The committee found that out of the Rs 67,046 crore worth projects that have been sanctioned, Rs 17,913 crore have been released to the state government.

Agencies

New Delhi, January 5:

The Centre has sanctioned projects worth Rs 66,300 crore in the Rs 80,068 crore special package for Jammu and Kashmir announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, officials said on January 4.

They said there are 63 projects in the package covering various sectors namely Road, Power, Renewal Energy, Health, Education, Water Resources and Tourism among others.

“Till date, an amount of Rs 66,300 crore has been sanctioned. Thirteen projects have already been completed, 44 are under implementation and six very complex projects are under various stages of processing,” an official said.

The major projects cleared by the Centre include two AIIMS like institutions at an estimated cost of Rs 4,000 crore, an IIT and IIM at an estimated cost of Rs 2,000 crore, construction of Zojila tunnel connecting Srinagar with Leh at an estimated cost of Rs 9,000 crore, Jammu-Akhnoor-Poonch Road at an estimated cost of Rs 5,100 crore, construction of tunnels at Lachulunga pass and Tanglang pass at an estimated cost of Rs 5,000 crore.

“In addition to PM’s Development Package, many other important projects such as Shahpurkandi and Ujh Dam Project for irrigation and Hydro power, Ratle Hydro power, Dal Lake Rejuvenation have also been sanctioned,” the official said.

In March last year, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs, headed by senior Congress leader P Chidambaram, in a report tabled in the Rajya Sabha, had said the progress on implementing the Prime Minister’s development package had been slow and a “poor outcome” had been achieved in the past 12 months.

The committee found that out of the Rs 80,068 crore Prime Minister’s Development Package for Jammu and Kashmir, projects of Rs 67,046 crore have been sanctioned and Rs 17,913 crore have been released to the state government.

The committee had noted that most of the projects, including that for creation of jobs, transit accommodations, one-time settlement of 36,384 families from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Chhamb displaced persons, and raising of India Reserve Battalions, were still under progress and “little outcome was achieved”.

The prime minister had on November 7, 2015, during his visit to Srinagar, announced Rs 80,000 crore development package for the state. Later, more aid was announced.