* J&K to get 2 AIIMS, 2 Smart Cities; Rs 4500 cr provision
* Dissensions part of democracy, Beigh is PDP’s senior leader
Sanjeev Pargal
— Excelsior/Rakesh
JAMMU, Nov 13: Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed said today that he and Prime Minister Narendra Modi would jointly lay foundation of `New Jammu and Kashmir’ through multi-sector economic and infrastructure development even as he dropped enough hints that PDP president and his daughter Mehbooba Mufti could succeed him as new Chief Minister of the State some time in future.
Mufti Sayeed along with Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh, Finance Minister Dr Haseeb Drabu, Advisor to CM Amitabh Mattoo and Chief Secretary BR Sharma released a document at a press conference this morning at official residence of Sayeed giving sector wise details of Rs 80068 crores worth package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at two massive rallies in Srinagar and Ramban.
The four page document titled ‘Modi-Mufti lay foundation of a ‘New Jammu and Kashmir’ lauded the Government of India support to humanitarian and multi sectoral growth initiatives in Jammu and Kashmir to help in creating an environment of peace, certainty and stability, in tune with ruling coalition’s ‘Agenda of Alliance’ that was released on March 1, the day first ever historic alliance was clinched between PDP and BJP.
“This will certainly help in transforming the coalition into a ‘Smart Government’, which will be pro-active, transparent and accountable,” the Government document said, which mentioned region wise benefits of the Prime Minister’s package for Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh.
The official document has set at rest all speculations on establishment of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and `Smart Cities’ in Jammu and Kashmir. It clearly mentioned that there will be two AIIMS-one in Jammu and another in Kashmir for which a provision of Rs 4000 crores (Rs 2000 crores each) has been kept from the PM’s package.
Similarly, it stated there would be two ‘Smart Cities’ in the State for which a provision of Rs 500 crores has been kept. Though the documents didn’t name the cities that would be developed as ‘Smart Cities’, sources said it was obvious that two rotational capital cities-Jammu and Srinagar will be developed as the ‘Smart Cities’.
The official document has fulfilled long pending demand of the people of Jammu for widening of Jammu-Akhnoor-Poonch road, which had earlier been declared as National Highway for construction by Union Minister for Surface Transport Nitin Gadkari. The Government has kept Rs 5100 crores for the project.
However, the West Pakistani refugees remained a casualty even when the BJP was ruling both Centre and State. The sector wise package made mention of one time monitory compensation to refugees of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Chhamb only. A provision of Rs 2000 crores has been kept for the purpose. The BJP had promised to address the issue of West Pakistani refugees during campaign for both Lok Sabha and BJP elections. The representative of West Pakistan refugees, Labha Ram Gandhi had even retired in favour of BJP candidate Jugal Kishore Sharma for Jammu-Poonch seat.
The Chief Minister, however, said the problem of West Pakistani refugees was humanitarian and the Government will do whatever possible for them.
The Government has also cleared the dust on the hike of remuneration of Special Police Officers (SPOs) from Rs 3000 to Rs 6000 per month by keeping an amount of Rs 450 crores for the increase.
The Government listed region wise development that would be undertaken in Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh in the official document.
Addressing the press conference, Mufti Sayeed dropped enough hints that PDP president, Lok Sabha member from Anantnag and his daughter Mehbooba Mufti could succeed him some time in future saying it is a “part of democracy”.
Replying to a specific question on the talks in political circles that Mehbooba could be next Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Sayeed said: ” about coming of Mehbooba ji (as Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir)… It is democracy”. “Whether one or another comes, that is the job of the party to decide,” he said but made it clear that this was not the issue as of now.
Mufti hailed the role of Mehbooba in consolidation of the party in the State, giving hints that she could be her successor some time.
“Really, it is she who is doing the job in the field and I work behind the scene and other areas. Whatever consolidation has come to the party was not because of me. I was not winning. She won from Bijbehara in 1996 (Assembly elections). She has worked for that,” the Mufti said.
“While I remain busy with functioning of the administration, Mehbooba had good liasoning with the masses on ground,” he remarked.
The Chief Minister was asked about dissent within the PDP with party MP Muzaffar Hussain Beigh, Lok Sabha member from Baramulla, openly saying that Mufti had bowed before the BJP in finalizing the alliance with it.
Replying, Mufti said, “there is dissent in every party and every party should welcome it. They should engage people in debate. Such dissent is the essence of democracy. Beigh is a senior leader of our party. He has every right to have his own view-point. I am not a contractor of the party.”
Besides Beigh, another party MP from Srinagar Lok Sabha seat, Tariq Hamid Qarra has also been critical of Mufti for forming coalition Government with the BJP. They have issued statements criticising the State Government led by Mufti over various decisions.
