Shri Manoj Sinha , Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor, of Jammu and Kashmir today inaugurated the Composite Market Centre for Silk constructed under the World Bank funded Jhelum Tawi Flood Recovery Project here today.

With an aim to upgrade and modernise the Rajbagh Silk Factory and to give a big push to the revival of the Silk Industry in J&K , regenerate employment opportunities for the youth in the traditional silk industry which once used to be the mainstay occupation of large number of people which include the farmers (cocoon rearers) as well as the artisans and other businesses associated with the silk industry the ambitious sub-project was included under the component of Strengthening & Restoration of the Livelhoods of the World Bank funded Jhelum Tawi Flood Recovery Project (JTFRP).

The Govt. Silk Factory, Rajbagh had suffered the immense damage during the 2014 floods and both infrastructure and the equipment’s installed at the factory had been severely hit thus badly impacting the production of silk at the factory. With this in view a comprehensive rehabilitation of the infrastructure and modernisation of the factory was conceived under the World Bank project to provide the state of art facilities for all the stakeholders associated with the silk under one roof in the shape of the “Composite Market Centre for Silk”

Completed at a cost of Rs 14.50 crores the building has been constructed using the traditional architectural elements of Dajji Diwari pattern, use of lime mortar in construction , Dewri stone, Khatamband ceilings , papier machie wall panels etc. to retain the heritage value of the building.

A state of art composite market centre has market place for the cocoon rearers in the ground floor along with the elegantly designed conference hall , administrative hall which have all been embellished with the traditional papier machie panels on walls and exquisite khatamband on the roof.

As part of the comprehensive mechanisation plan of the factory the latest hi-tech textile weaving equipment’s which include latest (2 for 1 twisters) and other machinery worth Rs 7.5 Crore have been procured and installed in the factory. With the installation of latest machinery in the Silk factory the production of the silk fabric is expected to increase from existing 40,000 -50,000 meters per annum to 1.5 lac meters per annum. Consultancy was also hired at a cost of Rs 1.50 crores for purpose of designing and architecture inputs .The latest Hi-tech twisters are based on the programmed logic control technology that can be programmed to produce the fabric of the finest quality. The infrastructural upgradation and mechanisation plan of the Rajbagh Silk Factory under the PMDP (Prime Ministers Development Package ) is expected to give a major boost to the silk industry in J&K and help in creation of the additional employment opportunities for the local youth in the silk sector .

Later Hon'ble Lieutenant Governor J&K also interacted with the representatives of the (4) Artisan clusters of Willow wicker (Ganderbal) ,Papier machie (Zadibal) ,Crewel (Noorbagh) and Wool (Bandipore) which had set up stalls during the function. The artisan clusters have been established under the World Bank funded Jhelum Tawi Flood Recovery Project for the skill enhancement of the artisans and training them in the management of the artisan owned clusters and developing market linkages for their products.

Presentation was also made by the experts of the consultancy engaged by JTFRP for the adaptive reuse of the Rajbagh Silk Factory and briefed the Hon'ble Lieutenant Governor about the steps proposed for the purpose like retrofitting of the old factory , using the old campus for dying, yarn certification and other beautification measures and linking the campus with the tourist circuit.

Shri, Baseer Ahmad Khan, Advisor to Lieutenant Governor, Dr Arun Kumar Mehta (IAS) Chief Secretary, Shri Ranjan P Thakur , Principal Secretary to Govt. Industries & Commerce Dept, , Shri Pandurang Pole, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir ,Shri Abid Rasheed Shah, Chief Executive Officer, JKERA/JTFRP , Shri Mohammad Ajaz Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar and others senior officers were also present on the occasion.

Hina Shafi Bhat, V.C ,KVIB and other senior officers of the concerned departments were also present on the occasion.

The work on the Rs 4.35 crores Integrated project Sub-project comprising of the construction of Showroom/Interpretation Centre at a cost of Rs 1.60 crores and undertaking of the designing Interiors of the Showroom at a cost of Rs 2.75 Crores. The sub-project was undertaken as part of the Restoration & Strengthening of Livelihood component of the project (JTFRP).The project is executed as part of the massive revamping of the GovtWollen Mill Bemina which was badly impacted during the floods of 2014 and had caused extensive damage to the building and equipment’s installed in the mill owing to which the production at the mill was badly hit thus casting a shadow of uncertainty over the livelihoods opportunities of people working in the mill besides shrinking the market opportunities for the thousands wool producing farmers in J&K.

