Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences, and Minister of State for PMO, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space, Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Dr. Jitendra Singh on Sunday reviewed the status and phased implementation roadmap of the Ujh Multipurpose Project (MPP) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district.
During a detailed review meeting with officials of WAPCOS Ltd., a Government of India undertaking under the Ministry of Jal Shakti responsible for implementing the project, the Minister stressed the need for expeditious execution so that the benefits of the strategically important project reach the people at the earliest. He also asked the implementing agency to explore innovative implementation strategies while maintaining high standards of quality, safety and efficiency.
Officials informed the Minister that the project would be implemented in phases, with work commencing while acquisition of the remaining land continues simultaneously instead of waiting for the completion of the entire land acquisition process. WAPCOS is also finalising project site requirements and related planning.
Singh said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, long-pending national projects are being revived with renewed urgency. He noted that the Ujh Multipurpose Project, conceived nearly a century ago, had remained pending for decades, while the Shahpurkandi project was delayed for around four decades. The Minister said these delays resulted in the waters of the Ravi River and its tributaries continuing to flow into Pakistan.
He observed that Ravi, Satluj and Beas were India’s rivers under the Indus Waters Treaty, with Ravi being the major river among them, and added that the treaty is now in abeyance.
Highlighting recent progress, the Minister said the revival of the Shahpurkandi project in 2019, which is now nearing completion, and the revival of the Ujh Multipurpose Project in 2026 reflect the Government’s resolve to optimise India’s water resources and complete long-delayed infrastructure projects.
Located on the Ujh River, a major tributary of the Ravi, the Ujh Multipurpose Project is designed to generate around 186 MW to 212 MW of electricity. It is expected to provide irrigation to nearly 90,000 hectares of agricultural land in Kathua and Samba districts of Jammu and Kashmir, as well as Pathankot and Gurdaspur districts of Punjab. The project will also supply drinking water to Kathua district and provide industrial water.
The project is expected to improve agricultural productivity, strengthen water security, create opportunities for economic development and contribute to the socio-economic development of the Union Territory. It also has a strategic security dimension, with support from the Ministry of Home Affairs to regulate water flows and help plug vulnerable cross-border infiltration routes along the riverbed.
Reviewing the implementation milestones, Singh emphasised the need for close coordination among all stakeholders and effective monitoring to ensure timely execution. He assured WAPCOS of the Government’s full support for the successful implementation and completion of the project.