PRAGATI Platform Drives Mega Projects in J&K, Says Chief Secretary

Highlighting the transformative impact of the PRAGATI platform in expediting major developmental projects across J&K, the chief secretary said that it has emerged as a powerful instrument for resolving long-pending issues and ensuring the timely execution of big-ticket initiatives.

Addressing a press briefing here, the Chief Secretary underscored the significance of PRAGATI@50, noting that the technology-driven governance mechanism has successfully unlocked several projects that had remained stalled for decades due to inter-departmental bottlenecks and procedural delays.

Citing the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project as a prime example, the Chief Secretary said that despite being initiated in 1995, the project witnessed minimal progress for nearly 25 years.

"However, after being taken up under PRAGATI for close monitoring, the project gained substantial momentum due to enhanced inter-departmental coordination and direct intervention at the highest level by the Prime Minister himself," the chief secretary said.

He informed that all projects with an outlay of more than Rs 500 crore are monitored by the Prime Minister's Group (PMG) headed by the Cabinet Secretary, while the most critical among them are directly reviewed by the Prime Minister through PRAGATI meetings.

Elaborating further, the Chief Secretary stated that the PMG is currently monitoring 61 projects in Jammu and Kashmir, with a cumulative investment of over Rs 4.12 lakh crore, spanning key sectors such as connectivity, energy, and social infrastructure.

Out of these, 15 projects with an outlay of Rs 69,000 crore have already been completed, while the remaining projects are at various stages of execution.

He specifically pointed out that 15 major projects are under direct monitoring of the Prime Minister through the PRAGATI platform, enabling swift resolution of issues related to land acquisition, financial and physical constraints, and ensuring timely and fair compensation to affected families.

Highlighting the high effectiveness of the mechanism, the Chief Secretary revealed that out of 59 issues pertaining to J&K taken up in earlier PRAGATI meetings, 57 have already been resolved on merit, placing the union territory among the top performers nationally, supplemented by robust district-level follow-up by the administration.

On the tangible outcomes achieved, he said that six high-impact projects worth approximately Rs 53,000 crore have been completed in Jammu & Kashmir under PRAGATI monitoring. These include the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link, Kishanganga Hydroelectric Project along with its transmission line, AIIMS Jammu, the challenging Banihal stretch of NH-44, and the Alsteng-Kargil-Khaltse-Leh transmission line.

He further informed that nine additional projects being monitored under PRAGATI are progressing at a satisfactory pace. These include the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway Corridor, AIIMS Awantipora, Pakul Dul Hydroelectric Project, 4G mobile connectivity under USOF, and several other energy and connectivity projects across different parts of the UT.

Concluding the briefing, the Chief Secretary reaffirmed the government's commitment to fully implement the directions issued through the PRAGATI mechanism at the Union Territory level.

He emphasised that by leveraging this platform, the UT is poised to sustain the current momentum, ensuring that all developmental initiatives are outcome-oriented and completed within approved deadlines for each of them.

The press conference was attended by Commissioner Secretary, Information, M. Raju; Director Information, Nitish Rajora; Director, PIB Jammu, Neha Jalali; Joint Director Information Headquarters, Zahoor Ahmad Raina; Joint Director Information Jammu, Deepak Dubey, and other senior officers of the Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR).

- IANS