AC accords Administrative Approval for upgradation of Malla Khul to benefit 26 villages of District Budgam

JAMMU : The Administrative Council (AC) which met here today under Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha accorded Administrative Approval for Construction/Improvement of Malla Khul in Beerwah area of District Budgam amounting to Rs. 24.84 Cr.

Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar, Advisor to the Lieutenant Governor; Dr.Arun Kumar Mehta, Chief Secretary, J&K and Mandeep Kumar Bandhari, Principal Secretary to Lieutenant Governor attended the meeting.

The estimated cost of the project is Rs. 24.84 crore, to be funded under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) programme with funding pattern of 90:10 and is expected to irrigate cultivable command area of 1725 hectares during Kharief season and 665 hectares during Rabi season benefitting 26 villages of district Budgam.

The decision will enable the Department to repair this canal which is in dilapidated condition and thus requires a full scale construction to prevent leakages and overflow. The scheme which will run on gravity, with 2.52 Cumecs of discharge with benefit cost ratio of 4.98:1. The construction of the scheme is expected to generate 110458 mandays of skilled and 441831 mandays of unskilled labours in the area.

The decision will fulfil the long pending demand to solve the irrigation problem of the area and will lead to conversion of farm agriculture from rain fed to irrigated farming.