinet.
Besides Jammu and Kashmir, the proposal, cleared by the Union Cabinet, would also benefit West Bengal, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.
Senior Congress leader from Jammu and Kashmir and Union Minister for Water Resources Prof Saif-ud-Din Soz while terming it as a "landmark" decision, said that some rivers needed to be treated specially as national projects. The including of Bursar and Ujh projects of Jammu and Kashmir as national assets is seen to have patronized by Soz.
Soz made it clear that the rivers were not being nationalised because water continued to be a state subject. He noted that rivers involved in disputes between states have not been touched under this programme and could be included as and when they expressed willingness.
The projects to be covered include Teesta Barrage (West Bengal), Shahpur Kandi and Second Ravi Vyas Link (both in Punjab), Bursar and Ujh Multipurpose Project (J and K), Gyspa project (HP), all of which have international ramifications and are of strategic importance.
Renuka (HP), Lakhvar Vyasi (Uttarakhand), Kishau (HP/Uttarakhand) which are on Yamuna basin, are important from the perspective of Commonwealth Games besides drinking water and environmental aspects, Water Resources Minister Saifuddin Soz said.
Noa-Dehang Dam Project and Upper Siang (both in Arunachal Pradesh), Kulsi Dam Project (Assam), Gosikhurd (Maharashtra) and Ken Betwa (MP) would also be covered.
Soz said a Steering Committee with members from Finance, Power, Environment, Water Resources and Central Water Commission would be set up to monitor the projects' early completion. "Enormous funds will come as a boost for completion of the projects", he said.
He said the proposal would cover international projects where usage of water in India is required by a treaty or where planning and early completion of the project is necessary in the interest of the country.
Inter-State projects which are dragging on due to non-resolution of inter-state issues relating to sharing of costs, rehabilitation, aspects of power production including river interlinking projects would come in this category.
Similarly, intra-state projects with additional potential of more than two lakh hectares and with no dispute regarding sharing of water and where hydrology is established would also covered under this programme. |
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