The state government of Jammu and Kashmir has approved the Katra Master Plan 2031 for the better development of the area. The master plan is approved for Katra Town of Reasi district.
The official said that the State Administrative Council (SAC), which met here today under the Chairmanship of Governor N N Vohra, approved the Master Plan-2031 of Katra Town.
He stated that the revised Master Plan of Katra would be covering a Local Area of 79. 56 sq km in comparison to the present 11.06 sq km.
Katra Town is the base camp for the pilgrimage to the renowned Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine situated on foothills of Trikuta Mountains.
Huge commercial expansion of this town and its railway connectivity in the recent past had necessitated a mid-term revision of the existing Master Plan of Katra, which would have otherwise continued till 2021, he said.
The State Administrative Council (SAC), also approved the implementation of Unnat Jyoti by affordable LEDs for All (UJALA) Programme in the State through Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL), a PSU under the Ministry of Power, Government of India.
Earlier, the programme called Domestic Efficient Lighting Programme (DELP) shall help in promoting energy efficiency culture across the state. The new initiative focuses on awareness of common citizen towards the benefits of energy efficiency.
Energy Efficiency Services Ltd will provide upto five LED lamps of 9W each to every registered domestic consumer in the State at a highly subsidized rate of Rs 20 per LED lamp under UJALA. These LED lamps are sold in the market at Rs. Rs 250 to Rs 300.
According to the source, a pack of five lamps will be sold for only Rs 100 to every registered domestic consumer. The balance amount of about Rs 77 per lamp will be borne by the State Government as subsidy, the spokesman said. Around 80 lakh LED bulbs are proposed to be distributed among about 16 lakh registered domestic consumers in the State. This is expected to entail a subsidy of Rs 61.44 crore.
Besides this, the SAC also approved the framework to rationalize retention of facilities like government accommodation, telephone and vehicles provided to the constitutional authorities, political and media-persons in the state.
As per the new Standing Operating Procedures (SoPs), the permissible period for retention of government accommodation in case of expiry of the term, termination of appointment, relinquishing of office of constitutional dignitaries, Ministers Legislators and others shall be one month.
“The aforesaid authorities shall be required to surrender vehicles and official telephones within one week”, the spokesman said.
He said that further, allotments in respect of media persons granted under discretionary quota placed at the disposal of Minister, in charge Estates will be reviewed annually by the end of March every year and placed before the Chief Minister for his orders as regards the continuation or otherwise.
For political persons, former legislators and freedom fighters, allotments will be granted under the discretionary quota placed at the disposal of Minister in charge Estates on the recommendations of a Committee headed by ADG Security
Source: www.business-standard.com/