Jammu, Dec  (UNI) Prime Minister, Narendra Modi on Wednesday chaired the 34th PRAGATI interaction with Union Secretaries of various Ministries and Chief Secretaries of States/UTs through video-conference.

Chief Secretary, J&K, BVR Subrahmanyam along with Administrative Secretaries of departments of Health & Medical Education, and Jal Shakti participated in the video conference.

Prime Minister reviewed 11 projects related to 7 Ministries including the prestigious Udhampur-Baramulla Rail link being constructed in Jammu and Kashmir.

While reviewing the progress of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project which will connect Kashmir valley with a railway line, Prime Minister was informed that all the issues have been resolved and works are progressing smoothly.

Underscoring the potential of the project to exponentially boost Kashmir’s tourism and economy, Prime Minister fixed the deadline for completion of the project as August 15, 2022.

Reviewing the progress of Ayushman Bharat- Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) across the country, Prime Minister said that the scheme not only provides financial relief but also acts as a safety net to the underprivileged families which would earlier be pushed into poverty when befallen by serious illnesses.

Pertinently, Jammu and Kashmir has recently launched Ayushman Bharat- ‘Sehat’ and extended the free-of-cost and cashless healthcare benefits to all the residents of the Union Territory.

Prime Minister said that through the Jal Jeevan Mission- Har Ghar Nal Se Jal, every rural household in the country will be provided with a clean drinking water supply inadequate quantity by 2024. These efforts will lead to an improvement in living standards of rural communities and thereby must be taken up on mission-mode by all the States and UTs, he added.

It was informed that in Jammu and Kashmir, the mission has been completed in 2 districts and the rest will be completed by 2022.