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| J&K going through unprecedented era of infrastructure development: Azad | | Over last year, Rajouri gets 5 times more allocations for road connectivity; 10 bridges in district to complete next month | | Early Times Reporter
Rajouri | Mar 18
Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has underlined the urgency accorded by his government to the development of backward and far-off areas, saying that Jammu and Kashmir was going through an era of unprecedented infrastructure expansion across the cities and hinterland.
Addressing a large public meeting in Peeri – a far-off village of Rajouri district, still not connected by road and where no Chief Minister had reached so far, Azad said sectors like road connectivity, drinking water, education, healthcare and power were witnessing unprecedented development activities. Azad said that in the road sector, Rajouri district was poised for complete transformation. He said in the year 2007-08, an amount of Rs. 22 crore were allocated in the road sector for Rajouri district which was 5 times more than the last year. He said an additionality of Rs. 5.30 crores had also been provided in the road and bridges sector. He cited figures to make the point that since the time he took over as the Chief Minister, road construction in the district was receiving high priority. He said in the year 2007, under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna, as many as 25 road schemes comprising 198 kms of length were taken up in the district at a cost of Rs. 85 crore. Against this, he said that from 2001 to 2005, only 10 schemes with a total road length of 50 kms, costing Rs. 12 crore, were taken up. He said these figures spoke of the importance given by the present government to road connectivity. The total cost of these 8 schemes was Rs. 27.5 crores, he said, adding that under NABARD, 25 new road construction schemes were initiated in the district last year costing Rs. 53 crore.
The Chief Minister made a special mention of the Mughal Road and opening of the Poonch-Rawlakote cross-LoC road and said while the former would provide the much needed alternate inter-province link between Kashmir and Jammu, the later had met the aspirations of the people divided by the LoC. Azad said that apart from roads, construction of other projects was also apace in Rajouri district. He said the district hospital was under construction at a cost of about Rs. 26 crore. The first phase of the project was nearing completion while the second phase would be completed by March 2009. He said a record number of 10 bridges in the district would be completed next month. The Chief Minister also talked about his priority to develop tourism in the twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch. He said tourism development authorities were set up for the two districts and Jammu-Rajouri-Poonch tourist circuit was being developed. MP, Madan Lal Sharma congratulated the people of Rajouri and Poonch districts for the central government's decision to bring the area on the rail map of the country. He said the survey work would commence shortly on the prestigious Jammu-Akhnoor-Rajouri-Poonch rail link, opening up the area for brisk development. Vice Chairman, Pahari Advisory Board, Shabir Ahmad Khan and MLA, Thakur Puran Singh were among those who addressed the public meeting. |
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