Projects worth Rs 66,300 crore sanctioned for J&K's development

The government said that such initiatives would bring qualitative change in the lives of the people of the state

The government has so far sanctioned projects worth Rs 66,300 crore as part of the Rs 80,068-crore special package for development of Jammu and Kashmir announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in November 2015, the Union Home Ministry said on Friday.

Out of the 63 projects in the package covering various sectors like road, power, health, education and tourism, a total of 13 projects have already been completed, 44 are under implementation and six "very complex" projects are under various stages of processing, a Ministry statement said.

Major initiatives and projects include setting up of two AIIMS like institutions at an estimated cost of Rs 4,000 crore, the establishment of an IIT and IIM in the state at Rs 2,000 crore and construction of Zojila tunnel connecting Srinagar with Leh at Rs 9,000 crores, it said.

Other projects include Jammu-Akhnoor-Poonch road at an estimated cost of Rs 5,100 crore, construction of tunnels at Lachulunga Pass and Tanglang Pass at Rs 5,000 crore, ring roads in Jammu and Srinagar at Rs 3,750 crore, Kargil-Zanskar road at Rs 4,200 crore, Udhampur-Ramban-Banihal road at Rs 4,306 crore and Quazigund-Banihal road at Rs 2,410 crore.

They also include augmentation of power distribution infrastructure at Rs 3,500 crore, Srinagar-Leh 200 KV power transmission line costing Rs 1,800 crore and 1,000 MW Pakal Dul Hydro Power Project at Rs 8,100 crore, for which equity contribution of Rs 1,192 crore will be made by Central government.

"In addition to the Prime Minister's development package, many other important projects such as Shahpurkandi and Ujh Dam Project for irrigation and hydro power, Ratle Hydro power, and Dal Lake rejuvenation have also been sanctioned.

"Several schemes like Udaan, Himayat and Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana are also being undertaken for skilling the youth of the state, thereby facilitating their employment," the Home Ministry statement said.

"Youth and students from the state are being taken to different parts of the country under cultural exchange programmes. Sports activities have also been given major thrust."

The government said that such initiatives would bring qualitative change in the lives of the people of the state.

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