Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 25: Stating that successive Governments have eroded the importance of the institution of District Development Boards (DDBs), CPM MLA, Mohd Yousaf Tarigami today asked the PDP-BJP Coalition Government to either wind up these boards or empower them. He also demanded establishment of Councils on the pattern of those in Leh and Kargil districts in order to meet the developmental aspirations of the districts particularly in hilly and tough terrain.
Participating in the discussion on the grants of Finance and Planning Department in the Legislative Assembly, Mr Tarigami said, “District Development Boards have lost their relevance and justice become burden on exchequer because decisions of these boards based on the suggestions of the members are not being taken seriously”.
“Instead of empowering these institutions by way of giving adequate powers and keeping sufficient funds at their disposal, the successive Governments preferred to ignore the decisions taken by these boards”, he regretted, adding “keeping this in view the new dispensation should either strengthen these institutions or wind them up permanently”.
Mr Tarigami also demanded establishment of Councils on the pattern of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils in Leh and Kargil and said, “this step would go a long way in meeting the developmental aspirations of the districts particularly those having hilly and tough terrain”.
He also demanded implementation of Public Service Guarantee Act in the Labour Department and said, “keeping this department out of this Act’s purview amounts to depriving labour class of timely services”. He further demanded revision of Minimum Wages and fixation of Rs 15,000 per month for the labour class keeping in view the hike in the prices of essential commodities.
National Conference MLA, Ali Mohammad Sagar accused the Coalition Government of completely ignoring the sufferings of the victims of last year’s devastating floods and unemployed youth of the State.
“Though this Government has shown concern over the rehabilitation of flood victims in the Budget but it has not mentioned any specific measure which it is going to take to provide succor to the affected populace”, he said, adding “this indicates that bagging Assembly seats from the flood affected areas by exploiting the people after the devastating natural calamity was the only agenda of the People’s Democratic Party”.
“You have willfully chosen to ignore Rs 44,000 relief package recommended by our Government to the Centre”, he further said, adding “mere waiving of electricity tariff for six months and announcing some concessions in tax is not going to provide relief to the flood affected people”.
Welcoming the announcement of the Government that it would come up with white paper on financial position of the State, Mr Sagar, “we support your decision as facts would come to the fore before the people. Otherwise, you would continue to exploit the people by projecting wrong picture”.
He also lashed out at PDP-BJP Government for completely ignoring administrative units established by the previous Government and said, “in this way you are disrespecting the aspirations of the people”.
Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader, Nawang Rigzin Jora said, “instead of coming out with specific policy to address the concerns of the State, the PDP-BJP Government has just tried to indulge in jugglery of words while presenting its roadmap for the State”, adding “there is hardly any sector, which has been given serious thought by this Government as if coming to the power was the only agenda of both these parties”.
Pointing towards Finance Minister, Haseeb Drabu, the CLP leader said, “you are talking about fiscal autonomy but you have not initiated any major step in this regard”, adding “unemployment and tourism promotion have also remained unaddressed in the roadmap of the Government for next one year”.
BJP MLA from Jammu West, Sat Sharma said that Government should adopt project specific approach so as to ensure their timely completion. He suggested the Finance Minister to make the officers accountable so that fate of the vital projects does not remain hanging for years together.
Referring to artificial lake project, he said, “this project was conceived only for the benefit of a senior Congress leader and when his ministry was changed the fate of project hanged in balance”.
Stressing on timely completion of all the major projects of Jammu, he said, “there is a long list of such projects and specific directions should be issued for their timely completion”.
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