*Issues to be referred to concerned Ministries
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, May 17: The Group of Ministers (GoM) on implementation of ‘Agenda of Alliance’ (AoA) of PDP-BJP coalition Government today took a series of initiatives to expedite implementation of the ‘Agenda’ reached out between top brass of the two parties last year before formation of their first-ever Government in the State which included constitution of three Committees to monitor, liaison and act as nodal agencies between various Ministries and bureaucrats.
The GoM decided to involve State Ministries in implementation of ‘Agenda of Alliance’ by forwarding them the issues pertaining to their Ministries and directing them to initiate the process of implementation of the matters, which pertained to them, and take up with the Central Ministries which were beyond their competence, official sources told the Excelsior.
The GoM decided to hold regular meetings after getting feedback from the concerned Ministries and three high level Committees set up by it and take necessary measures for implementation of the Agenda items.
Sources said the Monitoring Committee on the ‘Agenda of Alliance’ will be headed by Chief Secretary BR Sharma while Principal Secretary, Planning and Development Department, BB Vyas will head the Development Committee on AoA i.e. it would take need of the funds required by various Ministries and Government Departments for implementing the ‘Agenda’ within their competence.
The third Committee will be headed by General Administration Department (GAD) Commissioner/Secretary Gazanffar Hussain, which will act as Nodal Agency between the Government, Ministries and various Departments to facilitate implementation of the ‘Agenda of Alliance’.
The GoM headed by Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh, Incharge Power and Housing and Urban Development Departments, comprised Works Minister Abdul Rehman Veeri and Finance Minister Dr Haseeb A Drabu, both from PDP, Forests Minister Choudhary Lal Singh and Industries and Commerce Minister Chander Prakash Ganga, both from BJP.
Sources said the GoM decided to refer the issues in the ‘Agenda’ to all concerned Ministers to whom they pertained with a call to set the process into motion for their speedy implementation.
“The Ministries have been asked to start implementation of the issues in the ‘Agenda of Alliance’, which fall within their competence and take up rest of the issues with the Central Ministries on which the Government of India had to act,’’ they said, adding the GoM would be shortly referring the issues to the concerned Ministries for initiating action on them.
The GoM would be writing to the Ministries to seek any kind of clarification from the Ministers on the ‘AoA’ or the three high level Committees set up today. The Ministers would take up the issues to be referred to the Central Ministers for implementation after taking the GoM into confidence.
When approached for comments, Deputy Chief Minister and BJP veteran, Dr Nirmal Singh told the Excelsior that the GoM would also take up some of the issues contained in the ‘Agenda of Alliance’ with the Central Government including the issues which have to be implemented by them.
Dr Singh said apart from initiating steps to implement the ‘AoA’, the GoM also reviewed the issues which have been implemented during about one year role of the PDP-BJP coalition Government. He said relief and rehabilitation of flood hit victims of September 2014 was one of the major issues in the ‘AoA’ which has been successfully implemented in the State.
He said the package for PoK and West Pakistan refugees, border migrants, treating Jammu migrants at par with Kashmiri migrants and people living on International Border (IB) and Line of Control (LoC), power projects, Tourism related projects and several other issues figured in the GoM today and it was decided that efforts would be taken to expedite implementation of the ‘Agenda of Alliance’.
It may be mentioned here that before entering into Government formation on March 1, 2015, the PDP-BJP had formed ‘Agenda of Alliance’.
Some of the steps agreed upon in the agenda of the BJP-PDP alliance in the State includes creation of conditions to facilitate resolution of all issues of J&K by talking to all stakeholders, maintaining present position on all Constitutional provisions pertaining to J&K, including the special status in the Constitution of India, and examining the need for de-notifying ‘disturbed areas’ over revocation of AFSPA.
Besides this, the agenda also includes working out a one-time settlement for refugees from Pakistan occupied Kashmir of 1947, 1965 & 1971, taking measures for sustenance and livelihood of the West Pakistan refugees, extending all benefits accruing to the people living on the LoC and on the International Border, constructing shelters in vulnerable areas on the LoC and the International Border, preventing loss of life and giving ST status to Kollis, Chopans and Paharis.
The agenda also focused on protecting and fostering ethnic and religious diversity by ensuring the return of Kashmiri Pandits with dignity based on their rights as state subjects and reintegrating as well as absorbing them in the Kashmiri milieu.
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