DISTRICT KATHUA ON THE PATH OF DEVELOPMENT

1. TOLL PLAZA LAKHANPUR Modern Toll Plaza  had been commissioned at Lakhanpur, Kathua. The foundation of  Plaza was laid on 5th of Feb., 1997. The Plaza have all the modern facilities to ensure clearance of vehicles within seconds. The Lakhanpur Toll Plaza is Ist of its kind in the country. There are 15 lanes including 5 for incoming, 4 for outgoing goods traffic beside 2 lanes each for buses, cars and Army traffic. The Entire Process of Toll verification is computerized.

2. INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT OF LAKHANPUR TOWN Lakhanpur town is Entrance of the State. There are offices of Sales Tax, Excise, Traffic Police etc. for checking of vehicles on entering the State to get/assess Sales Tax and Toll tax etc. Presently the town is not properly planned and developed. There are traffic jams due to cris-crossing of loaded vehicles at the Sales Tax post and the stoppage of loaded vehicles at Lakhanpur. The Government has approved a Plan for Integrated Development of Lakhanpur town. 275 kanals of additional land is being acquired for developing Parking site for the loaded vehicles and construction of Sales Tax Complex. There is also a provision for development of Cafeteria, Water Channel and other Civic Amenities for the convenience of the Passengers/Tourists. The Jammu and Kashmir Housing Board has to execute this Project.

 3. RAVI TAWI IRRIGATION COMPLEX It is the most prestigious and gigantic Irrigation Project of the State. It is the Biggest Lift irrigation Scheme in the Northern India. The work of this scheme was started in 1975 and Ist Phase was commissioned in 1984-85. Water has been lifted from Ravi for irrigating Kandi Area. But full share of water is not lifted from River Ravi.

4. SHAHPUR KANDI PROJECT As per inter-State Agreement of January, 1955, the share of Jammu and Kashmir State from river Ravi is 0.475 MAF (1150 Cusecs) apart from the water already being got through Kashmir canal. For utilization of this share, Ravi canal has been constructed and Basantpur and Lakhanpur Lift Stations have been constructed. The Lift Stations had been designed with the life span of 20 years and simultaneously in 1977, Punjab Government had agreed to construct Shahpur Kandi Project down-stream of Ranjit Sagar Dam so that our state could get 1150 Cu of water by Gravity. The work on Shahpur Kandi Project has been belatedly taken up but it requires to be completed expeditiously so that we are able to get whole of our share of allotted water.

  5. THEIN DAM PROJECT (RANJIT SAGAR DAM) Thein Dam Project is Multi-Purpose scheme for irrigation and generation of Hydro Electric Power located nearly 22 Kms up-stream of Madhopur Headwork (Jammu-Pathankot National Highway). The right flank of the Dam is located in our state. The Dam has been commissioned one and an half year back and it has helped to check wasteful flow of water from Madhopur Headwork. Moreover, water is stored in the Reservoir and is let out as and when required for irrigation purpose. Due to the construction of Dam, an area of 1,11,740 kanals and 4 marlas falling in 22 villages of Basohli and Kathua tehsils has been acquired and compensation of Rs. 83 crores and 67 lakhs have been awarded for acquisition of land.

There are some problems with the Punjab Government regarding Thein Dam Project. 30 crores of balance compensation including interest has to be received from Punjab Government. 767 displaced families had to be provided employment, one member each family, but 336 families have not been provided employment as yet by the Dam Authorities. Due to submergence of part of old Basohli road, the distance of Basohli has been increased by 30 Kms and the public of Basohli have been agitating for plying of Motorized Boats across the Dam for the convenience of the people for their movement from Basohli to Lakhanpur and Basohli to Punjab area. There is a lot of potential for development of tourism, Water Sports and Fisheries in the Dam and necessary steps are required to be taken in this regard. The people of Basohli have been agitating for construction of Bridge linking Basohli with Punjab across the Reservior. The Border Road Organization is conducting survey for the same for construction of the Bridge to redress the grievances of the people. The construction of this bridge is required to be taken in hand at the earliest.

6. NATIONAL FISH SEED FARM, KATHUA The construction of National Fish Seed Farm (NFSF) Kathua was initiated during the year 1984 as a Centrally Sponsored Project. This is One of the LARGEST FISH SEED FARM IN INDIA and is the main premier center for development of pond fisheries in Jammu region in particular and state in General. Total area of the FARM at present is 360 KANALS (18 Hect).

LOCATION It is situated in the heart of Kathua town (Behind Police Lines)

OBJECTIVE

i). To produce the quality Fish Seed without depending upon Natural Climatic Conditions

ii). To supply the quality culturable Fish Seed to farmers for stocking their private Ponds.

iii). To provide seed for stocking community ponds, other ponds, streams, so as to utilize

the natural water bodies for productive fish farming.

iv). To provide technical guidance and know how to the fish farmers and entrepreneurs for

establishing their own farms and seed production units.

v). To disseminate the available production technology.

Above all the farm is the nucleus for production of carp seed in the state there by catering to the needs of the State and surplus seed is supplied to neighboring states also. Seed produced is supplied to farmers at subsidized rates. At the same time natural water bodies of the state such as Sars, Streams, Ponds, Pools, Rivers etc are also stocked by the department free of cost.

7. COMMAND AREA DEVELOPMENT Command Area Development was taken in hand in the year 1974 in four blocks of Kathua district alongwith two blocks of Jammu district for increasing the utilization potential of irrigation and developing the thrust area for development of agriculture for setting example in other areas of the State and this project has reduced the gap between irrigation potential creation and utilization with efficient management of irrigation water. Construction of field channels, land leveling, field drains, introduction of Barbandi has been achieved to a larger extent in the Command area. The production of Paddy has been tripled and of other crops doubled from the level of production in 1975-76. The distribution of fertilizers and High Yielding Variety seeds has also been increased five-fold in the command area.

8. POWER PROJECTS ON SEWA RIVER Sewa River is a tributary of River Ravi which flows through the Valley of Bani. The State Government had envisaged construction of three Power Projects over this river. First Power Project of 3 MW was to be constructed up-stream from Bani town. The 2nd was to be constructed 2 Kms downstreams of Bani and 3rd Power Project was to be constructed at Hutt Mashka. So far as 3rd Power Project is concerned, the same of the capacity of 9 MW has been commissioned in June, 2002. The 2nd Power Project being constructed by the NHPC will have the capacity of 120 MW. The Dam Shall be constructed at Gatti near Bani and the Power House shall be constrcuetd at Mashka near Chamera Power Project (HP). The process of land acquistion has been partially completed and work on road and civil works on Dam site have been taken in hand. The work on Ist Power Project has not yet been taken up.