Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh on Sunday said that the Ujh Multipurpose Project (MPP), located on the Ujh River, a major tributary of the Ravi River in the Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir, is designed to generate 186-212 MW of electricity.
He said the project is expected to provide irrigation to nearly 90,000 hectares of agricultural land in the Kathua and Samba districts of Jammu and Kashmir, as well as the Pathankot and Gurdaspur districts of Punjab. It will also supply drinking water to Kathua district and ensure water availability for industrial use.
Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences and Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space, Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Dr Jitendra Singh reviewed the status and phased implementation roadmap of the Ujh Multipurpose Project in Kathua district.
Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Dr Jitendra Singh said that several long-pending national projects are being taken forward with renewed urgency. He noted that the Ujh Multipurpose Project, conceived nearly a century ago, had remained in limbo for decades, while the Shahpurkandi Project had remained pending for nearly four decades.
The delay in implementing these projects, he said, resulted in the waters of the Ravi River and its tributaries continuing to flow into Pakistan.
The minister held a detailed review meeting with officials of WAPCOS Ltd., a Government of India undertaking under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, which has been entrusted with implementing the project.
Dr Jitendra Singh emphasised the need for expeditious implementation so that the benefits of this strategically important project reach the people at the earliest. He advised WAPCOS to explore innovative implementation strategies while maintaining the highest standards of quality, safety and efficiency.
The Minister was informed that the project would be executed in a phased manner. Construction work will begin while acquisition of the remaining land continues simultaneously, without waiting for the completion of the entire land acquisition process. The implementing agency is also finalising the project site and related infrastructure requirements.
The Minister said that even when the Indus Waters Treaty was in force, the Ravi, Sutlej and Beas were India’s allocated rivers under the Treaty, with the Ravi being the most significant among them. He noted that the Treaty is currently in abeyance.
Dr Jitendra Singh said that 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 under Prime Minister Narendra Modi to implement long-delayed infrastructure projects, optimise the utilisation of India’s water resources and deliver tangible benefits to the people.
He said the project is expected to strengthen agricultural productivity, improve water security, create new opportunities for economic development and contribute to the overall socio-economic progress of the Union Territory. It also has an important security and border management dimension and is backed by the Ministry of Home Affairs to regulate water flows and plug vulnerable cross-border infiltration routes along the riverbed.
Dr Jitendra Singh reviewed the implementation milestones in detail and stressed the need for close coordination among all stakeholders, along with effective monitoring, to ensure the timely execution of the project. He assured WAPCOS of the government’s full support and cooperation for the successful implementation and timely completion of this prestigious project.