PM Modi will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of projects worth around Rs 20,000 crore

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Jammu & Kashmir to participate in the celebration of National Panchayati Raj Day on Sunday and address all the Gram Sabhas across the country.

He will visit Palli Panchayat in Samba district and will address a gathering that is expected to include more than 30,000 Panchayati Raj Institution members of J&K.

The Prime Minister will also inaugurate a 500 KW solar power plant at Palli, which will make it the country’s first panchayat to become carbon neutral.

During the visit, PM Modi will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of multiple development initiatives worth around Rs 20,000 crore, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said, announcing details of the visit on Saturday. He will also launch the Amrit Sarovar initiative.

These projects are touted to go a long way in facilitating provision of basic amenities, ensuring ease of mobility and development of infrastructure in the region, the PMO said.

Since the introduction of constitutional reforms with regards to J&K in August 2019, the government has been focussed on bringing about wide ranging reforms to substantially improve governance and enhance ease of living for the people of the region at an unprecedented pace, the PMO noted.

Prime Minister Modi will also inaugurate the Banihal Qazigund Road Tunnel, built at a cost of over Rs 3100 crore. The 8.45 Km long tunnel would reduce the road distance between Banihal and Qazigund by 16 km, and reduce journey time by around one and a half hour.

It is a twin tube tunnel – one for each direction of travel – with the twin tubes being interconnected by a cross passage every 500m, for maintenance and emergency evacuation. The tunnel would help establish an all-weather connection between J&K, and bring the two regions closer.

PM Modi will also lay the foundation stone of three road packages of Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway, being built at a cost of over Rs. 7500 crore, the PMO added.

They are for the construction of 4/6 lane access controlled Delhi-Katra-Amritsar Expressway from: Balsua on NH-44 to Gurha Baildaran, Hiranagar; Gurha Baildaran, Hiranagar to Jakh, Vijaypur; and Jakh, Vijaypur to Kunjwani, Jammu with spur connectivity to Jammu Airport.

PM Modi will also lay the foundation stone of Ratle and Kwar Hydroelectric projects, the PMO said.

The 850 MW Ratle Hydroelectric Project will be constructed on Chenab river in Kishtwar District at a cost of around Rs 5300 crore.

The 540 MW Kwar Hydroelectric Project will also be built on Chenab river in Kishtwar District at a cost of over Rs. 4500 crore. Both the projects will help meet the power requirements of the region.

In order to further expand the network of Jan Aushadi Kendras in J&K and to make good quality generic medicines at affordable prices available, 100 Kendras have been made functional and will be dedicated to the nation by the PM. According to the PMO, these Kendras are located in the remote corners of the Union Territory.

With a view to ensure rejuvenation of water bodies, during the visit to J&K, PM Modi will also launch a new initiative named Amrit Sarovar that is aimed at developing and rejuvenating 75 water bodies in each district of the country. "It is yet another ode of the government towards the celebration of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav," the PMO said.

Later in the evening, he will attend the Master Deenanath Mangeshkar Awards Ceremony in Mumbai, where he will be conferred with the 1st Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar Award. This award, which has been instituted in memory of Bharat Ratna Lata Mangeshkar, will be given every year exclusively to one individual for exemplary contribution towards nation building.