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| Soz urges officers to formulate demands, project 11th plan | | | JAMMU, Nov 20
The Union Minister for Water Resources , Prof.Saifuddin Soz has emphasized the need for greater coordination and speedier execution of various works related to Irrigation, Ground Water and other related projects. Presiding over a meeting of officers of Central Ground Water Board, Central Water Commission, National Institute of Hydrology, Irrigation and Flood Control, PHE etc here today the Union Minister reviewed the development progress of various activities regarding his Ministry with the officers in the meeting.
While stressing the need for greater coordination between Central and State government departments, Prof. Soz called upon the officials that best efforts should be put in to formulate the projects so as to create more and more irrigation and flood control projects during the next two to three years. The Union Minister said that no project of the J&K State is at present pending with his ministry at the Centre. However, he asked the Officers present in the meeting to project demands and formulate projects so that these can be taken up in 11th five year plan. He said that focus of these projects should be on Irrigation and flood control. He said that if we have to fulfill the dream of Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh then we will have to do a lot for the development of Irrigation potential not only in J&K State but in the entire country.
During the course of discussions in the meeting, so far as irrigation sector was concerned , the Minister was informed that the budget for the 11th Plan shall be increased substantially as compared to 10th Plan in order to harness more irrigation potential in the State. Besides this, the Union Minister was apprised about the development of the basins of River Chenab, Tawi and Jhelum so as to formulate a comprehensive action plan which can save thousands of acres of land which gets eroded away every year due to unprecedented floods in these basins.
The Minister was also apprised about the need for deployment of more rigs in the State for exploring ground water which shall be used for irrigation and drinking water purposes in the State. Prof. Soz was also requested for providing full assistance from the Water Resources Ministry for construction of Water Structure on River Tawi. The Minister was apprised that the proposed project of state government is aimed at beautifying Jammu and for promoting tourism in the State.
Prof. Soz called upon the officials to make people aware about the need for harvesting rain water which shall help not only in recharging ground water but can also be used for every day use . He said that it is the endeavor of his ministry to provide safe drinking water to all the people of the country latest by the end of year 2007 or beginning of the year 2008. He said that people need to be made fully aware that Water is a precious commodity and it needs to be conserved . Prof. Soz said that his Ministry will bring a proposal before the Union Cabinet for its approval for Celebrating the Year 2007 as the Year of Water. He said that State Government should take initiative in organizing a national level seminar wherein people can be made aware about the impact and dangers of Global Warming.
The Union Minister was apprised by the Officers of National Institute of Hydrology that their department has undertaken the exercise to Study the receding behavior of Glaciers in the upper reaches of Himalayas( Lahul & Spiti) and to see its simultaneous effect on the environment. Sh.Soz asked the officers that this is a very important exercise and should be completed within a period of 3-4 months.
The Meeting was attended among others by Commissioner Secretary, Sh.Mehboob Iqbal, Regional Director, Central Ground Water Board, Sh.S.C.Dhiman, Dr. M.K.Goel of National Institute of Hydrology, Sh.Nirmal Prakash of Central water Commission, Sh.V.K.Abrol, Chief Engineer, Irrigation and Flood Control and Superintending Engineer, PHE etc.
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