Srinagar: The Administrative Council (AC) which met here under the chairmanship of the Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha, today approved the enhancement of ex-gratia relief to the next-of-kin (NoK) of defence force personnel, hailing from J&K, who attain martyrdom either in or outside J&K.
Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar, Advisor to the Lieutenant Governor, Dr. Arun Kumar Mehta, Chief Secretary, J&K and Nitishwar Kumar, Principal Secretary to the Lieutenant Governor attended the meeting.
An official spokesman said that the AC approved the enhancement of ex-gratia relief from Rs. 5.00 lacs to Rs. 25.00 lacs in favour of NoK of those Defence Personnel who hail from J&K and attain martyrdom within the territorial jurisdiction of the UT of Jammu & Kashmir.
Similarly, the AC also sanctioned ex-gratia relief of Rs. 25.00 lacs in favour of NoK of those Defence Personnel hailing from Jammu & Kashmir, who attain martyrdom in consequence of official duties outside J&K/ within the country.
“These provisions will be made effective from 01.02.2022 and will remove the disparity between relief provisions in J&K and other States/UTs. The decision will also boost the morale of the soldiers who hail from J&K and are serving in adverse weather and terrain conditions,” said the spokesman.
The AC also accorded administrative approval to the proposal of the Jammu Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (JMRDA) for improvement/upgradation of the road network and allied infrastructure at Transport Nagar, Narwal, Jammu.
The Administrative Council approved the improvement/upgradation of the road network and allied infrastructure at Transport Nagar, Narwal, Jammu at an estimated cost of Rs. 33.57 Crore. The project will be completed in 12 months, the spokesman said.
The project aims at decongesting the area, facilitating users in hassle-free movement, and improving the economic/commercial activities by providing proper facilities both in terms of road/drain network and other amenities, said the spokesman.
The improvement/upgradation works will include laying of thick bituminous macadamization; surface drainage; factory-made chamfered concrete paver blocks; and internal roads of 7.50 Mtr width including intersection of major roads, over lean concrete, cement concrete, and RCC drain along the sides of major roads, he said.
The AC also approved proposal of Health and Medical Education Department to construct a 100-bedded Mother & Child Health Care Hospital at Lamberi Rajouri,
The sanctioned hospital will be constructed under National Health Mission (NHM) at an estimated cost of Rs. 47.232 Crore and will be completed by 2024-25, said the spokesman.
The new 100 Bedded Mother & Child Care Hospital will be equipped with facilities for emergency ward, OPD, IPD and operation theatres. Apart from MCH services, the hospital will also provide general healthcare and accidental services to the common masses besides serving the emergent health needs of tourists & pilgrims, he said.
Being centrally placed, the MCH will serve a large population of Rajouri and Poonch districts and will also serve as accidental hospital on the Jammu-Poonch National Highway.
The Administrative Council also approved up-gradation of the 30-bedded Community Health Centre at Billawar, Kathua to a 100- bedded Sub-District Hospital at an estimated cost of Rs. 28.18 crore. The project will be completed in financial year 2023-24, the spokesman said.
The project will strengthen the healthcare services of the area and help increase life expectancy and decrease IMR/ MMR in the region, besides meeting the long pending demand of the common masses of Billawar, Kathua and will also create more employment opportunities both for operationalization of the project and by way of development of additional support services around the project area, added the spokesman.
