Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, June 22: Talking tough on separatists, Union Minister of State with Independent charge of Industries and Commerce, Dr Nirmala Sitharaman today said that no third party mediation will be acceptable to improve bilateral ties between India and Pakistan.
“Government of India is neither soft on separatists nor towards Pakistan and it has taken a tough stance wherever needed’’, she told reporters here this afternoon.
While responding to a question on proposed Iftaar Party being hosted by Pak High Commission for the separatists, she said that India will not accept any third party mediation in improving Indo-Pak bilateral ties.
Denying that India has softened its stand on recent Pakistan attack on Pathankot Airbase, the Union Minister said “we have made it clear to Pakistan in strongest terms that we will retaliate if there will be any incursion on borders and we will not tolerate any incursion in future’’. “If there is any incursion from across the border we will retaliate with full might’’, she added.
Regarding opening of more border points with the PoK as desired by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, she said the decision in this regard will be taken by Union External Affairs Ministry, Home Ministry, State Government as well as Pakistan.
The Minister, who was here on one day’s visit to participate in a party programme organized at K K Resorts Bohri in connection with Vikas Parav, said that Union Government led by Narendra Modi is committed to revive the economy of the State which in turn will boost the industry.
On promoting sick industrial units in the State whose number is over 100, Sitharaman said that soon after taking over as Chief Minister of the State, Mehbooba Mufti met her at Delhi and discussed about revival of industry in the State. “I told her you prepare an industrial policy and send it to Centre so that we can take a decision accordingly’’.
The Union Minister said that the GoI will definitely revive the sick units in the State as “our priority is revival of State’s economy to which industry is a part.”
Regarding pressure from separatists asking Government to change its industrial policy and not to allow the outsiders entry in the State, the Union Minister said she can’t speculate on the issue.
On decrease in export for last 10 years, she said infrastructure equalization scheme and interest reduction scheme has been launched to overcome the same.
Denying that Modi Government has failed to contain prices and people were fed up of increasing price rise, she said this allegation is not based on facts. “During the second UPA the inflation was over 10 percent in food and other items and there was no control on price hike at that time’’. “In last two years inflation was contained up to five percent’’, she added.
She said, however, hike in vegetables is a seasonal phenomenon as some vegetables are sold on different prices in different States and farmers sell their produce at those places where they get good prices.
On the hike in price of pulses, the Minister said that India consumes 22 to 23 lakh MT pulses when the country’s own production is 17 lakh MT only thereby there is a shortage of over 5 lakh MTs. To overcome the prices of pulses and maintain the proper supply, she said the country has decided to import pulses from Myanmar and other countries. The Government has kept one lakh ton bumper stock of pulses with it and “we are trying to keep eight lakh tons bumper stock now.”
National president, SC Morcha, Dushyant Kumar Gautam while highlighting the two years achievement of Modi Government at Centre said that this is the first Government which is going among the people to highlight its achievements and also seek feedback from public for the shortcomings.
He said Jeevan Bhima Yojna, Atal Pension Yojna, Mudra Bank Yojna , Kissan Bhima Yojna were the innovative schemes launched by the Government for the welfare of the masses. “We gave corruption free Government and saved hundreds of crores on gas subsidy.
Maintaining that 370 is the main hurdle in J&K’s progress, he said had this Article been not there, the situation would have been far better in this border State. He said that Modi Government did not only concentrate on development but it gave due honour and respect to those national leaders and freedom fighters who were neglected by previous Congress Government.
In this regard, he made a special reference to former Union Home Minister Sardar Patel and former Law Minister, Dr B R Ambedkar who were ignored and neglected by previous Congress Government which ruled at Centre for decades together.
He said it is the first Government which is keeping its report card before the public.
Earlier, addressing the meeting at K K Resorts, Nirmala Sitharaman said the Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave directives to the Ministers and party leaders to go amidst the people and apprise them of the party’s achievements besides seeking a feed back from them.
Making a scathing attack on previous UPA Government, Dr Sitharaman said the second UPA was a Government of policy paralyses and it had no decision but only interested that how its own men can be benefited.
She said that MGNREGA scheme has failed to end poverty and funds under the scheme were mostly swindled. The Modi Government wants to replace it with a new innovate scheme so that poverty is eradicated and it becomes a source of employment for the people. Instead of benefiting the masses people were mostly exploited under MGNREGA, she added.
She said Modi Government has given a special package for the State keeping the interests of every community and region in mind. Our Government saved Rs 36000 crore by ending fake ration cards. The system had worsened in the country earlier and Modi Government is working to improve the same, she added.
She said Modi Government wants that every thing be properly monitored from planning to execution and in next two years five crore poor women will be issued free gas cylinders, she added.
She said that Prime Minister is working round the clock for development of the nation and he is making hard efforts to make India as a member of Nuclear Group.
Dushyant Kumar Gautam, BJP MPs and senior leaders Jugal Kishore Sharma and Shamsher Singh Manhas, Col Uttam Singh, Nand Kishore Sharma, Baldev Singh Billoria and Ayodhya Gupta also addressed the rally while Omi Khajuria conducted proceedings.
At press conference Dr Sitharaman was flanked by MP (RS) Shamsher Singh Manhas, party general secretaries, Dr Narinder Singh, Pawan Khajuria, Harinder Gupta and Mahila Morcha State president Purnima Sharma.
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