Centre set to release more funds under Package
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, July 30: Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi and his successor Rajiv Gauba, who will take charge of the post on August 1, reached Srinagar, the summer capital of the State, this evening along with a high-level Central team of various Ministries and will hold high level review of security situation and Prime Minister’s Development Package (PMDP) during their three-day visit to the Valley.
The Union Home Ministry, headed by BJP veteran Rajnath Singh has been regularly monitoring the situation in Jammu and Kashmir as well as the PMDP worth Rs 80,080 crores, which was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a historic rally in Srinagar on November 7, 2015.
Official sources told the Excelsior that this will be last review of security situation and PMDP in Jammu and Kashmir by Mehrishi as he will demit office tomorrow on completion of his term. Gauba, who has already been designated as new Home Secretary, will join Mehrishi and other top officials of different Ministries in the security and PMDP review meetings. He will be taking over charge of the prestigious new assignment on August 1.
The officers of various Ministries, who will attend the PMDP review meeting, belonged to Finance, Defence, Power, Health and Family Welfare, Human Resources Development, Youth Affairs and Sports, Agriculture, Tourism, Urban Development, Textiles, Road Transport and Highways, Rural Development and Water Resources, New and Renewable Energy and Skill Development besides the Home Ministry. A team of NITI Aayog will also join the PMDP review.
Sources said the senior officers of different Ministries, who reached Srinagar this evening, have their projects under the PMDP in both Central and State sectors.
J&K officers team in the PMDP review would be led by Chief Secretary BB Vyas and comprise Administrative Secretaries of almost all the Departments and other senior officers, concerned with implementation of the Plan.
The high-level PMDP review comes close on the heels of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti’s meetings with Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Home Minister Rajnath Singh, the two Ministries, which monitor progress of the PMDP.
“After reviewing pace of work on the projects undertaken in hands under PMDP in both Central as well as State sectors, the Government of India could release more funds under the Plan especially in the State sector, a demand raised by the Chief Minister with both Jaitley and Rajnath,” sources said.
On the eve of high-level PMDP review, an official handout released by the State Government said the Central Government has so far released around Rs 36,000 crore out of the total development package of Rs 80,000 crores.
Around Rs 40,000 crore out of the Rs 80,000-crore package have been earmarked for improving road infrastructure, including semi-ring roads in Jammu and Srinagar, upgradation of important highways besides other major projects
An amount of Rs 7,854 crore has been earmarked for flood relief, reconstruction and flood management while a total of Rs 2,241 crore is meant for promoting tourism by developing new projects and tourist circuits and setting up of 50 tourist villages.
In addition, Rs 11,708 crore is for power and New and Renewable Energy sectors. This includes augmentation of power infrastructure and distribution systems, solar power, and small hydro projects.
Rs 4,900 crore has been earmarked for improving healthcare facilities in the State which includes creation of two AIIMS-like institutions in Jammu and Srinagar and support for creation of infrastructure in hospitals and Primary Health Centres.
Sources said the Union Home Secretary will also review security situation with top brass of Jammu and Kashmir Police, civil administration, para-military and Intelligence officials tomorrow afternoon.
Security situation in the Kashmir valley on both militancy and law and order fronts, apart from the situation prevailing along the borders, would come up for high-level review at the meeting. The cross-LoC travel and trade, which remained suspended for past three weeks on Poonch-Rawlakote route, will also be reviewed during the meeting, sources said.
The NIA, it may be mentioned, has recommended closure of cross-LoC trade to the Union Home Ministry on the ground that it was being misused for terror funding and generating unrest in the Kashmir valley.
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