With an objective to reinvigorate the functioning of the Govt. Woollen Mill Bemina, a comprehensive revamping project was undertaken under the World Bank funded Jhelum Tawi Flood Recovery Project which included the rehabilitation of the mill which was badly damaged during the floods of 2014, aswell as the providing of the latest textile weaving equipments to enhance the production of wool manufactured at the factory. The project would provide the apt platform for the marketing of the various finished wool products manufactured in the mill and will benefit around 50,000 people directly associated with the Wool Industry in J&K.

Shri, Baseer Ahmad Khan, Advisor to Lieutenant Governor, Shri Arjun Thakur , Principal Secretary, Industries & Commerce (IAS), Shri Pandurang Pole, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Shri Abid Rasheed Shah, (IAS) Chief Executive Officer, JKERA/JTFRP, Shri Muhammad Ajaz Asad (IAS) , District Development Commissioner, Srinagarand other senior officers of U.T administration ,I&C Dept, JKERA/JTFRP were also present on the occasion.

In a game changing step that will save the precious lives during this pandemic and defeat COVID-19 , Jammu and Kashmir Economic Reconstruction Agency is setting up (30) Manifold Oxygen plants across the various hospitals in J&K

The plants are being setup under the World Bank funded Jhelum Tawi Flood Recovery Project and will equip the Health Dept across the various remote areas with much needed Manifold Oxygen plants to effectively deal with the COVID-19 Pandemic.These plants are being imported from United States and Europe and will be completely functional within coming 2-3 months. The project will provide medical grade oxygen to about 1200 hospital beds in (30) hospitals in various remote areas and thus play a crucial role in saving the precious lives during the pandemic.

Dr.Syed Abid Rasheed Shah, Chief Executive Officer, JKERA chaired the high level meeting in this regard and stressed upon the executing agencies to ensure the completion of the Supply, Installation & Commissioning of (30) Manifold Oxygen Plants being undertaken by J&KERA in various hospitals (Community Health Centres and sub-district hospitals) in various remote areas across the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir within the set timelines.

Dr. Syed Abid stated this today while chairing a meeting to review the progress of work on the Supply, Installation and Commissioning of (30) Manifold Oxygen plants which have been undertaken by J&KERA under the CERC (Contingency Emergency Response Component) of the World Bank funded , Jhelum Tawi Flood Recovery Project with an objective to provide people living in various remote areas of Union Territory with the much needed facility of Manifold Oxygen plants and equip the U.Ts Health Dept. with the infrastructure to effectively deal with the COVID-19 Pandemic like situation.
>br>CEO, JKERA was informed that work on all the (30) sites has been started on war-footing and is being executed in mission mode and in close coordination with the concerned District authorities which are rendering all kinds of support in resolving various issues like site clearance, shifting of utilities etc

The sub-project involves the procurement and installation of the PSA(Pressure Swing Absorption) based “Manifold Oxygen Plants” which have been recommended by the WHO (World Health Organization) for the treatment of the COVID-19 patients suffering from acute respiratory stress and critical to the recovery of seriously ill COVID-19 patients. The availability of this critical care equipment’s at the sub-district and community level hospitals will be significant in scaling down the deaths caused due to the COVID-19.

The Manifold Oxygen Plants having the capacity of 500- 250 LPMs (Litres per minute) depending on the bed capacity of the hospital is an integrated critical health care facility which includes the construction of the building for housing of the plant as per the prescribed specifications, mechanical components of main oxygen concentrator, air compressor, air receiver tanks, filtration system, air dryers, oxygen receiver tanks, bulk cylinders, oxygen regulating manual tanks, oxygen flowmeters, digital gas alarm, compressed air, Nitrous gas system which will be backed up with the 24X7 power supply with 125 KVA transformers, 150 KVA servo-stabilizers and all other necessary wherewithal to make the plants fully operational round the clock.

