The Jammu and Kashmir government has approved the Master plan 2031 for the Katra town of the Reasi district.
"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", an official spokesman said.
He said 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, situated on foothills of Trikuta Mountains, is the base camp for the pilgrimage to the renowned Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine.
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.
The programme, earlier called Domestic Efficient Lighting Programme (DELP), shall help in promoting energy efficiency culture across the state.
The focus of this new initiative is to make the common citizen aware of the benefits of energy efficiency, the spokesman said.
Under UJALA, EESL will provide up to 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 which is sold in the market for Rs 250 to Rs 300.
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.
He said that 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.
The State Administrative Council also approved the framework for implementing Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funded projects in J&K.
The framework has been evolved in the backdrop of expression of positive interest by a number of fully partly-owned State and Central Government Companies Corporations operating in J&K, besides individuals and philanthropists, including members of the J&K Diaspora, pan India and abroad who are willing to contribute towards the efforts of the State Government for rebuilding public infrastructure which has been damaged by the varied difficult circumstances which have obtained in the State for the past many years.
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.
