Chief Secretary reviews urban transformation, livelihood generation schemes of H&UDD
Srinagar, Jun 23: Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo on Monday chaired a crucial meeting of Housing & Urban Development Department (H&UDD) to comprehensively review the progress on various works and schemes pivotal to transform the lives of people across the urban areas of J&K.
The significant deliberations saw the participation of officers including Commissioner Secretary, H&UDD, Commissioner JMC/SMC; MD, J&K Housing Board; MD, NULM and other concerned officers while Deputy Commissioners from all districts joined the proceedings virtually. During the extensive review, the Chief Secretary emphasised on prompt completion of Smart City works that have been ongoing for several years. He observed that many of these projects are in their final stages of completion so it is imperative that we push for their swift conclusion now to ensure the intended benefits reach our citizens without further delay, said an official press release.
Reviewing the housing schemes under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) [PMAY(U)], being implemented through the J&K Housing Board, the Chief Secretary called for intensified efforts on completing houses under Beneficiary Led Construction (BLC), Interest Subsidy Scheme (ISS), Affordable Housing in Partnership (AHP), Affordable Rental Housing Complexes (ARHC) and Economically Weaker Section (EWS) verticals. He asked the Housing Board to proactively engage with the beneficiaries to ensure dwelling units are completed within stipulated timeline. The performance of e-buses, introduced under the FAME project, also came under scrutiny.
The Chief Secretary asked for initiating measures to reduce the disparity between expenditure incurred and revenue realized by these buses plying on city roads in Jammu and Srinagar. Notable ongoing Smart City projects in Jammu included the iconic Tawi Riverfront Development, Oceanarium at Bag-e-Bahu, Waste to Wonder Park and crucial heritage conservation and street development initiatives. CEOs of JSCL and SSCL informed the meeting that these e-buses are currently generating revenue of Rs 11/km, significantly below the national average of Rs 38/km for such services.
Assessing livelihood generation schemes such as the National Urban Livelihood Mission (NULM), PM-SVANidhi and department’s readiness for the newly rolled-out D-JAY (Shehri) scheme, Dulloo reiterated the government’s focus on uplifting the urban poor. MD, NULM, Mridhu Salathia, informed the meeting about the impending pilot implementation of the D-JAY (Shehri) scheme. She explained that this scheme has been designed to address the occupational, social and residential vulnerabilities of the urban poor over the next five years.