The Manifold Oxygen plants are being installed in the (30) hospitals (Community Health Centres and Sub-District hospitals) spread across the Union Territory in the several remote areas of the Union Territory and these include Community Health Centres at , Mendhar, Sunderbani, Surankote, Banihal, Gandoh, Batote, Banihal, Chenani, Katra, Hajin, Tangmarg,Yaripora, Zakura, Qazigund, Zainapora, Yaripora, Akhnoor, Chowki Chaura, Bani, Basholi, Hirannagar, Gaghwal, Ramgarh, Beerwah, Chari-Sharief and SDH Gurez, SDH Tangdar, SDH Tral, SDH Kellar, SDH Kangan, SDH Uri, SDH Kreeri.

The meeting was attended by Shri Basharat Kawoosa, Director Technical JTFRP,Rajeev Mansotra, Director, Jammu, J&KERA, Mrs. Tanvir Mir, Director, Kashmir J&KERA and other senior officers of J&KERA /JTFRP and representatives of various executing agencies.

In a significant step towards the self –reliance of the artisans clusters developed under the World Bank funded Jhelum Tawi Flood Recovery Project , Crewel/ Chain Stitch Artisan Cluster at Noorbagh, which was one of the first artisan clusters developed under the project has been registered as the “Producers Owned Company “by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Govt. of India. The artisan cluster has been issued the certificate of incorporation by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs under the name “NOORAARI CRAFTS PRODUCER COMPANY LIMITED”.

With the Artisan Craft Cluster obtaining the coveted registration from the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, GOI, the artisans associated with the cluster now see a renewed hope in being associated with the traditional crafts of crewel/chainstitch.

“Divorced with 2 kids I was totally dependent on my relatives financially, but after having received the skill enhancement training at the Noorbagh artisan cluster, I am now able to earn 800-1000 per day which is enough for me to sustain a family of 3 without being dependent on any of my relatives “ Says Shaheena , one of the artisans at the cluster.

About 600 artisans associated with the Crewel/ Chain stitch Cluster at Noorbagh developed under Jhelum Tawi Flood Recovery Project see it as an achievement of one of the major milestone towards the development of the first artisan owned producer company in the valley.

Conceived and Developed under the component of the Restoration and Strengthening of the Livelihoods of the JTFRP with an objective of reviving the traditional crafts and providing the gainful employment opportunities to youth.

The Artisan Cluster which is now in its 3 year of existence after initial skill assessment of the artisans associated with the crafts of crewel and chain stitch has been focussing on imparting the artisans with the much needed skill enhancement in the areas of the product development- Developing the new prototypes, use of latest colour schemes, utilisation of newly developed good quality raw materials, new techniques besides honing the managerial skills of artisans and providing the marketing linkages for their products.

“For the holistic development of the artisans, craft clusters under JTFRP are designed in a such a manner so as to bring a group of scattered artisans under one umbrella and to impart them with as much skillsets related to their craft as possible and also to develop their managerial capabilities as would enable them to function as sustainable & profitable artisan owned business enterprise” said Dr Syed Abid Rasheed Shah, Chief Executive Officer, JKERA/JTFRP. It is indeed a moment of immense satisfaction to see the Noorbagh Artisan cluster registered as a “producers owned company” CEO, JKERA/JTFRP added.

Dr. Syed Abid further said “Under JTFRP we have also taken up the development of more clusters for different traditional crafts like Papier Machie (Zadibal) , Willow wicker (Ganderbal) , Wool and Pashmina (Bandipore) to provide the artisans with skill enhancement, product development trainings and develop market linkages for their products with an objective of promoting the sustainable livelihoods under the traditional cottage industry sector

JTFRP has engaged the services of the consultancy for the development of the crewel/ chain stitch cluster at Noorbagh which has been tasked with the responsibility of developing the capacities of the artisans in all the aspects of skill development, developing managerial skills and developing market linkage’s for their products and also undertake necessary formalities for the registration of cluster as “ Producer Owned Company”

“ I had given up the craft owing to its diminishing economic returns and exploitation of the middle men but after having received training in the product development which made artisans aware about the latest design trends in market and also with the assured market support for our products I see lot of hope in the craft “ said Maimoona another artisan associated with the cluster

One of the significant aspects of the cluster has been the developing of market linkages to the craft cluster for marketing of its products and for that the consultancy has been set a target of providing the cluster with the business of at least Rs 1 Crore and to this end over the last one year the Noorbagh cluster has produced and sold products worth around Rs. 30 lacs approx. and are presently working on the consignment of products for FAB India and are also negotiating with another marketing giant IKEA group for marketing of its products.

