A Central Team headed by Director, Ministry of Finance, Sunil Kumar Singh  Government of India,  today inspected the ongoing works taken up under Jal Jivan Abhiyan 2022 in different parts of District Kathua.

The central  team, who is on a three day visit to the district, visited Kishanpur-Kandi, Mearth, Sahar, Janglote, Chandwan and Phangeri villages  where they inspected various ongoing  water conservation works.

Pertinently, the Lotus Pond in Kishanpur-Kandi and Mearth Panchayats are being developed under the Amrit Sarovar initiative of the government.

The team also inspected the largest pond of Kathua district  (spread across  33 kanals) in panchayat Sahar, and directed concerned authorities to take up the rejuvenation work at the earliest.

The central Team also visited the Poly lining pond set up by the Agriculture department at Janglote panchayat.

At Phangeri, Kootah, the team inspected Check Dam developed to make optimum use of rain water and channelise it for agriculture and other activities by locals.

The Central team asked the executing agencies to take up the conservation work on mission mode  so as to meet the given timelines.

The Central Team also interacted with PRIs and listened to their issues and problems and assured that their genuine issues will be redressed with utmost priority. The team informed that the Prime Minister of India has given a clarion call to people to contribute their bit towards “Catch the Rain, where it falls, when it falls” under Jal Shakti Abhiyan on World Water Day.

The team urged upon the people to adopt Rain water harvesting through Roof Top Rain Water Harvesting, digging percolation pits, building check dams, diversion of road side drains to conserve rain water for subsequent use in different activities.

The Central team stressed on intensifying IEC activities for involvement of the general public in water conservation.

District Soil Conservation Officer Kathua , Rahul Singh, PRIs and other concerned officers accompanied the team during the visit.