Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 11: National Conference and Congress today disrupted proceedings of the Legislative Assembly over inordinate delay in making 221 Administrative Units (AUs) operational and staged walkout after warning the Government of massive agitation over the issue.
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As soon as the House assembled for the day, National Conference MLA from Nagrota Devender Singh Rana raised the banner reading “Activate Jindrah Tehsil”. He along with two more party Members-Abdul Majeed Bhat (Larmi) and Ishfaq Jabbar entered the Well of the House protesting against the inordinate delay in making 221 Administrative Units operational.
“These 221 Administrative Units had received the Cabinet approval in 2014 but till date no step has been initiated by the present dispensation to make them operational as per the aspirations of the people”, Rana said, adding “during the past three years the Government is stating that matter regarding operationalization of new Administrative Units is under active consideration but the process has not been taken to the logical conclusion till date”.
Pointing towards the reply furnished by the Revenue Minister to a question in this regard yesterday, Rana said, “even comas and full-stops have not been changed in the reply furnished during the past three years and this shows that Government has no intention to make 221 Administrative Units functional”.
Demanding half an hour discussion on this vital issue, the National Conference MLAs said, “we want to know what decision has been taken by the Finance and Planning Departments on operationalization of Administrative Units”.
As there was no response either from the Speaker Kavinder Gupta or Treasury Benches, the National Conference and Congress MLAs started raising slogans castigating the Government for its non-serious approach towards the Cabinet decision of 2014.
“You should go to Parliamentary Affairs Minister Abdul Rehman Veeri every day before coming to this House to get directions as to how to handle the Opposition”, he told the Speaker while expressing anguish over non-consideration of his notice regarding half an hour debate on Administrative Units issue. He regretted that Government doesn’t want to hold discussion on any issue of the Opposition.
On this, Minister for Revenue and Parliamentary Affairs Abdul Rehman Veeri suggested the protesting Opposition MLAs to raise the issue during the grants of the Revenue Department. But, he failed to convince the Opposition. After massive protest, entire Opposition staged walkout. However, before leaving the House the National Conference told the Government to be ready to face massive agitation over Administrative Units issue.
It is pertinent to mention here that these 221 Administrative Units were created vide Government Order No.REV(S) 242 of 2014 dated October 21, 2014, on the recommendations of the expert committee headed by Khurshid Ahmad Ganai. The recommendations were based on public demand, sense of exclusion and feasibility. These Administrative Units include 9 new Sub-Divisions, 50 Tehsils, 99 Niabats and 63 CD blocks.
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