Jammu: An amount Rs. 9.82 crore has been incurred, so far, on construction of the Mini Secretariat at Batamaloo.
This information was given by Minister for Education, Sakeena Itoo, while replying on behalf of the Chief Minister in response to a question raised by Member Tariq Hameed Karra.
She further informed the House that the decision to execute the project was taken during a District Development Board meeting held on October 4, 2017, under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister of J&K (Chairman, District Development Board).
The project namely ‘Construction of Mini Secretariat at Batamaloo’, commenced in 2018 with a technically vetted cost of Rs. 48.23 crore. “An amount of Rs. 1 crore was released for the project, against which Rs. 82 lakh stands incurred,” the Minister stated.
She further informed that during the current financial year, additional Rs. 9 crore have been incurred, bringing the total expenditure on the project to Rs. 9.82 crore so far. “It is pertinent to mention that the pile foundation work of the project has been completed,” she added.
The Minister also stated that the executing agency has now submitted a revised Detailed Project Report (DPR) amounting Rs. 80.26 crore, which is currently under consideration of the department.
Cancer treatment, healthcare infra being upgraded: Health Minister
Minister for Health and Medical Education, Sakeena Itoo, today informed the House that the Health infrastructure for cancer detection and treatment is being upgraded in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Minister was replying to a question by Tanvir Sadiq in the Legislative Assembly.
She said that as per Population Based Cancer Registry, 50551 cases in Kashmir Division and 13912 cases in Jammu Division were registered between 2018-2024. She said that 2 percent to 3 percent case increase is also being witnessed annually.
The Minister informed that the cancer patients in J&K are given the specialized treatment at SKIMS Srinagar and GMC, Jammu with availability of different facilities including radiation oncology, Critical Care ICU, Nuero ICU, CVTS ICU, Pulmonary ICU and Paediatric ICU at SKIMS.
She said that the Government Medical College, Jammu is presently providing OPD Services, Chemotherapy, PET CT Scan. Brachytherapy, Radiology Tests, Digital Radiography and Colposcopy to the cancer patients.
The Minister said that the State Cancer Institute is functional at SKIMS Soura which was commissioned on December 05, 2020 and houses Day Care facility for Medical Oncology patients, Clinical Haematology and Radiation Oncology, Medical Oncology and Radiation Oncology for the in-patients.
She further said that the 3rd floor of State Cancer Institute, SKIMS is ready for shifting of bone marrow Transplant facility and recruitment of manpower in this regard is under progress. She said that the dedicated Operation theatre for Cancer Patients is being operationalized at SKIMS Soura, which would be ready soon.
She further said that the work on three Operation Theatres and 10 bedded ICU in State Cancer Institute, Jammu is near completion and likely to be completed by the end of March, 2025.
She maintained that efforts are on to decentralize the Cancer care which has been already accomplished to a great extent by way of having Chemotherapy at District Day Centers.
The Minister further said that the Government has already taken an initiative of decentralising the cancer treatment by establishing cancer care in all 20 districts of Jammu and Kashmir.
Govt to relocate GMC Handwara at alternate site
Existing site non-tenable due to high risk flooding; says committee report
Minister for Health and Medical Education, Sakeena Itoo, today said that the Government Medical College (GMC), Handwara will be constructed at an alternate site to address the healthcare needs of people of Kupwara district.
Replying to a question by Sajad Gani Lone, the Minister informed that unprecedented floods have been reported in the recent times on 29th March 2024, 16th and 28th April 2024 when the maximum flood level recorded was 0.6m, 3.8m and 4.0m respectively above Ground Level (GL) which is at the right bank of Nallah Pohru (the existing construction site for New GMC and Hostels for GMC Handwara), making it un-feasible for undertaking construction of such a prestigious facility.
She informed that a Committee was formed to check feasibility of the existing site after floods. “Committee headed by the Engineer-in-Chief, PW (R&B) Department reported that the present site is non-tenable due to the high risk of flooding, which would put students, faculty and infrastructure at risk”, she stated.
The Minister further said, “Engineer-in-Chief, PW Department (Chairman of Committee) in subsequent meetings reiterated that the present site is not in a position to take forward the project and the proposed flood protection measures would not mitigate the risk of flooding, making it impossible to proceed with construction at the current site”.
“Technical report of the Joint Committee headed by Engineer-in-Chief, PW Department has also reflected that the present site is not tenable”, she added.
The Minister also informed the house that the Government has constituted a committee under the Chairmanship of the Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir to resolve the issue of land for relocation of Government Medical College, Handwara.
“Based on the recommendations of the committee, the matter has now been taken up with Agriculture Production Department for finalization of alternate sites for relocating GMC Handwara”, she stated.
The Minister also informed that the project for New GMC Handwara was sanctioned under the under Centrally Sponsored Scheme ‘Establishment of New Medical Colleges Attached with District /Referral Hospitals (Phase III)’.
She said the Ministry has extended the timelines for the project for one year upto March 2025 and now Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India, has again been approached for extension of the timelines for completion of the Government Medical College, Handwara, (Phase III) for two years upto March 2027.
The Minister assured the house that the Government is committed to upgrade the healthcare infrastructure across Jammu and Kashmir. She added that the matter of new site has been taken up with the Agriculture Ministry and the land will be identified at such a location which will be accessible to all areas of Kupwara district.
Sheikh Khursheed raised supplementary questions on the issue.
