Chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on Saturday announced setting up of the Chenab Valley Development Fund (CVDF) to protect environment and employment generation in the hilly region.
"The resources for Chenab Valley Development Fund would be mobilised by various means with 2% to be chipped in by the hydroelectric companies operating in the region. Besides, there will be contribution of the state government as well," the CM said while speaking at the district development board meetings of Doda and Kishtwar districts here on Saturday.
The meeting was informed that the plan allocation for Doda for 2014-15 was `87.06 crore, including `39.20 crore revenue component. For the current fiscal, the chief minister announced an allocation of `156.11 crore, which marks an increase of 179% over the last year's plan.
Similarly for Kishtwar, the allocation for 2014-15 was `69.86 crore, which included revenue component of `26.30 crore. For the current fiscal, the chief minister announced an allocation of `115.35 crore for the district.
Announcing the setting up of skill development institute of international standards in the Chenab valley area to make available qualified manpower for the power projects, the Mufti said the DPR for the skill development institute should be prepared within 10 days, so that the work could be started on the project within one month.
Calling for expansion and upgrade of the educational facilities and infrastructure in the area, the chief minister announced that a committee would identify the land for setting of Jammu University campus at Doda.
{{/usCountry}}Calling for expansion and upgrade of the educational facilities and infrastructure in the area, the chief minister announced that a committee would identify the land for setting of Jammu University campus at Doda.
{{/usCountry}}The CM also asked the tourism department to develop world class tourism infrastructure on the Chamba-Bhaderwah road so that tourists visiting Himachal Pradesh can also visit the Chenab Valley region. He announced immediate release of `40 lakh for development of the Bhaderwah-Bhallessa-Jai tourist circuit.
The chief minister said given the huge potential of medicinal and aromatic plants in the area, an appropriate site would be identified in the region at the earliest for establishment of National Institute Medicine Plants.
The chief minister asked the administration to take into account the assessment, aspirations and expectations of the legislators into consideration while framing the developmental plans.
"I have decided to chair all the DDB meetings personally to ensure better rapport between legislators and officers on the ground," he said.
Deputy chief minister Nirmal Singh, minister for forests & social welfare Bali Bhagat, who is also the chairman of DDB Kishtwar, and minister for animal husbandry and science and technology Sajad Gani Lone, who is chairman DDB Doda, also addressed the meeting.
Minister for finance and culture Haseeb A Drabu, minister of state for PWD and revenue Sunil Kumar Sharma, legislators G M Saroori, Shakti Raj Parihar, Daleep Singh Parihar, Neelam Langeh, Naresh Gupta, Sham Lal Bhagat, Sajad Kichloo and Firdous Ahmed Tak also attended the meeting.