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J&K admn committed to rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits: LG
J&K lieutenant governor (LG) Manoj Sinha on Friday said that the administration is committed to the rehabilitation of internally displaced Kashmiri Pandits and is working in tandem with the Centre to take them back to Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha on Friday said that the administration is committed to the rehabilitation of internally displaced Kashmiri Pandits and is working in tandem with the Centre to take them back to Kashmir.
“More than 6,000 jobs and 6,000 homes were to be given and built respectively for the return of the displaced Pandits in Kashmir. The target was fixed long ago by the government of India, but due to some reasons, we have not been able to fulfil them. However, we are committed to fulfil the promise and we hope to do so by June,” he said.
Sinha, however, added that jobs and accommodation were not the solution to the Pandits’ problem and asserted that the government is working on other aspects as well. It may be recalled here that Union home minister Amit Shah had reviewed the rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits during a meeting with Sinha in his recent visit to Jammu.
CBI granted consent to probe bribe allegations by Malik
To another query, Sinha said that following serious claims by former governor Satya Pal Malik about being offered ₹300 crore bribe when he was in the office, the J&K administration has given consent to CBI to investigate the matter.
“We want everything to be clear as person on a constitutional post has made such allegations. After the CBI probe, everything will be clear,” he said.
The CBI on Thursday initiated a probe into Malik’s allegations that during his tenure as the governor of Jammu and Kashmir, he was offered ₹300 crore to clear the files of big industrialist houses.
“Two files had come for my consideration. One of the secretaries told me that if I approve these, I can get ₹150 crores for each. I cancelled both the deals and I am ready for a probe ,” Malik had said on October 17 last year at a function in Rajasthan. The former governor had also heaped praise on the PM Narendra Modi for taking a tough stand against corruption.
J&K Budget to give impetus to development in all sectors: LG
Sinha said that the ₹1.42 lakh crore J&K budget for the fiscal 2022-23 was growth oriented and aimed at the development of all sections of the society. Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman had presented the budget in the Parliament on March 17.
Addressing media persons here, Sinha said, “When Jammu and Kashmir was a state including Ladakh region, it was allocated a budget of ₹51,670 crores in 2015-16; ₹61,480 crore in 2016-17; ₹69,728 crores in 2017-18 and then there was a sudden increase in 2019-20 when it got a budget of ₹88,911 crores, ₹1,01,428 crores in 2020-21 and ₹1,07,000 crores in 2021-22.”
“Now, in the current fiscal a budget of ₹1,12,950 crore has been given to the UT. It has now doubled. This will meet the needs and aspirations of the people and reiterates our commitment to peace, progress and development,” he added.
“The budget is aimed at bringing peace and prosperity to J&K with real development on the ground. Horticulture and tourism will be our prime focus,” he said.
The LG said that as tourism is the backbone of J&K’s economy, his administration will once again ensure that the sector gets the desired impetus and reaches the same height which it had a few decades ago. Sinha also said that the focus of his administration was on the power sector, which has been witnessing historic reforms.
“In the next four years, we aim to make J&K a power surplus region. In the ensuing year, the power development department will install 6 lakh smart meters in Srinagar and Jammu districts-- three lakh each. This shall prevent power theft and in turn ensure quality and uninterrupted power supply,” he said.
He also mentioned that 100% smart metering was done in 6,000 houses of Srinagar and they will receive 24 x7 reliable and quality power from three feeders.
Sinha also said that the investment proposals worth 27,000 crores have been approved in Jammu and Kashmir and land has also been allotted for it. “The investment will reach ₹70,000 crores in the coming six months. Jammu and Kashmir is going to become a hub of investment,” he said.
Referring to the three-day visit of a 34-member delegation from Gulf, he said there have been extensive discussions on investment. Highlighting the aspects of the budget of the year 2022-23 of Jammu and Kashmir, he said that development will take place in every sector including road construction, education, health, tourism.
A huge provision of ₹11,000 crores has been made for education. “Similarly, 11,000 posts have been filled in J&K and in the coming time, 20,000 more will be identified filled,” he added.
