On the occasion of National Panchayati Raj Day on 24 April, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will undertake a visit to Jammu and Kashmir and address all the Gram Sabhas across the country.
During the visit, Prime Minister will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of multiple development initiatives worth around Rs 20,000 crore.
In Kashmir, he will also launch the Amrit Sarovar initiative before heading to Mumbai to attend the Master Deenanath Mangeshkar Awards Ceremony in Mumbai, where he will also receive the 1st Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar Award.
A press release from the PM’s office said that since the introduction of constitutional reforms with regards to J&K in August 2019, the government has been focused on bringing about wide-ranging reforms to substantially improve governance and enhance ease of living for the people of the region at an unprecedented pace.
The projects being inaugurated and whose foundation stone is being laid during this visit will go a long way in facilitating the provision of basic amenities, ensuring ease of mobility and development of infrastructure in the region.
Banihal Qazigund Road Tunnel
Prime Minister will inaugurate the Banihal Qazigund Road Tunnel, built at a cost of over Rs 3100 crore.
The 8.45 Km long tunnel would reduce the road distance between Banihal and Qazigund by 16 km, and reduce journey time by around one and a half hours.
It is a twin-tube tunnel – one for each direction of travel – with the twin tubes being interconnected by a cross passage every 500m, for maintenance and emergency evacuation.
The tunnel would help establish an all-weather connection between Jammu and Kashmir and bring the two regions closer.
Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway
Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of three road packages of Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway, being built at a cost of over Rs. 7500 crore.
They are for the construction of a 4/6 lane access controlled Delhi-Katra-Amritsar Expressway from Balsua on NH-44 to Gurha Baildaran, Hiranagar; Gurha Baildaran, Hiranagar to Jakh, Vijaypur; and Jakh, Vijaypur to Kunjwani, Jammu with spur connectivity to Jammu Airport.
Ratle and Kwar Hydroelectric Projects
Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone of the Ratle and Kwar Hydroelectric projects. The 850 MW Ratle Hydroelectric Project will be constructed on the Chenab river in Kishtwar District at a cost of around Rs 5300 crore.
The 540 MW Kwar Hydroelectric Project will also be built on the Chenab river in Kishtwar District at a cost of over Rs. 4500 crore. Both the projects will help meet the power requirements of the region.
Dedication of Jan Aushadi Kendras
In order to further expand the network of Jan Aushadi Kendras in J&K and to make good quality generic medicines at affordable prices available, 100 Kendras have been made functional and will be dedicated to the nation by the Prime Minister.
These Kendras are located in the remote corners of the UT. He will also inaugurate a 500 KW solar power plant at Palli, which will make it the country’s first panchayat to become carbon neutral.
SVAMITVA Cards Distribution
Prime Minister will hand over SVAMITVA cards to beneficiaries under the scheme.
He will also transfer award money to Panchayats who are winners of awards given across different categories on National Panchayati Raj Day for their achievements.
Prime Minister will also visit the INTACH photo gallery which depicts the rural heritage of the region, and Nokia Smartpur, a rural entrepreneurship-based model designed to create ideal smart villages in India.
Amrit Sarovar Scheme
With a view to ensuring the rejuvenation of water bodies, the Prime Minister will also launch a new initiative named Amrit Sarovar.
The Amrit Sarovar scheme is aimed at developing and rejuvenating 75 water bodies in each district of the country. It is yet another ode of the government towards the celebration of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.