Besides being instrumental in the revival of crewel and chain stitch crafts , the craft cluster at Noorbagh which comprises women in majority has also become an agent of social change. The women associated with the craft cluster now see themselves as the self –reliant and contributing members of the society.

Four -Day training programme organized by the Jhelum Tawi Flood Recovery Project (JTFRP) on the theme of “Latest Flood Forecasting Methods and its Application in Integrated Forecast System” for the engineers of the Irrigation and Flood Control Department concluded here today at I&FC Guest House Rammunshi Bagh Srinagar.

The 4-Day comprehensive training programme for the engineers of the I&FC Dept was organized with an objective to build the capacities of the functionaries of the dept in the highly specialized technical realms of the flood mitigation methods of Flood modeling using the various hydrological & hydraulic models which are the scientific approaches used as one of critical tools in the Integrated Forecasting System.

The training was conducted for the capacity building of the mid-level managers of I&FC Dept. under the component of Strengthening of Disaster Management Capacity of the World Bank funded JTFRP (Jhelum Tawi Flood Recovery Project)

During the 4-day training programme which was attended by more than 30 engineers of the I&FC ,Dept. Kashmir, hands on training was imparted to participants on the use of various latest software’s used in many advanced countries across the globe for the timely forecasting of floods. The training module would enable the engineers of the Dept. to perform in a more efficient manner as frontline workers for the flood mitigation measures.

“During the course of workshop experts in the field updated our knowledge on the latest flood forecasting software’s which if adopted would be crucial to the timely forecasting of floods” said one of engineers who participated in the programme. Iftikhar Ahmad Kakroo, Chief Engineer I&FC, Kashmir attended the concluding session of the programme . He said that the 4-day training programme would definitely build the capacities of the engineers in the sphere of flood forecasting.

Similar training programme for the engineers of I&FC, Dept , Jammu is scheduled be held at Winter capital very soon.

Necessary to mention here that building the resilience to natural disasters is one of the core objectives of the Jhelum Tawi Flood Recovery Project funded by the World Bank and as part of the project to strengthen the Disaster Management capacity of various core agencies several latest relief & rescue equipment’s, underwater cameras , inflatable rubber boats, emergency lighting towers, portable gensets, mobile snow cutters, portable dewatering pumps etc have been already provided to SDRF while as Quick Response fire tenders , medium weight Quick response vehicles, Regular fire tenders and other firefighting equipment’s like Hydrauic spreaders, cutter/combi tools, Hydraulic jacks, fire proximity suits, water jet blankets etc to have been provided to the Fire & Emergency Dept under the project .

Further to strengthen the flood forecasting infrastructure in J&K various high end Hydrometrological equipment’s like automatic water level radars, water velocity radar sensors, acoustic Doppler current profilers, automatic weather stations, automatic rain and snow gauges are also being procured under the project.

The Critical Care Medical Equipments procured under the World Bank funded Jhelum Tawi Flood Recovery Project are all set to revolutionize the critical health care system in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The 42 different types of latest state of art critical care equipments are being procured under the CERC (Contingency Emergency Response Component) having an allocation of USD 50 million under the Jhelum Tawi Flood Recovery Project.

The procurement of these equipments is being undertaken through JKMSCL (Jammu and Kashmir Medical Supplies Corporation) which has been designated as the PIU (Project Implementation Unit).

The 1st batch of these equipments comprising of 10 different types of equipments has already reached the warehouses of JKMSCL at Jammu and Srinagar respectively. As per the officials of JKMSCL Warehouse at Srinagar, the corporation has received the 1st consignment of the equipments which include the (40) Haemodialysis machines, (160) Oxygen concentrators, (10) Haematology Analysers, (38) High Flow Nasal Oxygen Therapy Units (120) Intensive Care Beds , (5) mobile X-Ray units, (150) cardiac monitors, (20) Paediatric Glucometers / Bilirubinometers, (12) Integrated bi-polar and US coagulation cutting units and (14) Blood Bank Refrigerators with accessories at its Warehouse in Srinagar.

