‘Some works of my tenure yet to be completed’
Sanjeev Pargal
- Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad addressing a mammoth public meeting at Phinter, Billawar on Wednesday. —Excelsior/Magotra
JAMMU, Apr 18: Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad today batted for inclusion of at least two more Congress nominees in the State Cabinet saying majority of Jammu region has no representation in the Cabinet while half of Jammu has no Minister at all.
While supporting Chief Minister Omar Abdullah led National Conference-Congress coalition Government to complete full six years in the office, Mr Azad, however, said aspirations of Congress leaders and workers would have to be taken into account by the Government.
The Union Health Minister, who had served as Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir for about two and a half years from November 2, 2005 as a head of Congress-PDP coalition Government, expressed dissatisfaction over some of the 1500 projects, he had initiated during his tenure, getting delayed much beyond the schedule.
Addressing a mammoth public meeting at Phinter playground in Billawar tehsil of Kathua district, organized by Minister of State for Cooperatives, Dr Manohar Lal Sharma, MLA Billawar, and talking to reporters at Billawar and Jammu (after a function of Backward Classes Union), said the Congress would like filling up of two vacancies of its quota in the Cabinet and return of its portfolios including R&B and Education, which have been held by the Chief Minister in addition to his own Departments.
“There has been demand in rank and file of the Congress that their vacancies in the Council of Ministry should be filled up. We would take up the demand at appropriate level. The Congress high command and Pradesh unit would finalise the names’’, Mr Azad said.
He pointed out that majority of Jammu region was without any representation in the Council of Ministry while half of Jammu has no Minister at all.
Worthwhile to mention here that out of six Cabinet Ministers from Jammu region, four belonged to Jammu district (Tara Chand, Raman Bhalla, RS Chib and Sham Lal Sharma, all from Congress) while two others Surjit Singh Slathia and Abdul Gani Malik (both from National Conference) belonged to Samba and Reasi districts. Out of 10 districts of Jammu region, seven districts have no representation in Cabinet. Despite three Ministers of State of the Congress (Dr Manohar Lal Sharma, Aijaz Ahmed Khan and Shabir Khan from Kathua, Reasi and Rajouri districts), Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban, Udhampur and Poonch remained un-represented.
To a question of reservations expressed by many Chief Ministers on National Centre for Terrorism Control (NCTC), Mr Azad said it was due to these reservations that Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh has called a meeting of all CMs in New Delhi on May 5.
“Reservations have been voiced by many Chief Ministers. It was due to these reservations that the PM would listen to all CMs in their conference on May 5’’, he said.
On the reported statement of Pakistan’s Interior Security Minister Rehman Malik that Taliban were now moving towards India, he said: “on different times, different statements were made by Pakistani leaders. There was a need to ascertain the statements of Malik. The Government of India would act and react only after ascertaining veracity of the report’’.
Mr Azad said different statements emanated from Pakistan on different occasions. The statements were required to be verified before arriving at any conclusion, he added.
On auction of Mahatma Gandhi’s rare memorabilia including blood stained grass after his killing, Mr Azad said he as a Gandhian was hurt and felt bad about it. “This shouldn’t have happened’’, he said.
Replying to a question as to why the Central Government didn’t try to stop the auction in England, the Union Minister said: “perhaps the Centre got the information quite late when it was not possible to stop it’’.
He added that Mahatma Gandhi’s memorabilia was precious and was above any price. “No one can put the value of Gandhi Ji’s belongings’’, he said.
On repeated demands of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for withdrawal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from some parts of the State, the veteran Congress leader evaded a direct reply saying the ground situation was first required to be examined on whether there was a need to withdraw the Act from the districts, where it was sought to be withdrawn by the Chief Minister, or not.
“The entire issue (withdrawal of AFSPA) was required to be examined thoroughly. A demand was being made for withdrawal of the Act from some districts. It has to be seen whether the withdrawal is required from some parts or not. Only then a final decision can be taken on it’’, he said.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has been demanding withdrawal of AFSPA from Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Srinagar and Badgam districts. He had raised the demand in a meeting with Union Home Minister P Chidambaram here on April 10 followed by the Chief Ministers’ conference on April 16 in New Delhi, which was chaired by the Prime Minister.
Replying to another question on disqualification of seven BJP MLAs from the Assembly, the Union Minister said the decision was lying with the Speaker.
“The Legislative Assembly Speaker had to take the final call on disqualification of MLAs. It was up to the Speaker whether he had to disqualify the MLAs or not’’, he said, adding that in Rajasthan some MLAs were disqualified by the Speaker on similar grounds.
To another question on terror again striking Afghanistan, Mr Azad said it had been happening there from time to time.
On Congress drubbing in Delhi civic body elections, he said the Congress would go for an introspection on defeat in New Delhi and Mumbai urban body polls.
Even as Mr Azad expressed satisfaction over working of National Conference-Congress coalition Government with a commitment that Omar Abdullah would continue to be the Chief Minister for full term of six years, he said the Chief Minister would have to accommodate feelings of the Congress workers.
