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With highest-ever budget allocation, focus on development: J&K L-G
Terms ₹1,08,621-crore budget approved by the Centre historic; says Parra’sprobe will be taken to its logical conclusion
Lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha on Friday termed the ₹1,08,621-crore budget approved by the central government for Jammu and Kashmir as historic.
“The budget has been provided to rebuild the economy, create jobs and secure the future of the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” Sinha said. He observed that the quantum jump in the budget allocation in all sectors spoke volumes about the Prime Minister’s resolve towards development of J&K.
“J&K had been getting a larger per capita budget than other states even in the past. However, we will ensure that work is being done on ground and the money is being utilised for the welfare of the people without discrimination, besides tapping into the potential of the sectors which are less explored,” he said.
On the budget allocation for the Jal Shakti department, Sinha said that with a quantum jump of ₹5,102 crore, taking the total to ₹6,346 crore, the government was hoping to achieve the target under the Prime Minister’s ambitious ‘Har Ghar Nal Se Jal’ programme within the time frame.
He said that a provision for ₹2,008 crore has been kept for agriculture and horticulture sectors, which was ₹695 crore more than the previous budget allocation.
“For rural development, ₹4,817 crore has been allocated, which is ₹342 crore more than previous years. The tourism sector budget has been given a ₹509 crore hike, taking the budget allocation to ₹786 crore, he said.
On health and medical education , he observed that the sector had witnessed a major transformation in the last two years. “And, for the year 2021-22, the sector has an allocation of ₹1,456 crore, ₹190 crore more than the previous year,” he said.
Rehabilitation of Kashmiri migrant pandits in valley maybe on cards, hints LG
Hinting that a proper rehabilitation plan for migrant Kashmiri Pandits maybe in the pipeline, Sinha on Thursday said a lot has been thought about the community and soon “something is going to happen which you have not even imagined”.
“The provision of the budget for relief and rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits has also increased. For the welfare of Kashmiri Pandit community, work on 6,000 jobs for them has been accelerated,” he said.
For empowerment of district development councils (DDCs) and block development councils (BDCs), a provision of ₹200 crore for 20 DDCs ( ₹10 crore for each DDC) of Jammu and Kashmir, besides ₹25 lakh has been kept for each BDC. Further, ₹30 crore has been earmarked for establishment of DDC/BDC offices and ₹1313 crore has been allocated for Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs)/Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), he said.
Underscoring the targets set by the government aimed at creating more livelihood opportunities and accelerating the development process, the lieutenant governor said as many as 25,000 youth have been provided with financial support under different schemes.
On PDP youth leader Waheed-ur-Rehman Parra’s alleged nexus with militants and his terror funding links, Sinha said , “We have institutions in the country and they work honestly. Let them work independently and probe, I think, will be taken it to its logical conclusion”.