The JKMSCL officials further say that the provision of USD 50 million for the procurement of the much needed critical care equipments under the JTFR project could not have come at a time better then this as the U.T health sector is faced with health emergency posed due to the COVID-19 pandemic due to which the seriously ill COVID-19 patients are referred from the peripheral hospitals to the District and Tertiary Care hospitals for the specialized treatment owing to the shortage of intensive care beds and other critical care equipments in the peripherals hospitals.

With the availability of these critical care equipments procured under JTFRP the critically ill patients can be treated at the peripheral hospitals only thus would reduce the burden of the referrals on the District and Tertiary Hospitals besides providing the people with quality health care facilities their native places.

The JKMSCL, Project Implementation Unit for the component has already signed contracts agreements with the various rate contractors enlisted with the corporation for the supply of these various critical care medical equipment’s. Some of the major equipments being procured under the component include Intensive Care Beds, Plasma Sterilizers, Anasthesia Work Stations , Cardiac Monitors, Oxygen Concentrators, Dithermy machines, Computerised ECG machines, Colour Doppler machines, Hemo- Dialysis machines for paediatric patients, Defibrillators, Portable X-ray Machines, Electro-Hydraulic Operation theatres, Integrated Bipolar and Ultrasonic Coagulation cutting devices, Paediatric Glucometers/Bilirubinometers, Colour Doppler Machines, CT Scan Machines, Full HD Fluorescence Technology Laparoscope End vision Set, and various other critical care equipment’s.

Dr. Syed Abid Rasheed Shah, Chief Executive Officer, JKERA/JTFRP has stressed upon the the Jammu and Kashmir Medical Supplies Corporation to complete the procurement process within the stipulated timelines so that these equipments are made available to the various peripherals hospitals across the J&K at an earliest and enable the Health dept. to tackle the COVID-19 situation more efficiently

Er. Javaid Iqbal Tara, Director Kashmir, J&KERA (Jammu and Kashmir Economic Reconstruction Agency) today inspected the project sites of various road and bridge sub-projects being executed by JKPCC (Jammu and Kashmir Projects Construction Corporation) under the World Bank funded Jhelum Tawi Flood Recovery Project.

During site visit to Rs 8.37 widening and upgradation of Amberpora-Haritar-Akhoonpora road in Baramulla, Manager, JKPPC informed Er. Javaid Tara that work on the sub-project is under way on the component of widening & sub-base work with a cumulative progress of more than 45% achieved on the sub-project. Director ERA asked the JKPCC officers to further accelerate the progress of work on the vital road sub-project which will provide people of the area most of whom have agriculture and horticulture as main source of livelihood with improved and faster access to market .

Javaid Tara during visit to Rs 7.4 crore bridge at Waza Mohalla,at Kreeri was informed that the sub-structure for the 1X 50 metre bridge over frastarhar nallah has been completed and now the impetus is being given on the construction of the superstructure of the bridge for which procurement process is already underway.

Similarly sub-structure of Rs 6.6 crore Shrakwara Bridge at Wagoora over Ninglinallah has also been completed with fabrication of superstructure already started for which material has also been procured informed the JKPCC officers.

Javaid Tara also visited Wagilla were work on 1x50 meter span bridge is being executed at an cost of Rs 8.6 crores. He was informed by JKPCC officers that work on sub-structure has already been completed and presently fabrication of girders for the superstructure is going on.

Later he also visited the Gogjidaji in Sopore aswell as Trikolabal in Pattan were work on Rs 5 crore and Rs 6.3 crore bridges is underway with work on the sub-structure completed in Shrakwara Bridge while as work on the sub-structure on side has been completed while as work on another side of the sub-structure is under execution. Director JKERA emphasized upon the JKPCC engineers to ensure completion of the substructure during the winter season owing to the low level of water in the nallah and also directed them to expediate the pace of work on the said bridge sub-project which is crucial to providing the people of the area with all weather connectivity.

