Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 12: Senior Congress leader and Minister for Housing, Culture and Sports Raman Bhalla today said that process of creating new administrative units in Jammu and Kashmir was started by former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and it was carried forward by National Conference (NC)-Congress alliance to ensure that people get easy access to Government at their doorsteps.
The move is sure to empower people who will not have to run from pillar to post for their administrative works like making state subjects, getting ration cards or following revenue related matters. Raman Bhalla was addressing election meetings at Chenani, Snal Cherry, Saila, Kud Champeri and adjoining villages in district Udhampur.
Addressing largely attended meetings to garner support for party candidate from Udhampur-Doda Parliamentary constituency, Ghulam Nabi Azad, he said that eight new administrative units set up by former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad during his tenure brought in revolutionary changes in rural, remote and hilly belts of Jammu and Kashmir.
Bhalla said that Baloria Commission was also set up by Azad which was assigned the task to submit a comprehensive report for setting up of more administrative units in the State. Since the foundation for making new Sub Divisions, Tehsils, Blocks, districts and Niabats was laid down by Azad the Coalition Government carried the move forward and set up over 600 new administrative units.
He added that this was Coalition Government’s biggest achievement due to which many new Government offices will be set up in remotest and hilly areas to facilitate people. Urging people to vote for Ghulam Nabi Azad, Bhalla said that former Chief Minister and Union Health Minister is a visionary statesman, a politician and a social activist who ensured that people get justice delivered at their door steps.
Highlighting the achievements of Congress led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government at the Centre, Bhalla asserted that various schemes like Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) is the largest welfare scheme ever started in the country that generated employment for over 4.98 crore households in the country. He said that it was because of this scheme that people did not leave their homes and hearths and got works there itself.