Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Mar 11: The ruling coalition as well as Opposition members today expressed concern over the non-implementation of the recommendations of Mushtaq Ahmad Ganaie committee on creation of new administrative units in the State.
The delay invited criticism from ruling coalition as well as Opposition members when Minister for Rural Development, Ali Mohd Sagar in reply to the question of National Conference MLA Abdul Gani Malik informed the House that report of Mushtaq Ganaie Committee was being examined by the Revenue Department.
“The Committee had submitted its report to the Government in July 2011 but till date we are being told that recommendations are under consideration”, Congress MLA and former Minister, G M Saroori said, adding “we want to know why there is no follow-up action on the issue despite lapse of considerable time”.
National Conference MLA and former Minister, Qamar Ali Akhoon also joined the issue and said, “the creation of new administrative units was long pending demand of people but the issue continue to linger on despite submission of report by the Mushtaq Ahmad Ganaie committee”. He wanted to know the reason behind the non-implementation of the recommendations and time-frame within which the creation of new units would become reality.
MLA from R S Pura Prof Garu Ram, while alleging discrimination with his constituency said, “the existing block has vast area but the funds are being released as per the allocation to other blocks. This is grave injustice with us”.
BJP MLA Jugal Kishore and NPP MLA Yashpal Kundal also raised the similar issue and wanted to know whether the demands of people of their respective constituencies vis-à-vis creation of blocks have been taken care of in the Mushtaq Ahmad Ganaie committee recommendations.
“There are number of constituencies where there is not even one block”, PDP MLA and former Minister, Abdul Rehman Veeri said, adding “during last Budget Session the then Revenue Minister had assured us that the report would be tabled in the House. Despite lapse of one year there is same reply from the Government that report is under consideration”.
Another PDP MLA Ch Zulfikar said, “we want to know whether Government intends to place the report of the committee in the House for discussion”, adding “it is unfortunate that even two years after the submission of report the process of consideration has not culminated”.
PDP’s Abdul Haq Khan and Syed Bashir Ahmad and NC’s Javed Ahmad Dar and Aijaz Jan also raised supplementaries and demanded early implementation of report for establishment of new blocks in their constituencies.
Replying to the supplementaries, Minister for Rural Development, Ali Mohd Sagar said that Government has already regularized 22 additional blocks in the State. He however, said that the recommendations of Mushtaq Ahmad Ganaie committee for creation of new blocks in the State would be implemented after approval of Cabinet.