78 pc of PM's Development Package to JK disbursed: officials

Srinagar : The Centre has till now disbursed a total of Rs 62,599 to Jammu and Kashmir under Prime Minister’s Development Package (PMDP) for the state, Union Home Ministry officials said today.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who is on a four-day visit to the state, reviewed the progress of the implementation of PMDP project at a meeting which was attended by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh, state chief secretary B B Vyas and officials from his ministry here.

“The Centre has already sanctioned Rs 62,599 crore which amounts to 78 per cent of the total cost of the PMDP package,” officials said after the meeting. “The total cost of PMDP is 80,068 crore for 63 projects. PMDP includes assistance for rehabilitation of flood affected people. Rs 1,200 crore were given for the purpose and the project is complete now,” they said.

The project also includes increasing the lanes of the Chennai-Nashri section of the National Highway to four, which has also been completed. The cost of this project, which includes the longest road tunnel in India, was Rs 781 crore. Singh also reviewed the rehabilitation package for Jammu migrants which has been implemented under the PMDP, they said.

Earlier, Singh met Mehbooba and the two leaders discussed various issues including development and security challenges facing the state, the officials said.