The cost of the Ujh Multipurpose Project has increased to Rs 2741 crore making the cost of the project Rs 11908 crore. Earlier its cost was Rs 9167 crore.
In January, India’s environment ministry’s expert panels have recommended clearance for the Ujh multipurpose hydroelectric project in the Kathua region of Jammu Kashmir for which 214,502 trees in the ecologically sensitive area will need to be cut.
Ninety percent funding of the project is done by the central government and 10 percent by the state. Therefore, before approving the revised cost, the central government needs the concurrence of the state government. The central government has asked the administration to give consent for funding.
The Ministry of Home Affairs on Friday held a high-level meeting with the officials of the Jammu Kashmir administration and Punjab to review the works of the Prime Minister’s Development Package.
In the meeting held under the chairmanship of Piyush Goyal, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, it was informed that the irrigation potential of Shahpur Kandi Project is 53927 hectares of land. With this, the irrigation needs of Samba and Kathua districts can be met.
It was told that the land acquisition process has been started on the banks of Ravi Canal. As soon as the compensation process is completed, the Punjab government will be informed about it. 192 kanals of land is to be acquired for the project.
Out of this, only five percent of land is left to be acquired. The land has been handed over to the construction company. The work could not start due to the non-handing over of the small piece of land.
The amount of compensation will be decided in 15 days
In the meeting, Chief Secretary Dr. Arun Kumar Mehta told that in the next 15 days, after determining the amount of compensation, the information will be given to the Punjab Government.
The representative of the Punjab government said that due to water in Shahpur Kandi reservoir, a part of Lakhanpur-Basohli road has been absorbed. The Chief Secretary directed the Administrative Secretary, Jal Shakti Department that the road should either be realigned or an alternate bridge and road project should be prepared so that the work of the reservoir could be completed by the Punjab Government in the first quarter of 2023