Director Kashmir asked the JKPCC officers to expedite the progress of work on all the road and bridge sub-projects and chalk out a scientific strategy for the earliest completion of all the sub-projects within the stipulated timelines and also ensure strict compliance to social safeguard , environmental , quality control norms and avoid cost overruns.

Shri Atal Dullo, IAS Financial Commissioner , Health and Medical Education Department today reviewed the progress on the 50 million USD (Rs 368 crores) Contingency Emergency Response Component of the World Bank funded Jhelum Tawi Flood Recovery Project. Jammu and Kashmir Medical Supplies Corporation (JKMSCL) is functioning as the project implementation unit for the procurement of various critical care medical equipment to be provided to the hospitals across J&K.

Shri Atal Dullo said that the World Bank assisted CERC component of JTFRP would be pivotal for strengthening of the Critical Health Care Institutions involved in COVID-19 management up to District level, esp. Intensive Care Units, laboratories etc. He said the component of JTFRP would have an immediate impact on the better management of the pandemic along with tangible impact on providing quality health care services.

Dr Syed Abid Rasheed Shah (IAS) Chief Executive Officer, JKERA/JTFRP impressed upon the Jammu and Kashmir Medical Supplies Corporation (JKMSCL) to complete the procurement without any delays and as per world bank guidelines

Dr. Yashpal Sharma, Managing Director, JKMSCL informed that the project is under implementation and various equipment required for strengthening of health care institution are in the process of procurement and shall be installed in such institutions within next two months.

Financial Commissioner, H&ME directed the JKMSCL to undertake the procurement process of the critical care equipment’s in a transparent, time bound manner as stipulated under the World Bank procurement guidelines so that people of the Union Territory are provided with these much needed equipment’s at an earliest. Financial Commissioner, H&ME also fixed deadlines to JKMSCL for implementation of the project.

The meeting was attended by the Dr.Syed Abid Rasheed Shah (IAS), Chief Executive Officer, JKERA, Director General (Planning) Health and Medical Education Dept, Director, Finance, H&ME , Managing Director, JKSMCL, General Manager, (P&S) and Deputy General Managers of JKMSCL.

Tripartite Portfolio Meeting(TPRM) in its recently held meeting to review the progress of various projects funded by the World Bank across the country and attended by the senior officers of the DEA (Department of Economic Affairs ) Ministry of Finance, Govt of India , World Bank and senior officers of various EA’s (Executing Agencies) executing these projects has expressed immense satisfaction over the marked improvement in the implementation of the World Bank funded USD 250 million Jhelum Tawi Flood Recovery Project in Jammu and Kashmir.

As per the reliable sources the meeting has noted with satisfaction that the project since June 2020 has shown a reasonable progress in implementation. It has appreciated the efforts made by J&KERA to resume work on various sub-projects Post-COVID 19 lockdown and also expressed satisfaction over meeting of the disbursement targets aswell as the progress achieved on the allotment of various sub-projects under the different components of the JTFRP. Meeting has also expressed the satisfaction over the regular updations being made on the project related MIS (Management Information System) and also on the implementation of the various social safeguards measures under the Project

The Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), Ministry of Finance, Government of India, has praised Jammu and Kashmir Government for the successful implementation of the World Bank-funded ‘Jhelum Tawi Flood Recovery Project’ (JTFRP).

“We have gone ahead of the previous disbursement targets set by the DEA,” said, Chief Executive Officer, JKERA Dr. Syed Abid Rasheed Shah. He said that his team would continue to give its best in every possible way to complete the vital developmental works under the World Bank-funded Jhelum Tawi Flood Recovery Project.

“The way we are going now I am optimistic that we will be able to meet all the physical and financial targets set under the forthcoming quarter” the CEO assured.

It may be recalled that the ‘Jhelum Tawi Flood Recovery Project’ (JTFRP) as a project (unit) was integrated with the J&K Economic Reconstruction Agency (ERA). The Jammu and Kashmir Government had authorized ERA to make such consequential changes in the processes or structures as may be necessitated by the integration and also enter into any correspondence or discussions with the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) of the Union Ministry of Finance and the World Bank, as may be required. In the aftermath of the devastating floods of September 2014, the JTFRP was sanctioned by the World Bank for USD 250 million. The J&K ERA is a special purpose vehicle for the implementation of externally aided projects in J&K .

