Srinagar: Minister for Revenue, Relief, Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Disaster Management, Abdul Rehman Veeri, on Tuesday said that development of infrastructure under Jhelum and Tawi Flood Recovery Project (JTFRP) would uplift economic profile of state.

The Minister said during a meeting which was attended by CEO JTFRP Saurabh Bhagat, Secretary Housing and Urban Development Hardesh Kumar, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Baseer Ahmed Khan, Development Commissioner PWD Bimal Tikoo, Managing Director JKPCC DaleepThusoo, Director Disaster Management Authority Aamir Ali, Director Technical Project Monitoring Unit JTFRP Iftikhar Ahmad Kakroo and other officers.

The Minister asked officials to speed up the formation of Type design and DPR for formulation of Emergency Operation Center over 50 kanals of land already identified.

He also asked the officers to setup infrastructure for proper functioning of government machinery during disasters besides camping of tents, men and machinery for deployment during disasters.

The Minister sought the details of the projects worth Rs 459.74 crore being executed by R&B Department in Kashmir Division under JTFRP submitted for the approval and asked for the status of other projects besides directing them to expedite the process of formulating DPR and tendering them out.

The Minister was also informed by JKPCC that work is in full swing on Trenz, Sheikhpora, Ruhmo Pulwama bridge and many other bridges in south and north Kashmir.

The meeting was also informed that DPR is under process for mega Nowgam and Dood Ganga project.

The Minister directed the CEO JTFRP to review the functioning of prestigious project on weekly basis besides asking all the concerned departments to appoint nodal officers for expediting developmental works.

Veeri asked the officials to gear up the needed resources and get approvals at fast pace under the World Bank funded, the $250 million Jhelum and Tawi Flood Recovery Project.

Besides sticking to timeline, the Minister asked the officials to assign priority to works according to their flood damage assessment so that they would be taken up according to the importance.

He stressed on fast tracking the implementation of the project in order to achieve the project objectives within the set timelines.

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