‘Govt looking for via media on employees’ demands’
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, May 14: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today launched a scathing attack on main opposition party, the PDP for “misleading the people and converting politics into trade’’ by indulging in falsehood and not fulfilling the promises made to the people during their regime.
“Instead of fulfilling their slogan of healing touch, the PDP had used maximum force against the civilians. On the one hand, the PDP regime had asked the militants to drop gun while on the other, they had blacklisted their relatives from getting passports for Haj’’, Omar said addressing a public meeting after inaugurating hospital building at Rainawari this morning.
Questioning the PDP’s delivery on promises made to the people during their tenure, Omar said the PDP leadership did nothing for the people except for surviving on falsehood and blame game
“Those who were delivering us lectures on issues miserably failed during their time to address public difficulties and work for their redressal. They traded miseries of people to attain the Chief Ministership of the State”, he said and reminded the PDP patron of the use of power by him against the people of Kashmir as the then Home Minister through his “nominated and trusted man’’ Jagmohan, who was the then Governor of the State.
He said the people have not forgotten the massacre let loose on civilian at Gaokadal, Islamia College and other places by Jagmohan under the orders of the Mufti.
“Ask George Fernandes, who is fortunately alive how Mufti manipulated bringing in Jagmohan as the Governor of J&K to pave the way for him (Mufti) to become the Chief Minister of the State”, he said and gave resume of Mr Sayeed’s attempts to scuttle the NC-Congress coalition in 1987.
“He (Mufti) was the person who as the PCC chief had tried his best to defeat NC-Congress coalition then. People are witness to the fact how he even being the PCC chief in the State was campaigning for MUF candidates. People are also witness to the fact how he traded the chair of Home Minister of India to save his daughter at the cost of the nation”, he added and said that plain speaking and truthfulness is his and his Government’s characteristics.
“We are not making noise over issues but delivering on these through actions”, he maintained and said that 40 bunkers have been removed from Srinagar city alone during the last three years. He added that his endeavours for restoration of peace and amicable addressing of political issues along with equitable and comprehensive development of all the three regions of the State are clear and visible before the people. “They judge us by our actions not hollow slogans and false propaganda”, he asserted.
The Chief Minister said that the PDP leadership first confused people through propaganda on holding of Panchayat elections but when “my Government accomplished this historic task with success and full public support, started misinformation against the transfer of powers to Panchayats. When we transferred the powers, they (PDP) overnight pretended to be the champions of the interests of residents of Srinagar city and started yet another propaganda regarding neglect of Srinagar.
“When we presented a long list of people-friendly measures taken by the coalition Government and achievements registered on comprehensive development on Srinagar, they started shifting their blames on us”, he said and added that during the tenure of PDP the most sufferers were the people of Srinagar city especially those living in Shaher-e-Khas.
Omar said the PDP launched police recruitment through Director General of Police in entire Valley but isolated Srinagar in this case.
“We made direct recruitments in the city covering seven Assembly Segments recruiting over 2000 youth in Police Department after long period of 22 years. We macadamized the city and launched 10 new bridges at cost of about Rs. 100 crores. Under ERA projects involving Rs. 122 crores have been launched in the city for the development of roads, bridges and water supply schemes”, he said and added that Rs. 38.14 crores Nagar Tourist Circuit in Shaher-i-Khas has already been taken in hand besides developing Chinar Bagh at Rs. 3.34 crores.
Mr Abdullah said that additional block of Lal Ded Hospital is under construction at Rs. 40 crores while new maternity hospital in Srinagar has been approved at a cost of Rs. 50 crores. He said SKIMS is being provided an amount of Rs. 720 crore for its expansion and upgradation besides upgrading and improving hospitals and health centres in Srinagar. He said that Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Hospital is being upgraded to the tertiary level and second phase of its expansion has been inaugurated today.
He expressed dismay over the uncalled for protests by certain groups of employees declaring it totally unnecessary. “Government has all along being employee-friendly. We have fulfilled all demands of the employees including grant of 6th Pay Commission, its arrears, HRA, DA, etc excepting one of raising the age of retirement by two years which is under the consideration of the Government.
“The decision on this crucial issue is pending as we do not want to debar the educated youth for two years from the opportunity of getting Government jobs. However, we have not shelved this demand but we are looking forward for some via media which shall satisfy the interests of both the employees and the educated youth”, he explained.
The Chief Minister also talked about public empowerment through Public Service Guarantee Act (PSGA) and Right to Information Act and said these actions speak loud and clear of the intension of his Government to make people powerful enough to question the Government and make administration answerable for its every commission and omission.
Speaking on the occasion, Minister for Rural Development, Ali Mohammad Sagar said that PDP leadership have frustrated by witnessing the success of Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah and best delivery of governance by the Coalition Government.
“They do not like to see peace rooting in the State and development taking place on fast track. This is the reason they invent new methods of false propaganda against the Government”, he said and presented the list of achievements registered by the Government under the leadership of Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah during the last three years. He said the next three years would witness further improvement and growth on all fronts in the State.
Addressing the gathering, Minister for Health, Sham Lal Sharma said that the Government led by Omar Abdullah has flagged health one of the most important sectors in the development policy of the State. He said equal attention is being paid to upgrade and extent health facilities in the State at the basic, secondary and tertiary levels.
Minister of State for Health, Javid Ahmad Dar, also addressed the meeting.
Earlier, Omar Abdullah inaugurated the extension block of JLNM Hospital consisting of 70-bedded additional wards with facilities for X-ray, CT, USG, TMT, Eco, Mammography besides operation theatres, recovery wards and burn care intensive unit.
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