Jitendra Singh reviews status of Ujh Multipurpose Project in Jammu and Kashmir
Jammu, August 2
Union Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh has reviewed the status and phased implementation roadmap of the Ujh Multipurpose Project in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir and emphasised the need for expeditious implementation so that the benefits of this strategically important project reach the people at the earliest.
Singh, who is also Minister of State for PMO, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space, Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, held a detailed meeting with the officials of WAPCOS Ltd., a Government of India undertaking under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, which has been entrusted with the implementation of the project.
He advised WAPCOS to explore innovative solutions and implementation strategies while maintaining the highest standards of quality, safety and efficiency, a release said.
The Minister was informed that the project is being taken up in a phased manner. Work will commence while acquisition of the remaining land is pursued simultaneously, without waiting for completion of the entire land acquisition process. The implementing agency is also working out the project site and related requirements.
Singh said that under the leadership of PM Modi, long-pending national projects are being taken forward with renewed urgency.
He noted that the Ujh Multipurpose Project, conceived nearly a century ago, had remained in limbo for decades, while the Shahpurkandi project had remained pending for about four decades.
The delay in implementation of these projects, he said, resulted in the waters of the Ravi River and its tributaries continuing to flow into Pakistan.
The Minister said that even when the Indus Waters Treaty was in force, Ravi, Satluj and Beas were India's three rivers under the Treaty, with Ravi being the major river among them. He noted that the Treaty is now in abeyance.
Singh said that the revival of the Shahpurkandi project in 2019, which is now almost complete, and the revival of the Ujh Multipurpose Project in 2026 reflect the Government's resolve under Prime Minister Narendra Modi to realise long-delayed projects, optimise the use of India's water resources and deliver tangible benefits to the people.
The Ujh Multipurpose Project, located on the Ujh River, a main tributary of the Ravi River, is designed to generate around 186 MW to 212 MW of electricity. It is expected to provide irrigation to nearly 90,000 hectares of agricultural land in Kathua and Samba districts of Jammu & Kashmir and Pathankot and Gurdaspur districts of Punjab. The project will also supply drinking water to Kathua district and provide industrial water availability.
The project is expected to strengthen agricultural productivity, improve water security, create new opportunities for economic development and contribute to the overall socio-economic progress of the Union Territory. It also has an important security and border-management dimension and is backed by the Ministry of Home Affairs to restrict unregulated water flows and plug vulnerable cross-border infiltration routes along the riverbed.
Singh reviewed the implementation milestones in detail and stressed the need for close coordination among all stakeholders and effective monitoring for timely execution. He assured WAPCOS of the Government's full support and cooperation for the successful implementation and timely completion of the prestigious project.
— ANI
Reader Comments
The security angle here is just as important as the power generation. If we can plug those cross-border infiltration routes along the riverbed, it's a win-win for development and national security.
Interesting that they're starting construction before land acquisition is complete. Hope the government ensures fair compensation for the landowners whose land is being taken.
The Indus Waters Treaty angle is huge. With Ravi, Satluj, and Beas being "our" rivers under the treaty, it's about time we maximized their potential instead of letting the water flow wasted to Pakistan.
186-212 MW might not sound like much compared to big hydro projects, but for a region like Jammu, it's substantial. Plus the 90,000 hectares of irrigation will transform agriculture there.
A century-old project finally moving forward. It's remarkable how infrastructure planning in India sometimes takes generations. Glad to see the current administration pushing these forward.
The drinking water component for Kathua district is something people don't talk about enough. Access to clean drinking water will change lives there. This project has so many dimensions - power, irrigation, water supply, security.
<
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.