Jammu: The Jammu and Kashmir Government on Monday informed the Legislative Assembly that the Achabal area of Anantnag district is adequately catered to by the existing water supply infrastructure and there is no proposal to create a separate Public Health Engineering (PHE) Division there.
Replying to a question raised by legislator Abdul Majeed Bhat, Minister for Jal Shakti Javed Ahmed Rana said the area falls under Jal Shakti (PHE) Division Bijbehara and is being effectively served by PHE Sub-Divisions Anantnag and Kokernag. He said the two subdivisions together manage 157 Water Supply Schemes (WSSs) covering 31,448 households.
The Minister said that since a large number of schemes are operational and the workload remains balanced, there is presently no functional or administrative justification for establishing a separate PHE Division at Achabal.
He further informed that 70 water supply schemes in the area have been taken up under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), UT Capex and NABARD at an estimated cost of ₹17,182.02 lakh, of which 52 schemes have already been completed, while the remaining are at different stages of execution.
Two-pronged strategy for flood management in Anantnag
In response to another question raised by legislator Nizam-ud-din Bhat on behalf of legislator Peerzada Mohammad Syed, the Minister said the government has adopted a two-pronged strategy comprising short-term and long-term measures to mitigate flood risks in Anantnag district.
He informed the House that the district has 195 flood-prone villages and continuous efforts are underway to protect life, property and agricultural assets. Under PMDP Phase-II, permanent flood protection works have been undertaken to strengthen flood management infrastructure in vulnerable areas.
The Minister said bank protection works have been executed at critical locations at a cost of ₹10.07 crore covering 873 metres, while embankments have been raised at a cost of ₹18.97 crore over a length of 9,168 metres.
Short-term measures include restoration of weak spots identified during safety audits of river embankments through temporary protection works such as laying filled EC bags on bunds, besides pre-positioning material and keeping men and machinery ready ahead of the flood season.
Regarding irrigation, he said Anantnag has 64 irrigation schemes—47 gravity schemes, 15 Lift Irrigation Schemes and two Tube Well Irrigation Schemes—covering a cultivable command area of 22,742 hectares. An irrigation potential of 18,667 hectares has been created, with 18,481 hectares presently under utilisation.
He added that 19 irrigation schemes were taken up under AIBP-PMKSY, of which seven are complete and the rest are under progress, while seven additional schemes have been undertaken under UT Capex, two of which stand completed.
Chakoora lift irrigation scheme under technical review
The Minister also informed the House that a technical reappraisal of the balance components of the Lift Irrigation Scheme Chakoora in Pulwama is underway. The project, funded under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) 1.0, will be taken forward based on the revised benefit-cost ratio, cost estimates and command area to be assessed through the review.
He said the scheme has remained incomplete due to inadequate funding in the irrigation sector, particularly from central assistance, and further action will be initiated after the reappraisal is completed.