Excelsior Correspondent
RAJOURI, Sept 3: A Govt building with conference hall for official meetings being constructed at remote Budhal town of district Rajouri has been abandoned for the last over six years.
The foundation stone for this Rs 40 lakh building was laid by Ch Zulfkar Ali, the then MLA Darhal and now Minister representing same constituency on October 30, 2010 in presence of several party activists and prominent people from Budhal area. But unfortunately, just after laying foundation stone and completing plinth work, the agency R&B abandoned the work.
The project was launched with great fanfare during 2010 by the PDP MLA from Darhal, but even after winning from the same constituency second time, Ch Zulfkar took no initiative to restart work on this project. There is strong resentment among the people of Budhal area against the sitting MLA and Minister in the Coalition Government. It has been learnt that R&B claimed to have spent just Rs 8 lakh on plinth work. The fate of the remaining funds was not known. Even the MLA did not take much pains to complete this project after becoming Minister.
Today, the activists of Budhal Youth Front staged protest at Budhal town and raised slogans against the local MLA and the Govt. They said that this building was to be constructed in two phases and under first phase Rs 25 lakh to be released and Rs 15 lakh during in second. But now, even after six years just peanut amount was released. Only foundation was completed and remaining work was abandoned. AEE R&B concerned claimed that out of Rs 40 lakh, just Rs 8 lakh was released in six years and therefore, the work could not be completed. He said as and when the funds will be provided by the Govt the work would be taken up.