Omar approves R109 cr annual plan for Jammu

Chief minister Omar Abdullah on Monday approved R109.47 crore annual plan, 2013-14, for Jammu district, which includes capital component of about R66.96 crore and revenue component of over R42.51 crore.

Chief minister Omar Abdullah on Monday approved R109.47 crore annual plan, 2013-14, for Jammu district, which includes capital component of about R66.96 crore and revenue component of over R42.51 crore.

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Chairing a meeting of the district development board, of which he is also the chairman, the chief minister dispelled the impression being created by certain quarters that the union government has curtailed the annual plan for 2013-14 for non-utilisation of funds by the state government during last year. He added that average expenditure during last year has been more than 90% in all the districts across the state and Jammu topped the list by realising 99% target.

The chief minister said Jammu and Kashmir is totally dependent on the Centre for funding of annual plans, as such, the financial health at the Centre reflects on the fund flow from the government of India to the state.

He said the government of India maintained R7,300 crore annual plan allocation for the state for 2013-14 despite financial constraints.

Omar Abdullah said the state had to buy power for over R3,600 crore annually and the total revenue realisation as power tariff in the state is about R1,200-1,300 crore.

"The planning commission has placed a rider to the state to collect R2,840 crore from power tariff for expending on development activities during the current fiscal," he said, adding that placing of such conditions makes the situation often more difficult.

On the development of Jammu, Omar Abdullah praised the district administration for achieving almost 100% target and laid stress on ensuring outcomes of the development schemes rather than focusing on outputs. He said this aspect has to be regularly monitored and people made aware of the outcomes of development programmes besides keeping them abreast with all details and financial status of schemes.

Omar Abdullah said that government is taking various measures to make Jammu a hub of pilgrim and conventional tourism. He said the artificial lake in river Tawi would be completed this year while the decks are being cleared to launch the ropeway project in Jammu City for which a team has visited the area and its report for clearance of the project is expected soon.

The chief minister also mentioned the restoration of Mubarak Mandi Heritage Complex and beautification of Raghunath Bazaar, adding that both the programmes are going on apace.

He added that OPD block of Super Specialty Medical College has already been made functional while IPD will be operationalised this year. He said department of oncology in the super specialty hospital is also in the offing.