Jhelum Tawi Flood Recovery Project funded by the World Bank has 7 components which include the components of (1) Reconstruction and strengthening of the Critical Infrastructure, (2) Reconstruction of the roads and bridges, (3) Restoration of the Urban Flood Management System, (4) Restoration and strengthening of the Livelihoods, (5)Strengthening of the Disaster Risk Management System, (6) Contingency Emergency Response for Covid -19 and Implementation Support.

Necessary to mention here that in the last quarter of July- September the appreciable progress has been made under the project with 96.41%, 86.52%,100%,78.30% and 55.15% sub-projects awarded under the component,1,2,3,4 and 5 respectively (having a cumulative cost of 173.13 million USD) while as for the component 6 the JKMSCL which is project implementation unit for the project has been asked to expedite the procurement process for the various critical health care equipment’s which are to be procured under the component 6 of JTFRP to fortify the critical health care equipment’s requirements in J&K .

The TPRM meeting which was conducted via virtual mode was attended by Dr.Syed Abid Rasheed Shah (IAS) Chief Executive Officer, JKERA/JTFRP and also other senior officers of Project Management Unit (PMU), JTFRP and JKERA

Pertinently, JKERA has acquired the requisite expertise in the procedures and guidelines followed in the case of externally funded projects and would ensure a seamless and quick execution process.

Dr, Syed Abid Rasheed Shah, Chief Executive Officer, JKERA/JTFRP has said that the key to successful disaster risk mitigation is public participation. He was speaking at a Webinar organised by Jhelum Tawi Flood Recovery Project on the theme of “Promoting Safe Habitat & Structural Safety”.

The Webinar was organised by JTFRP as part of the sensitization campaign on one of its sub-project namely “ Upgrading Design Guidelines ,building codes/ material specifications with respect to multiple Disasters in J&K” under the component of ” Strengthening the Disaster Management Capacity “.

CEO,ERA/JTFRP said that regulatory mechanism alone is not sufficient for developing a much needed approach towards safe homes for people to prevent the loss of lives in case of natural calamities like earthquakes, landslides , avalanches etc to which J&K is very susceptible, but the sustained sensitization of the people on the issue is required to achieve this desired objective. He added that the adoption of the ideal mix of the traditional construction methods as well as the latest scientific construction approach will play a crucial role in this. “We must also take a cue from the scientific sense and traditional wisdom as visible from many of age old historical buildings which have survived many natural calamities without sustaining much of damage “Dr. Abid said.

Dr Abid dwelt at length about the various sub-projects being executed under the component of Strengthening of Disaster Management Capacity of JTFRP which is first of its kind in J&K and its significance for building the resilience to various natural disasters.

Speaking on the occasion Prof. CVR Murthy from I.I.T Madras briefed the participants about the relationship between the Multi-hazards and building permissions and how to correlate the various prevalent multi-hazards in a region while planning the structural designs.

Alpa Sheth, Managing .Director M/S VMS Consultants limited said that there is need to have a separate regulatory system manned by the qualified professionals for granting the building permission who will focus on some of the very basic structural safety norms while granting permissions for construction. She said that the 3rd party reviews and sensitization of people about the issue is also very essential.” People have right to hazard resistant homes and all the stakeholders, planners, architects, bureaucrats, structural engineers have an important role in achieving this objective” Sheth said

Kamal Kishore, Member NDMA spoke on “Policy perspectives on Safe Habitat and Structural Safety”and Dr, Umamaheshwaran Rajasekar, Chair Urban Resilience presented an insight into “ Role of Planning and Design” while as Manu Prakash, CEO, M/S Taru gave an detailed background of the theme.

Hemang Karelia, Task Team Leader, World Bank expressed the hope that the Webinar on the theme of structural safety is a step in right direction so sensitize practioners and people on the importance of safety parameters of building in multihazard prone region like J&K.

The Webinar was attended by more than 150 participants from the across the country which included urban planners, architects, structural engineers, policy makers, researchers and various experts in the field of disaster mitigation and many officers of JTFRP .

Q&A session was also conducted at the conclusion of the webinar during which participants asked various questions to the experts to gain more clarity on the topic.