Defending his decision to ally with BJP, Mufti said people are satisfied with it.
“I feel that it is my vindication, whatever I did on Ist of March, 2015. When I look towards the ground situation now, people have a level of satisfaction with that (my decision),” he said.
He said after Kashmir, his Government will now lay focus on Jammu region. “We remained focussed in Kashmir, because of Monsoon we could not do macadamization, we will do it now,” he added.
Mufti said reconciliation with Pakistan is on the agenda of the ruling PDP-BJP alliance in the State but termed it as an “evolutionary process”.
He said that he will continue perusing the agenda of reconciliation with the neighbouring country with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
When asked about why he termed the Modi’s Srinagar rally as historic even though he did talk about reconciliation with Pakistan, Mufti said:”Modi is not under any pressure to talk about Pakistan.”
Mufti said that Modi has been totally focused on the development of the State.
“You (media) should not jump to conclusions. Everything is in an evolutionary process… Whatever is that. Reconciliation with Pakistan, it is on the agenda of alliance,” Mufti said.
“It (reconciliation with Pakistan) is there. I have high hope on that. Why should we make Prime Minister say everything like that (talk about reconciliation with Pakistan)? Why should he say that? He is not under pressure to say that,” the Chief Minister said.
He was replying to a volley of questions on the Prime Minister’s rally in Srinagar.
“I met the Prime Minister in private and impressed upon him that it will be good to talk to Pakistan the way Atal Bihari Vajpayee did. But he is PM of the country. But there is no option except reconciliation,” he said.
The Chief Minister said: “I have been insisting on that. It (reconciliation with Pakistan) is a process. It is not necessary that the PM will accept everything like this as of now.
“I say if there is friendship with Pakistan, we are bestowed with peace here. During the Vajpayee’s period he got peace and everything was peaceful. I will not give up my effort, it will be my endeavour to pursue it with the PM to have reconciliation and that is my dream,” he added.
Asked whether Modi is proving to be difficult for you as compared to Vajpayee as far as holding talks with Pakistan is concerned, Mufti said, “during my previous meetings with him, Modi has been totally focused on Jammu and Kashmir on development front. Good governance and development are major issues.”
“When he (Modi) entered into alliance with me, it (reconciliation with Pakistan) is written there that there will be friendly relations with the neighbouring State.
“It is not possible that Mufti will achieve everything in one go. It is important that I be able to create atmosphere of friendship between two countries,” he added.
“In the end, it is PM’s own choice whether to touch any subject or not. I am not a dictator who will dictate all things to him,” Mufti said.
Replying to another question about whether the State Government will address Jammu as per new coined word of ‘Naya’ Jammu and Kashmir, Mufti said: “we are as serious as never before. Justice will be done to every region.”
“We will empower people. We will hold civic elections etc. We will go for devolution of the powers and empower block committees and district panels in the decision making setup,” he said.
On the question whether the Centre has sanctioned two AIIMS for J&K, he said “there will be two full-fledged AIIMS in J&K …One for Jammu and another for Kashmir. Rs 2,000 crore have been earmarked for Kashmir and Jammu regions for setting up of two AIIMS.”
Mufti termed the package of Rs 80,068 crore by the Prime Minister as “wholesome” and something that will take care of equitable development of all the three regions of the State.
He said the Prime Minister is totally focussed on development of Jammu and Kashmir and he has lived up to his promise of supporting its transformation as a model State.
Sayeed said he takes pride in the performance of his Government which has been in power for a little over eight months only.
He said the 14th Finance Commission Award has assured complete financial devolution and every State has got its share in Central funds.
“In nine months whatever funds the Government has spent on connectivity, health, rural development and education sectors have been in our kitty,” he added.
He reiterated his commitment to provide good governance and strengthen the institutions so that the system becomes responsive to the needs of the people.
“We have done well on most indicators and now that the development package has been announce. We will move in fast-track to create durable assets, besides providing succor to flood victims and security and welfare to displaced persons,” he said.
On the issue of improving road connectivity in the State, the Chief Minister described the package announced by Narendra Modi as a continuation of what former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee did in his tenure as a Prime Minister when he had announced the North-South and East-West corridors to connect the National Highways.
He thanked the Centre for prioritising widening of road stretches from Udhampur to Chenani and from Chenani to Ramban, Ramban to Banihal and Banihal to Srinagar which will enable the people to complete Srinagar-Jammu journey in only four hours.
The Prime Minister, during his visit, had also laid foundation stone of widening of these two road stretches at a total cost of Rs 4,306 crores.
