SHIMLA: Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting and Sports and Youth Affairs, Anurag Singh has met Union Minister of Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, demanding five flood protection projects worth Rs 2167.72 Crore for Himachal Pradesh.
Anurag Thakur said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi has always considered Himachal Pradesh as his second home and has approved all necessary projects as per the requirement of Himachal".
Due to the calamity in the hill state of Himachal, floods are common in every rainy season, due to which there is a lot of loss of life and property every year.
Keeping this in view, “I have met Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Shekhawat, raising this issue prominently before him, and have raised the demand for five flood protection projects in Himachal at a cost of ₹ 2167.72 crore.
The Modi government at the center and the Jairam government of the state are committed for the all-round development of Himachal.
Speaking further, Shri Anurag Thakur said, “I have demanded three out of five flood protection projects in Himachal in my Hamirpur parliamentary constituency by the Ministry of Jal Shakti. Among the flood protection projects in Himachal,
Fina Singh Multipurpose Project, which will cost Rs 643.68 crore, will generate 1.88 MW of electricity.
Flood protection measures and canal construction project on Suketi Khad river as well as its tributaries are to be taken up under Beas catchment area in Mandi district.
More than 41 thousand people will benefit from this project and 881 hectare area will be protected. The total expenditure on this project is estimated to be Rs 485.23 crore.
Similarly, the project to provide flood protection measures for Swan river and its tributaries in Amb tehsil of Una district will benefit more than 14 thousand people and protect an area of 510 hectares.
It is estimated that Rs 339.25 crore will be spent on the projects. The third project, flood protection and erosion prevention measures for various ravines will be taken up in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh and will benefit more than 23 thousand people and will protect an area of 811 hectares.
The estimated cost of this project is Rs 504.07 crore.
Finally, the flood protection works on Seer Khad are estimated to cost Rs 195.49 crore and will be carried out from Talwara village of Ghumarwin tehsil of Bilaspur district to Balaghat. More than 14 thousand people will be benefited from this project and more than 179 hectare area will be protected.
Anurag Thakur said, “In view of the demand of the people and the development of the area in the past, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal had asked the then Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee at the center in the year 2000 for the coastalization of Swan river.
Started this project about 12000 hectares of land has been made cultivable in Una district due to self-coastalisation, which has brought relief to the farmers, he said.
Now this present demand will go a long way in minimizing the loss of life and property due to river floods in the state.
The Modi government is committed to the welfare of the people of Himachal Pradesh and this is one of the many steps taken in that direction, Thakur said.
