JAMMU, MARCH 22: The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly today passed the Demands for Grants amounting to Rs. 154531.84 lakh for Forest, Ecology & Environment, 157671.32 lakh for Irrigation & Flood Control Department, Rs. 350126.57 lakh for PHE (Jal Shakti) and Rs. 44,299.17 lakh for the Tribal Affairs Department.
The House passed the Demands for Grants through a voice vote on Saturday evening.
Earlier, during the day, the Assembly discussed the Demands for Grants, and Members of the House put forth their views and suggestions.
Winding up the discussion on Demands for Grants, Minister for Jal Shakti, Forest, Ecology & Environment and Tribal Affairs, Javed Ahmed Rana, extended his gratitude to the MLAs for their valuable suggestions and constructive observations on the demand for grants.
He said that inputs reflect the collective commitment of this House towards ensuring sustainable development, environmental conservation,n and welfare of the people of Jammu & Kashmir.
He said that the government is fully committed to addressing the concerns raised while ensuring efficient utilization of resources to meet the aspirations of the people.
While speaking regarding the Jal Shakti department, Rana said that the government is determined to provide “Har Ghar Nal Se Jal” to all rural households and is utilizing resources from Jal Jeevan Mission, NABARD, and UT, Capex to provide fifty-five (55) liters of clean drinking water per capita daily, conforming to BIS 10000 and 10500 standards.
“To achieve this objective, J&K has planned the execution of 3253 Water Supply Schemes at an estimated cost of Rs 13344.25 crore to provide new tap water connections as well as to upgrade the existing connections, provided under erstwhile programs, to make them JJM compliant by raising the new infrastructure as well as retrofitting the existing infrastructure, wherever required,” informed the Minister.
Reflecting on the achievements, he informed that major strides have been made in the implementation of the Mission during the past 02 ½ years and more than 1400 (43%) Water Supply Schemes have been completed to date, and out of the remaining 1853 schemes, about 1500 schemes have recorded a progress of more than 50 percent.
Regarding the expenditure incurred, he said that it has picked up from Rs 441 crore on ongoing works in the initial 03 years to 6560 on new works, in the past 03 years.
“J&K which languished at the bottom is now figuring at 5th in the overall functionality assessment conducted by the Ministry of Jal Shakti, GoI, through a third-party agency. The overall functionality of J&K has improved from 53 percent in the year 2022 to 74 percent in 2024,” he said. He added that J&K is ranking first in the Water Quality Monitoring and Surveillance at the National level.
“All the 22 water testing laboratories at the UT and State Level have been NABL accredited for a robust water quality monitoring mechanism,” he added.
Field Testing Kits (FTKs) have been distributed among the local communities for conducting tests of water samples on their own, for which more than 37000 women have been trained for the use of FTKs.
Rana said that every measure has been taken to ensure that the quality of pipes is appropriate and the quality check through reputed agencies is being done at the manufacturing site and by the Departmental Committee on receiving the material at the central stores.
The Minister said that transparency, accountability, and quality control mechanisms in the implementation of the Mission have been given top priority and a slew of measures have been taken to ensure the same.
Rana also gave details about the funds allocated for Water Supply Schemes under other sources like NABARD Schemes (PHE Sector), Water Supply Scheme AIIMS Awantipora, and AIIMS Vijaypur.
“The department is purchasing 10 fresh tankers to augment the existing fleet to ensure the department is better equipped to tackle water shortages and meet the needs of our citizens” he maintained.
Talking about the Irrigation and Flood Control Sector (I&FC), he said the department is committed to expanding the irrigation coverage, supporting the farmers who cultivate Kharif and Rabi crops through existing infrastructure upkeep, enhancing irrigation potential, and implementing new projects.
He said that to increase the area under assured irrigation, we’re collaborating on strategic initiatives, with Major irrigation projects funded under PMKSY-AIBP and Minor Irrigation Projects covered under PMKSY HKKP.
Rana further said that under NABARD loan assistance, 12 projects amounting to Rs 177 crore have been cleared under RIDF 30. These projects comprised 8 irrigation sector projects and 4 flood sector projects, all set to commence in 2025-26. He called for a collaborative approach to work together to create a water-secure future, for the present times and for generations to come.
While talking about the Forest, Ecology & Environment, Javed Rana said that the department is set to achieve the target of planting 150 lakh plants during the year 2024-25 under the program “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam”, launched by the Prime Minister. He said that the department’s continuous efforts have led to positive results, as J & K recorded a net increase of 91.25 sq. km in forest and tree cover as per the Indian State of Forest Report 2023.
“During the current financial year, 16.251 lakh cft Timber was extracted and 13.67 lakh cft supplied by the J&K Forest Development Corporation. Further, 1.09 lakh cft timber has been supplied from Concessional Timber Sale depots and Fair Price Supply Divisions in 2024-25,” he said.
The Minister also said that the department is updating the State Action Plan on Climate Change (SAPCC) to address regional climate projections. This included assessing the sector and community vulnerabilities and integrating adaptation and mitigation strategies for resilience. The plan outlines 55 mitigation and 98 adaptation measures to be implemented by various departments by 2030, he said.
Regarding the implementation of the Forest Rights Act, of 2006, Rana said that 6,058 claims have been settled in J&K, comprising 348 individual and 5,710 community forest rights claims.
To ensure systematic forest land diversion for development activities, cases are processed online through the PARIVESH portal. “So far, 2,775 forest clearance cases have been received, with 1,159 Stage-I approvals and 507 final approvals granted, leading to the diversion of 629.95 hectares,” he said.
The Minister said that the J & K Pollution Control Committee (JKPCC) has taken key steps to improve the Ease of Doing Business by extending the Consent validity period for industries and adopting a revised industry classification.
Talking about Wular Lake, the largest freshwater wetland in Asia and a Ramsar site, Rana said that it is undergoing major restoration with a focus on ecotourism and local livelihoods.
The Minister also highlighted the need for conservation of Wildlife saying that the Wildlife protected areas are being managed scientifically with approved plans, regular patrolling, and strict enforcement of the Wildlife Protection Act.
“The Department of Wildlife Protection has set up 42 control rooms across J&K to prevent poaching and human-wildlife conflicts. To strengthen manpower across all wings, the Forest Department is ensuring timely recruitment through selection agencies and fast-tracking promotions,” he added.