The Chief Minister gave elaborate details of major projects under road infrastructure which will ease the distances and movement of people across the regions and sub-regions of the state.
These include construction of Zojilla Tunnel at a cost of Rs 9000 crore, Kargil-Zanskar-Leh Road (Rs 4000 crore), two-laning of Srinagar-Shopian-Qazigund Road (Rs 1800 crore), four and two-laning of Jammu-Akhnoor-Poonch Road (Rs 5100 crore), construction of tunnels at Lachulunga Pass and Tanglang Pass on Manali-Leh section (Rs 5000 crore).
Other projects include upgrading of Srinagar-Uri-LoC Road, double-laning of Srinagar-Leh Road via Kargil and Uri-Kaman Post (LoC) at a cost of Rs 233 crore and Chenani-Sudhmahadev-Khelani Road with tunnel at a cost of Rs 2100 crore. He said construction of tunnels of Mughal Road and Kishtwar-Sinthan-Anantnag road would be taken up in the State sector.
Sayeed also announced construction of semi-ring roads in Jammu and Srinagar cities at respective costs of Rs 1400 crore and Rs 1860 crore.
Under the development package, fund allocations have been kept for double-laning of Batote-Sinthan-Kishtwar- Anantnag Road at a cost of Rs 130 crore.
In health sector, he said that two AIIMS will be constructed at a cost of Rs 2,000 crore each while as Rs 900 crore will be spent on upgrading district and sub-district hospitals and PHCs.
Highlighting the huge potential of the State in New and Renewable Energy, Sayeed said two pilot projects of 20 MW each for Leh and Kargil will be started to harness solar power potential.
He said this will just be a modest beginning since the State has a potential of generating 1 lakh MW solar power. “Rs 100 crore has also been provided for solid off grid home systems and solar street lighting in the State,” he added.
Sayeed also thanked the Centre for keeping an allocation of Rs 2,350 crore for installation of small hydropower projects and Rs 3,790 crore for augmentation of power infrastructure and distribution systems.
In order to fully tap the tourism potential of the State, the Chief Minister said the Centre has announced Rs 2,000 crore package. This will be besides the Rs 100 crore which has been kept for restoration of flood-damaged tourism infrastructure.
To upgrade infrastructure in cities and towns, an extensive allocation has been made in Housing and Urban Development Sector, with Rs 744 crore to be spent under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), Rs 193 crore under ‘Swachh Bharat’ and Rs 500 crore for ‘Smart Cities’.
“The State’s liability of Rs 163 crore under erstwhile JNNURM will also be released under the package,” he said.
He said the package will also takes care of Kashmiri migrants for whom 3000 jobs will be created, besides enhancing intake capacity at different transit accommodations set in Kashmir.
Replying to a question on West Pakistan refugees, Sayeed described this as a humanitarian issue and added that the Government will look into their problems.
On the law-and-order front, the Chief Minister said Rs 500 crore have been earmarked for improving system ingredients and logistics. He also said that the Centre has enhanced stipend of SPOs from present Rs 3000 to Rs 6000, which will come as a huge relief to thousands of police personnel.
A separate allocation has also been kept for five IRP battalions for the State which will create job opportunities for 4000 youth in the State.
In the handicraft and textile sectors, he said the Centre has announced Rs 50 crore Pashmina promotion project in the State.
Mufti said the 2014 flood victims of the State, including traders as well as the PoK refugees would get a compensation of Rs 2,000 crores each for their relief and rehabilitation.
Giving the break-up of the recently announced Rs 80,000 crore package by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the State, the Chief Minister said that the Centre and the State Government have decided to lay the foundation for a “new Jammu and Kashmir” through Aggregate Multi-sector Economic and Infrastructure Rebuilding (TAMEIR) Plan 2015-2020.
He said that Rs 2,000 crore has been earmarked for the relief and rehabilitation of victims of 2014 floods.
Rs 1,200 crore will be spent on reconstruction of houses damaged in the floods, while Rs 800 crore will be utilised for reviving the flood impacted trade, he said.
Reaffirming his resolve to provide relief to every victim of last year’s colossal floods, the Chief Minister said that it will be for the first time when people will be provided monetary help for reconstruction of damaged houses, building infrastructure as well as restoration of livelihood of traders and small-time businessmen.
“A comprehensive plan for protection of river Jhelum at a cost of Rs 1,100 crore is part of the development package, besides Rs 2,000 crore that will be spent on restoration of flood-damaged infrastructure,” he stated.
Giving further details, Sayeed said for a fully-damaged pucca house, Rs 3 lakh will be provided while Rs 1.5 lakh will be given to those who have a fully-damaged kucha house.