He made a veiled reference of Congress giving full support to PDP for three years to run the Government in 2002 but the latter withdrawing support to Congress Government headed by him after two and a half years. He made it clear that the Congress would continue to support Omar Government for full six years term.
“There have been some genuine complaints from the Congress workers. The Government should pay proper attention to the demands’’, he said, adding that legislators and workers of the Congress also have a feeling that their vacancies in the Ministry should be filled.
Choudhary Lal Singh, Congress MP from Udhampur-Kathua-Doda constituency had earlier complained in the rally that National Conference Ministers and MPs had easy access to helicopters but the similar facility has been denied to Congress Ministers and MPs, a result of which development works in Congress constituencies were suffering.
Recalling that he had initiated about 1500 development works during his two and a half years tenure as the Chief Minister, Mr Azad expressed concern over some works facing prolonged delay.
“Some works were facing delay much beyond schedule including in erstwhile Doda district. There was a need to complete these works’’, the Union Minister said noting that the Central Government was giving liberal financial assistance to the State. He said development works would get a boost in erstwhile Doda district once the area gets representation in the Ministry. He said it was during his tenure that a bridge was constructed in Tangmarg in record four months.
On alleged irregularities in National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) in Uttar Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir, he said the Union Health Ministry was holding a review of the schemes in all the States including UP and J&K.
He said some schemes of the Health Department were suffering in Jammu and Kashmir in the absence of powers to Panchayats. He hoped that J&K Government would go for immediate elections to Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), which have been delayed for last more than two years.
Mr Azad said the Union Health Ministry has announced a series of schemes for health care of both urban and rural people. He said he had reports that some of these schemes were not reaching rural poor and added that strengthening of Panchayats would lead to people getting aware about these schemes.
Mr Azad said militancy was vanishing and peace was gradually returning in the State. He called upon the Government to exploit prevailing peace and stability to give boost to the developmental activities.
Asking the people to take benefits from health oriented schemes launched by the Central Government, he said a health programme ‘Savasth Bharat’, launched by the Union Health Ministry was being telecast and broadcast by television and radio in all regional languages in which specialists spoke about treatment, prevention and cure of different diseases.
He announced that pentavalent vaccine for child immunization will be introduced in Jammu and Kashmir from this year, which would reduce the number of vaccines to be administered to the child under immunization programme. He said the Union Health Ministry had launched a programme for BPL people under which they could get free of cost treatment in any hospital of India from cancer, heart ailments and kidney related problems.
The Union Minister said there had been about 80 per cent road connectivity in Kashmir and about 50 per cent in Jammu. However, in erstwhile Doda district, the road connectivity was just 15 to 20 per cent. “Adequate attention has not been paid to erstwhile Doda district on development’’, he regretted.
On demand raised by MoS and MLA Billawar Dr Manohar Lal Sharma for grant of district status to Billawar, Mr Azad recalled that it was the Congress Government, which had in 2007, created eight new district though Wazir Commission had recommended creating of four districts way back in 1977-78.
“Billawar deserved the status of district but again it would be the Congress Government, which will make it a district’’, he said.
He announced a Trauma Hospital at Dhar Road for immediate treatment of accident victims and more sub centres for Jammu and Kashmir. He announced Rs 20 lakh from his MPLAD fund while Lal Singh to gave Rs 30 lakh from his MPLAD for construction of sports stadium at Billawar.
Addressing the meeting, Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand highlighted achievements of coalition Government.
He showered all praises on Mr Azad saying during his tenure many development works were undertaken and completed across the State. He said Mr Azad has brought a revolution in health sector across the country.
Tara Chand said National Conference-Congress coalition Government would complete six years term successfully.
Choudhary Lal Singh, Congress MP and MoS Cooperatives Dr Manohar Lal Sharma, MLA Billawar also highlighted their achievements on development front. They said the people have been supporting the Congress on all fronts in Jammu region. They charged the BJP with trying to mislead the people.
Meanwhile, OBC Cell of Pradesh Congress Committee submitted a memorandum to Mr Azad during a function held at Sidhra this afternoon.
Signed by Madan Lal Kashyap and B L Bhardwaj, former members of State Commission for Backward Classes, the memorandum sought enhancement of reservation for backward classes from 2 per cent to at least 10 per cent against the demand of 27 per cent, proper reservation in Legislature and Government organisations for OBCs (social castes) at par with SC, revision of creamy layer from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 9 lakh at par with the Union Government, change of nomenclature from OSC, SLC to OBC and issue of one OBC certificate instead of two meant for both State as well as Centre.
Among others, who were present at Billawar rally of Mr Azad, included Minister of State for Power Shabir Ahmed Khan, Ghulam Mohammad Saroori, Vaqar Rasool, Jugal Kishore, Subash Gupta, Jehangir Mir and Naresh Gupta, all legislators.
At Backward Classes Union Social (BCUS) function at Narwal, Abdul Majid Malik, president listed demands of the backward classes.
Former Minister and MLA Bhaderwah Mohammad Sharief Niaz and Nadeem Sharief Niaz, Youth Congress leader also addressed the BCU function at Sidhra.
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