Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, May 8: Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad expressed dismay and dejection on the apathy of the Central Government towards the reconstruction of flood-ravaged J&K State and rehabilitation of flood victims.
Mr Azad stated this on Thursday while concluding the debate on the Finance Bill 2015-16 in Rajya Sabha.
In addition to raising many other issues, Azad drew the attention of Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley towards the promises made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi while campaigning in the run up to the Assembly elections in J&K.
He said, “BJP Govt has very conveniently forgotten its electoral promise of providing full support to the State of J&K in carrying out relief and rehabilitation work after the elections”.
Referring to PDP- BJP alliance formation, Azad said that logic and reasoning given by PDP to forge the alliance with BJP has been found wrong as Central Government has not shown any inclination to come forward in support of the flood- ravaged J&K State.
Azad asserted that UPA Govt led by Dr Manmohan Singh was always liberal and magnanimous in extending support to the State of J&K. He said J&K was badly ravaged by flash floods in September last year which led to massive devastation of private property, business establishments and public infrastructure like schools, roads, power network, drinking water system etc.
The AICC leader castigated the NDA Government for not sanctioning the special package of Rs 44,000 crores which was recommended to the Central Govt by the NC-Congress coalition Govt last year. “BJP Govt has played a crude joke with the people of J&K by providing Rs 1100 crores for flood relief and rehabilitation”, said Azad.
Earlier, speaking during Zero Hour in Rajya Sabha on the exorbitant fares being charged by the airlines, Azad underlined the need to fix a cap on the airfare by the Civil Aviation Ministry.
Expressing disappointment on the reply of Civil Aviation Minister, Azad sought immediate intervention of the Union Govt to regulate the fares so as to safeguard the interests of passengers.
“During summers, the fare goes as high as Rs 30,000 for the economy class, while in winters it is as low as Rs 3000”, said Azad adding that such unreasonable swings in the fare are not fair and just, and that they pinch the purse of common man, especially the poor and middle class.
Azad pointed out that it is convenient for the tourists to travel to Kashmir by air as the journey by road is very tedious and challenging, in the absence of rail connectivity.
“Patients from Kashmir travel to Delhi and other parts of country for advanced and super-specialty treatment and they have to shell out huge sums on airfare, since the journey by road is very difficult and tedious”, remarked Azad.
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