Similarly, a severely-damaged pucca house will be provided the financial assistance of Rs 1 lakh and a severely-damaged kucha house will be given Rs 50,000, he said.
“The package involves the GOI’s support to the humanitarian and multi-sectoral growth initiatives in the State and help in creating an environment of peace, certainty and stability in tune with ruling coalition agenda,” he said.
Sayeed said that the State Government has further allotted Rs 33,000 crores for road sector, Rs 900 crores for health sector, Rs 3,900 crores for power sector, Rs 2,000 crores for tourism sector and Rs 2,000 crores for small hydel projects.
While Rs 52,385 crores have been kept for economic infrastructure development building, Rs 8,441 crores will go for social infrastructure support, Rs 8,421 crores for development works, Rs 6,013 crores for humanitarian relief and rehabilitation and Rs 4,808 crores for disaster management, he added.
DISTRIBUTION OF PACKAGE
* Humanitarian Relief and Rehabilitation Rs 6,013 crore
* Disaster Management Rs 4,808 crore
* Social Infrastructure support Rs 8,441 crore
* Economic Infrastructure building Rs 52,385 crore
* Developmental works Rs 8,421 crore
Major Projects:
* Assistance for damage houses Rs 1,200 crore
* Assistance for traders Rs 8,00 crore
* AIIMS Rs 4,000 crore
* District, Sub district Hospitals and PHCs: Rs 900 crore
* IIM Jammu Rs 1,000 crore
* IIT Jammu Rs 1,000 crore
* Tourism Development Rs 2,000 crore
* High Tech security systems Rs 500 crore
* Ring Roads for Jammu and Srinagar cities Rs 3,200 crore
* Installation of Small Hydro-Projects Rs 2,000 crore
* Raising of five IR Battalions Rs 300 crore
* Increase in remuneration of SPOs Rs 450 crore
* Smart Cities Rs 500 crore
* Power infrastructure augmentation Rs 3,790 crore
* Equity for Pakal Dul Rs 4,153 crore
* Counterpart funding for EAPs Rs 1,278 crore
* Projects under Bharat Mala Rs 2,700 crore
* Zojila Tunnel Rs 9,090 crore
* Converting World Bank loan into grant Rs 1,350 crore
* Horticulture Development Rs 500 crore
* One-time monetary compensation to families-
from PoK and Chamb Rs 2,000 crore
* Srinagar-Banihal Road Rs 735 crore
* Jammu-Akhnoor-Poonch Road Rs 5,100 crore
* Srinagar-Shopian-Qazigund Road Rs 1,800 crore
* Kargil-Zanskar Road Rs 4,200 crore
Region wise package
JAMMU
Health Sector
* Setting up of AIIMS at Jammu.
* Stepping up of support for District Hospitals, Sub District Hospitals and PHCs over 5 years.
Education Sector
* Establishment of IIM Jammu.
* Establishment of IIT Jammu.
* Upgradation of Hostels facilities for girls in Higher Education institutions.
Humanitarian Relief
* Rehabilitation package for One Time settlement of families from PoK and Chhamb DPs.
* Rehabilitation package for Jammu Migrants.
Road Sector
* 4 laning of Jammu-Akhnoor-Poonch road.
* Double laning of Chennani-Sudhmahadev-Goha road including 3.0 km long tunnel.
* Construction of Semi Ring Road.
* 4 laning of Udhampur-Ramban Road.
* 4 laning of Ramban-Banihal Road.
Power Sector
* Provision of State Share for Pakal Dul HEP.
Kashmir
Flood Management
* Comprehensive Flood Management of River Jhelum and its tributaries.
HEALTH SECTOR
* Establishment of AIIMS at Kashmir
* Stepping up of support for District Hospitals, Sub district Hospitals and PHCs over 5 years.
HUMANITARIAN RELIEF
* Interest subvention on assistance for restoration of livelihood for traders/ self employed/ business establishments etc.
EDUCATION SECTOR
* Modernisation of NIT Srinagar.
* Additional /Girls Hostels in Higher Education.
Road Sector
* Double laning of Srinagar-Shopian-Qazigund Road.
* Construction of Semi Ring Road.
POWER SECTOR
* Srinagar-Leh Transmission Line
LADAKH
SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE
* Pashmina Promotion Programme.
POWER SECTOR
* Two Solar power projects
ROAD SECTOR
* Zojila tunnel
* Double laning of Kargil-Zanskar Road.
* Construction of Tunnels at Lachulunga pass and Tagland pass (Manali-Leh)
* Completion of Nimu Padam Darchan Road.
ECONOMIC INFRASTRUCTURE
* Construction of Cold Storage facilities at Leh and Kargil.
* 50% subsidy support for setting up solar driers.
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