Union Home Minister Announces New Highway From Kargil To Gurez In J&K
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh announced that a new highway would be constructed in Jammu and Kashmir along the border from Kargil to Gurez.
He made this announcement at a high-level meeting convened to review the implementation of various developmental initiatives in the State. Governor Satya Pal Malik, Advisors to the Governor, B B Vyas, K Vijay Kumar and Khurshid Ahmad Ganai, Union Home Secretary, Rajiv Gauba, J&K Chief Secretary, BVR Subrahmanyam, state’s Administrative Secretaries and other senior officers of the Central and the State Government were present at the meeting.
The Union Home Minister said that the Ministry for Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH), Government of India has been asked to prepare the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the new highway taking off at Kargil in Ladakh and culminating at Gurez in district Bandipora after traversing through Machhil, Keran and Tangdhar.
The Union Home Minister also took a detailed review of the projects being implemented under the Prime Minister’s Development Programme (PMDP), the Dal Lake Conservation programme, establishment of 5 new battalions of Indian Reserve Police (IRP) in the state, progress of capacity building of local youth under Himayat, Udaan and Prime Minister’s Kaushal Vikas Yojana, Prime Minister’s Special Scholarship Scheme (PMSSS) for J&K students, creation of sports infrastructure and educational exchange programmes.
J&K Chief Secretary sought the Union Home Minister’s intervention to get Industrial Development Package on the pattern of Northeast Industrial Development Scheme extended to J&K which has extra incentives for the entrepreneurs. He also sought a special dispensation of Rs 1724 crore for land acquisition under PMGSY which has not been factored in from Phase-X to Phase-XII.
The Chief Secretary also sought additional Rs 759 crore for Srinagar Ring Road Project and relaxation in SDRF norms for purchase of equipment.