KATHUA: Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh on Saturday said the much-anticipated Ujh Multipurpose project in the Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir is being revived to benefit the people.

The Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office was addressing a gathering during a 'public darbar' at Basholi in Kathua, which is part of his Udhampur parliamentary constituency, an official statement said.

Singh held the public darbar as part of his continued outreach efforts to engage directly with citizens and local representatives, not only at the district level but also at the tehsil, block and panchayat level, it said.

"The Ujh Multipurpose Project is being revived. Apart from enhancing irrigation and power generation capacities, the project will also serve a critical security role, as the region has been identified as vulnerable to cross-border infiltration," the minister said.

The project aims to harness the waters of the Ujh River, a tributary of the Ravi River, for hydropower generation, irrigation, and drinking water supply. It will increase India's utilisation of the eastern rivers under the Indus Waters Treaty, which has been in abeyance since April following the Pahalgam terror attack.

Singh announced the widening of the Dhar Road, a key move to ensure smooth and secure movement of commuters as well as security forces given its strategic significance, the statement said.

He said an AIIMS Jammu Outreach Centre would be set up at Basohli, addressing a long-pending demand of the region.

"The facility will ensure 24x7 availability of super-speciality doctors and surgeons as well as emergency services," he said, adding discussions are already underway between AIIMS Jammu authorities and the Jammu and Kashmir government to finalise the location and to put in place a roster system for specialist medical personnel to serve the new branch.

He said a separate district for Basohli-Billawar is top of the agenda. It will be pursued vigorously whenever the Jammu and Kashmir government sets up the next district reorganisation committee, he said.

About Basohli being notified as a heritage town, the minister said the authorities have been asked to send a proposal in a proper format so that it can be taken up at the Centre.

During the public interaction, several issues were resolved on the spot, while in other cases, the minister issued directions to the concerned district officials for swift and time-bound action.

The minister emphasised that elected representatives have a responsibility not only to solve the genuine issues of the people but also to make them feel available, heard and cared for.

"The public darbar initiative is one of the most effective means of strengthening the bridge between the people and their government," he said.

Reiterating the commitment of the NDA government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Singh said the aim is to deliver transparent and efficient governance to the doorstep of every citizen, transcending the barriers of region, caste, or political affiliation.