Minister for PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control, Sham Lal Choudhary today asserted that the Government is committed to ensure enhanced facilities to the people in every nook and corner of the State with emphasis on border and rural pockets of the three regions. The Minister stated this after inaugurating Rs 1.50 crore blacktopping work on 3.5 km length road from Badyal to Kotli Arjun Singh to Katyal Gate. Later, the Minister laid foundation stone of model village at Sai Kalan which will be developed at an estimated cost of Rs 15 crore. The panchayats including Sai Kalan, Talhar, Chak Mulla, Baispur/Parlah, Magowah and Dewan Garh would be developed on modern lines in a phased manner. He also started the construction work of 150 feet lane and drain at Sai Kalan. Addressing a huge gathering after launching the development works, Sham said that Government has taken several initiatives for the up-liftment of farmers and rural economy through a series of State and Central sponsored schemes. He said that Central Government is generous in providing funds to carry forward flagship programmes and enhancing the livelihood of the poor masses. He called upon the local administration as well as PRIs to ensure greater public participation in every developmental endeavor initiated in line with the broader policies of the Coalition Government. The public of the area put forth various problems and demands including up-gradation of roads, enhancing discharge capacity of lift irrigation schemes, release of wages of daily rated workers, new ration card and school up-gradation. The Minister assured the public that the macadamization and blacktopping work on Sai Kalan road will be started within a week’s time and the other demands will also be fulfilled in a phased manner. He asked the people to maintain close coordination with the officers as well as public representatives to ensure better development of their areas. He also directed the officers to attend people’s problems on priority and achieve the targets within time frame. He said that the Government was tirelessly working for the development of far-flung areas by providing better civic amenities and other social infrastructure. Earlier, the Minister chaired a senior officers meeting to review the water supply position of Jammu city. He stressed on the concerned officers to launch a mass awareness to educate the people about the judicious use of water and its shortfall due to extreme hot weather conditions across the State. He directed the concerned engineers to mobilize the field staff to check illegal connections and plug the leakages, if any to save the water for public usages. He asked the engineers to monitor and check up the water tankers service through GPRS system to avoid misuse of the tankers. The Minister was informed that presently the construction work on 19 tube-wells in Jammu city is under progress and some of them are nearing completion. He directed the executing agency ERA to complete all the tube-wells in time bound manners. He hoped that after commissioning of new tube-wells, the shortfall in water supply will be improved. He stressed upon the concerned officers to work with more dedication and honesty and also sought cooperation from people for proper maintenance of water supply schemes. Among others, Chief Engineer, PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control, R.K. Gandotra, Superintending Engineer Urban, Sunil Kumar Gupta, Executive Engineers City-I and II, Executive Engineer ERA and other officers and engineers of concerned department were present in the meeting.
