REASI: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah conducted an exhaustive review of developmental works and civic delivery mechanisms across Reasi district, virtually laying foundation stones for five major infrastructure projects worth a combined Rs 20.38 crore and issuing firm directions to departments to accelerate capital expenditure during the remaining working season.
The projects inaugurated via e-foundation encompass key connectivity, power distribution, and rural facilities: a Rs 5.14 crore PMGSY road renewal project connecting Gran to Sukhalghati (up to Toot); a Rs 4.77 crore 6.3 MVA, 33/11 KV power receiving station at Chassana (Mahore); a Rs 4.16 crore 3.15 MVA receiving station at Gulabgarh; a Rs 4.64 crore Centre of Excellence for agriculture; and boundary wall and ground development at Kalka Akhara in Reasi valued at Rs 1.64 crore.
Addressing senior bureaucrats, district officers, and local legislators, the Chief Minister underlined that Reasi presents distinct infrastructural planning hurdles because of its challenging mountainous topography coupled with an enormous floating population exceeding one crore pilgrims annually visiting the holy shrine of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi and nearby shrines.
“Planning and public utility capacities in Reasi must be engineered to cater not merely to the permanent resident population but to the immense pilgrim influx that traverses the district year-round,” Abdullah said, assuring that the administration will provide enhanced resources to expand basic amenities.
Reviewing the Scheme for Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI), the Chief Minister warned that administrative inertia between administrative approval and ground execution would not be tolerated. He instructed executing agencies to achieve an expenditure benchmark surpassing 80 percent, warning that sluggish fund utilization risks jeopardising future Central incentives and allocations.
Abdullah also addressed frontline staffing shortages in key welfare and engineering departments, noting that vacancies at cutting-edge field levels directly impair public service delivery. He assured that departmental reviews are underway to streamline personnel deployment.
The high-level meeting was attended by Cabinet Ministers Ali Mohammad Sagar, Sakina Itoo, Mir Saifullah, Shamim Firdous, and Altaf Ahmed Wani; Advisor to the CM Nasir Aslam Wani; local MLAs Baldev Raj Sharma, Khursheed Ahmed, and Kuldeep Raj Dubey; Additional Chief Secretary to the CM Dheeraj Gupta; alongside the Deputy Commissioner and Senior Superintendent of Police of Reasi.
Published by True Roots Media