*AFSPA, 5 new IR bns, withdrawal of CRPF figure in meet with HM
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Jan 31: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today met Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde separately in New Delhi and discussed with them economic, political and security situation of the State including a special assistance to start metro rail services in Jammu and Srinagar cities.
Omar had hour long meetings each with Dr Singh and Ms Gandhi and one and a half hour long conversation with Mr Shinde.
Top official sources told the Excelsior that the Chief Minister briefed three top political leaders of the country about security situation prevailing in the State. He reportedly told them that Jammu and Kashmir was gradually returning to normal despite some isolated incidents. He said the State was expecting a massive flow of tourists during the summer like the previous year.
This was the first meeting of the Chief Minister with top political leadership of the country after January 15 expansion in the Council of Ministry and blockade of nearly Rs 1700 crore of Jammu and Kashmir’s annual plan of current financial year by the Planning Commission for non-completion of some formalities.
The Chief Minister, in his meeting with the Prime Minister, sought Rs 30,000 crore for Jammu and Srinagar City Mobility Plan, Rs 800 crore Central assistance for 1160 schemes, Central funding for Mughal Road, Transmission and Distribution (T&D) network and re-jigging of Prime Minister’s Re-construction Plan (PMRP) by launching its Phase-II.
He also sought Central assistance of Rs 1000 crores to facilitate reduction of 35 years levelized tariff for Baglihar Hydro-Electric Project-II. He sought liberal Central funding for devolution of resources to the Panchayats including payment of honorarium to Sarpanchs and Panchs, which was a long pending demand of the Panchayat members.
Sources said speedy Monorail services (metro train) could become a reality in Jammu and Srinagar if an ambitious plan of Rs 30,000 crore prepared by the State Government and discussed by Omar today with the Prime Minister gets the nod of the Central Government.
Omar sought funds for the project, which is first of its kind for any Valley region in the country.
He asked for Rs 30,000 crore for Jammu and Srinagar for which RITES has prepared a comprehensive plan, which included Rapid and Mass Transport (Metro/Mono Rail) services in the State, sources said.
They said the Chief Minister conveyed to the Prime Minister that the amount is beyond the means of State Government and the support by the Central Government during the 12th Plan period is essentially required to take up these projects.
In his meeting with Mr Shinde, Omar Abdullah was reported to have taken up the issue of partial revocation of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in the wake of Justice Verma Commission report, which was released recently. He reportedly said that the AFSPA could be revoked gradually from peaceful areas of the State.
The Chief Minister sought raising of five battalions of Indian Reserve Police (Law and Order) for Jammu and Kashmir in lieu of CRPF battalions, which were being withdrawn from the State. He sought 5000 permanent posts of SPOs and enhancement of their honorarium from present Rs 3000 per month to Rs 5000 per month. The State Government had already sent a proposal to this effect to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
He called for withdrawal of CRPF battalions from law and order and Counter Insurgency Grid of the State. He discussed the vacation of premises by security forces. He called for time bound vacation of the premises by the forces to use them for original purposes.
During an hour-long meeting with the PM, Omar said: “the historic Panchayat elections have raised expectations of the common man in the development share of the State and it was essential that Sarpanchs and Panchs get honorarium.
“On the part of the State Government, transfer of functions, functionaries and funds to Panchayat Raj institutions is a commitment and a beginning has been made by transferring the functions of 14 departments and ensuring flow of funds, Omar told the Prime Minister.
According to sources, the Prime Minister assured the Chief Minister of active consideration of the proposals made to various Union Ministries and said the Centre would continue to support the Jammu and Kashmir Government in its efforts to march on the road to peace and prosperity.
Omar sought an assistance of Rs 1,000 crore to reduce the power tariff from Rs 4.48 per unit to Rs 2.83 per unit in case of Baglihar Hydro-electric project which will cost Rs 2113 crore.
During the meeting with the Prime Minister, Omar also sought timely release of Central funds for various schemes so that these are utilized within the fiscal as the working season in the state was very brief.
He advocated removal of various conditions being imposed on lifting of the allocations as “these conditions create constraints”.
Omar sought re-jigging of Prime Ministers Reconstruction Plan and making availability of funds under the scheme, as articulated in the report by the Task Force constituted to prioritise development requirements.
