Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Apr 21: Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today constituted high level Group of five Ministers (GoM) headed by Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh to initiate measures to implement ‘Agenda of the Alliance’, which was formulated by the PDP and BJP before entering into their first ever coalition Government.
The GoM would first meet here to set out their priorities and then regularly proceed to New Delhi to take up the issues with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and other concerned Union Ministers to implement various issues mentioned in the `Agenda of the Alliance’, which was released by Mufti Sayeed and Nirmal Singh soon after the swearing in of the Government on March 1.
Headed by Dr Singh, the GoM comprised four more Ministers, two each from the alliance partners, including Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Affairs Minister Abdul Haq Khan and Minister for Finance Dr Haseeb Drabu (both PDP), Minister for PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control Sukhnandan Kumar and Minister of State for Cooperatives (Independent Charge) and Ladakh Affairs Chering Dorjey (both BJP).
Dr Singh, who also heads Coordination Committee of PDP and BJP, told the Excelsior that the GoM will meet here shortly to work out the issues within ‘Agenda of the Alliance’ to be taken up on priority, finalize them and take up them with the Union Ministers and other functionaries of the Central Government.
“The Agenda of the Alliance is based on twin issues-the issues that have to be addressed by the State Government and the issues that required help of the Central Government,” Dr Singh said, adding the Government will collectively proceed on the issues to fulfill the Agenda within the minimum possible time.
The issues of all refugees-West Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) etc, resettlement of Kashmiri Pandits with honour and dignity in the Kashmir Valley, setting up of the Delimitation Commission, return of Central power projects to the State, rehabilitation of September 2014 flood victims, elections to Urban Local Bodies, road network in the State including highways, Mughal road etc, adequate funding and various other issues will be taken up by the GoM on priority, the Deputy Chief Minister said.
He added that the Co-ordination Committee headed by him will act as bridge between Government to Government while the GoM will oversee implementation of various components of the Agenda of the Alliance of the coalition Government between State to Centre.
Official sources said the Group will select the Ministries to whom the issues that figured in Agenda of the Alliance pertained and then meet them to get the issues addressed.
Sources said the Chief Minister has authorized the Group of Ministers to visit New Delhi and call on the Prime Minister and other Union Ministers for resolution of the issues relating to implementation of various aspects of the Agenda of the Alliance of the PDP-BJP Government.
Apart from the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister, the issues in the Agenda of the Alliance also pertained to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Power Minister Piyush Goyal, Union Minister for Surface Transport Nitin Gadkari and others.
Meanwhile, on the administrative side, the Government has decided to set up a Cell in the General Administration Department (GAD), which will maintain necessary record on time-bound implementation of the Agenda of the Alliance and take up follow up action on meetings held by the Group of Ministers.
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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