Assess damages, prepare DPRs for civil works: Deputy CM to officers

UNA, AUGUST 21

Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri today visited flood-affected areas in the Haroli and Una Assembly segments. He visited sites in Pandoga, Khad and Panehra villages of the Haroli segment, besides the damaged bridge in Rampur village of the Una segment.

He directed the PWD and Jal Shakti Department officers to assess the damage and prepare detailed project reports (DPRs) for civil works to be undertaken.

At Pandoga village, Agnihotri said Rs 11 crore would be spent on strengthening and widening of the Pandoga to Panjawar road in Haroli subdivision in view of the increasing traffic on the road. Besides, he said, Rs 3 crore had been sanctioned for construction of a minor bridge near the police post and a village link road in Pandoga, adding that a safety wall would be constructed at a cost of Rs 2.37 crores in the village to protect about 100 households from flooding during the monsoons.

The Dy CM said sums of Rs 3.35 crore and Rs 6.9 crore would be spent on flood protection works in Athwain and Khad villages. He ordered removal of silt deposited in the minor check dam in Panehda village.

Agnihotri said the state government had initiated ‘Him Unnati’ Scheme to promote natural farming for which a provision of Rs 150 crore has been made. He said under the scheme, 2,600 agriculture groups comprising about 50,000 farmers would be formed, adding that wheat produce at Rs 40 and maize yield at Rs 30 per kilogram would be procured from these groups by the government, enhancing their farm income.

Agnihotri said the state government was initiating moves to check fleecing of potato cultivators by middlemen. He said this while listening to public complaints at Pandoga village. The belt along the Swan river like Pandoga, Panjawar, Ispur and Saloh villages is a cultivating ground for potato crop and farmers had complained of cheating by middlemen while selling their produce in the markets across the state borders.