Thanking the Prime Minister for providing Rs 577 crore through PMRP for land acquisition and completion of 1,344 schemes, the Chief Minister sought another Rs 800 crore for completion of approved 1,160 schemes.
He also advocated granting of cost escalation for strengthening the power sector and construction of the Mughal Road.
The project for reducing the Transmission and Distribution losses in the power sector has been revised from Rs 1,351 crore to Rs 1,545 crore and for the Mughal Road project it has been revised from Rs 639.85 crore to Rs 766.49 crores.
Urging strongly for replacing the head of tied Special Plan Assistance by Untied Special Central Assistance head, Omar highlighted this need as significantly important for the States like Jammu and Kashmir adding that such mechanism is essential to address the development requirements and reach out every area equitably.
Appreciating the Central Government for being liberal in meeting the fund requirement of Jammu and Kashmir for development needs by providing Central assistance under various windows like Additional Central Assistance (ACA), Special Central Assistance (SCA) and Special Plan Assistance (SPA), he strongly advocated for removing of various conditions being imposed on lifting of the allocations.
“These conditions create constraints”, he said adding that once ACA, SCA and SPA are included as source of funding, it should come to the State without any conditions as the conditions dilute the fiscal policy. He referred to the recommendation of high level Committee on Efficient Management of Public Expenditure under the Chairmanship of Dr. C. Rangarajan, which has said that Plan and Non-Plan distinction of budget restrictions shall be abolished.
Omar stressed for release of funds for the States like Jammu and Kashmir where working season is very brief. He called for a system of proportionate allocation so that there is no liquidity mismatch in the State.
The Chief Minister emphasized that in case of Jammu and Kashmir like special category states the pattern of financing for all Centrally sponsored schemes should confirm to the 90:10 pattern.
The Chief Minister also sought Central assistance of Rs. 1,000 crores to facilitate reducing of 35 years levelized tariff from RS. 4.48 per KwHr to Rs. 2.83 per KwHr in case of 450 MW Baglihar HEP-II for which TEC has been accorded by the Central Electricity Authority at a cost of Rs. 2113 crores.
The completion cost of BHEP-II is Rs. 3113.19 crore, approved by Board of Directors of SPDC and its financial closure is being finalized in consultation with PFC, REC, J&K Bank, etc.
The Prime Minister assured the Chief Minister of active consideration of the proposals made by the State Government to various Union Ministries and said that the Centre Government would continue to support Jammu and Kashmir Government in its efforts to march on road to peace and prosperity.
Omar urged Mr Shinde for early approval of MHA for Annual Action Plan for the year 2012-13 for Modernization of J&K Police Force Scheme involving an expenditure of Rs. 123.11 crore. He demanded release of Rs 30 crore approved by the Home Ministry for upgradation of training institutions of police in the State for the year 2011-12.
He asked for additional Rs. 50 crore as second installment for the year 2012-13. These funds are part of a Rs. 280 crore project relating to upgradation of police training centers in the State.
Omar sought approval of the detailed proposal submitted by the State Government for the current financial year as revised estimates for the year 2012-13 under Security Related Expenditure (SRE). He urged for exemption of J&K State from recovery of cost of the deployment on account of RAF, CRPF, ITBP etc deployed in Jammu and Kashmir beyond March 31, 2009 up to June 30, 2012, which amounted to Rs 514 crore.
He stressed for extension of benefit of scheme of Ministry of Home Affairs to the next of kin of police personnel killed between May 1999 and March 2001.
The Home Minister assured early sorting out of these pending issues at the MHA level. He also assured all support to the Chief Minister in his mission to restore peace and maintain law and order in the State, sources said.
In his meeting with Ms Gandhi, Omar discussed working of National Conference-Congress coalition Government including latest reshuffle in the Council of Ministry and upcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly elections next year.
Sources said both Ms Gandhi and Mr Abdullah voiced satisfaction over working of the coalition Government. Sources couldn’t say whether pre-poll alliance between National Conference and Congress for next year’s Lok Sabha and Assembly elections figured in the meeting.
Omar expressed gratitude to the UPA Chairperson for the unprecedented Central financial and logistic support to the State Government in its efforts to realise equitable development of all regions and sub-regions of the State and welfare of all sections of the society.
The achievements of the coalition Government on peace and development front during last four years were viewed with content and positive note by the two leaders, sources said.
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