Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 22: Ruling BJP Core Group is holding its emergency meeting here tomorrow with functioning of the PDP-BJP coalition Government and performances of the BJP Ministers high on agenda amidst reports that the party high command was not happy with working of some of the Ministers.
The Core Group meeting, scheduled for 11 am tomorrow, is likely to be attended by BJP national vice president, Incharge Jammu and Kashmir, Avinash Rai Khanna, Union Minister of the State in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) Dr Jitendra Singh, Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh, BJP state president Sat Sharma CA, Ashok Koul, general secretary (organization), Legislative Assembly Speaker Kavinder Gupta, Health and Medical Education Minister Bali Bhagat, Shamsher Singh Manhas and Jugal Kishore Sharma, both MPs, Ashok Khajuria, MLC and three general secretaries Narinder Singh, Harvinder Gupta and Pawan Khajuria.
Party sources said the Core Group would review functioning of the State Government especially performance of the BJP Ministers in the wake of reports that there has been “inordinate delay’’ in the implementation of Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) in Jammu and Kashmir due to delay in State quota of funds by the Government.
“The Centre has taken serious note of delay in execution of Centrally sponsored projects and failure of some of the Ministers to assert in the Government to get State quota funds released from the Government,’’ sources said, adding that this aspect would figure prominently in tomorrow’s Core Group meeting as various Union Ministries have lamented delay on some major projects despite completion of all formalities by the Centre.
Sources said the Core Group would also take up complaints being voiced quite often by the BJP leaders and even the legislators that their own party Ministers, leave aside the PDP, haven’t been paying heed to issues of the public raised with them, leading to their embarrassment in their constituencies.
“The steps required to implement the ‘Agenda of Alliance’ including the BJP agenda would be discussed in the Core Group and a strategy adopted to get it implemented,’’ sources said pointing out that after Rs 2000 crore relief package for Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) refugees, the BJP now wants to address the issues of West Pakistan refugees and Kashmiri Pandit migrants especially the steps required for their permanent rehabilitation.
Issues of West Pakistani refugees and Kashmiri Pandits have always formed core agenda of the BJP and, according to sources, the Core Group would debate how to move ahead and get their problems addressed.
According to sources, there has been intense pressure on the BJP from the Centre Government especially the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to get Panchayat and Urban Local Bodies elections held in Jammu and Kashmir as absence of elected civic bodies in the State for quite a long time was sending wrong signal on security front as well as blocking Central grants, which could have been utilized in developmental works in both rural and urban areas of the State.
Sources said the Core Group could ask the party Ministers to assert and get Panchayat and Municipal elections held in the State early next year.
Besides, they said, the Core Group will also discuss the BJP strategy for upcoming budget session of the Legislature, beginning January 2.
The dialogue process initiated by the Centre Government on Jammu and Kashmir through its Special Representative Dineshwar Sharma and how to project issues of Jammu and Ladakh before him, would be discussed. Sharma is about to pay his third visit to the State in the next few days.
Follow our WhatsApp channel