PM inaugurates, lays foundation stones of projects worth Rs 20,000 crore in J-K

Palli (Samba), April 24

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurated and laid the foundation of multiple development projects worth over Rs 20,000 crore in Jammu and Kashmir, including the opening of the Banihal-Qazigund road tunnel to establish all-weather connectivity between the two regions of the union territory.

Modi, who celebrated the Panchayat Raj Diwas at Palli Gram Panchayat in Samba, said the youth of Jammu and Kashmir will get employment opportunities through overall development of the union territory.

This is the prime minister’s first visit to J-K after the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019.

“The inauguration and laying of foundation of projects of Rs 20,000 crore took place today. This will give new impetus to development of Jammu and Kashmir,” Modi said in an address to the people here.

He said that it is a big day for speeding up the development of the region. “I congratulate the people of Jammu and Kashmir for this.”

“Rs 38,000 crore of private investment has been received in J&K in two years as compared to Rs 17,000 crore in last seven decades,” the prime minister said.

The central laws, which would empower people here, were not implemented over the years, and have been implemented by the present government, he said.

Prime Minister inaugurated the Banihal-Qazigund road tunnel to establish all-weather connectivity between the Jammu and Kashmir regions of the union territory.

The 8.45-km-long tunnel will reduce the road distance between Banihal and Qazigund by 16 km and reduce the journey time by around one-and-a half-hours, officials said.

The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone of three road packages of the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway, being built at a cost of over Rs 7,500 crore, apart from launching ‘Amrit Sarvor’ initiative seeking to develop and rejuvenate 75 water bodies in every district of the country.

Among other projects, Modi also laid foundation stone of Rattle and Kwar hydroelectric projects, a 850 MW facility to be constructed on the Chenab river in Kishtwar at a cost of around Rs 5,300 crore, and 540 MW Kwar hydroelectric project to be built on the same river at a cost of over Rs 4,500 crore.

Palli enters history as India’s first ‘carbon-neutral panchayat’

Palli: The nondescript hamlet of Palli in Jammu and Kashmir’s border district of Samba entered the ‘modern history’ of India on Sunday as the country’s first “carbon neutral panchayat” with Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicating to the nation 500 KV solar plant, installed in a record time of nearly three weeks.

Modi inaugurated the solar power plant amid cheer and applause from the people.

The prime minister said Palli had shown the way to the country for achieving carbon-neutral state. “People of Palli have helped in the project. They have also provided food to people engaged in the project,” he said.