news details |
|
|
| Discriminating opposition constituencies phenomenal in JK | | | Bashir Assad
Srinagar, Oct 20: Notwithstanding the serious allegations against the NC-Congress coalition government of discriminating the constituencies represented by the opposition in the J&K Legislative Assembly, it has now been established that the additionalties provided to the districts during last few years have not been evenly distributed but the amount, whatsoever, has either been given to the MLAs of ruling coalition or has been spent through the District Development Commissioners in those constituencies represented by the opposition without any information to the concerned MLAs.
If the official data pertaining to the allocation of additionalities is an indicator, the Coalition government has provided additional funds which adds to the existing ceiling and results in greater aggregate in bulk to the constituencies represented by the Coalition partners particularly by the National Conference leaving the other constituencies high and dry.
The official figures made available during the just concluded assembly session suggest that during 2011-12 an amount of Rs. 3.74 crore was released for the developmental works in addition to the district plan ceiling for Srinagar District obviously because the district is represented by the National Conference in the state legislature. During the same fiscal year an amount of Rs.2.01 crore was released as additionality for Jammu district, however, the opposition MLAs claim that not a single penny has been released through them in their constituencies and if at all any amount which is in addition to the plan size was spent in their constituencies, it was only through the District Development Commissioners.
Similarly the figures suggest that Rs. 2.65 crore was released as additionality for Anantnag district during the year 2011-12 but the opposition MLAs all in one voice deny having received any amount, instead they allege that the amount was released through ruling party legislators (MLAs and MLCs) and the opposition MLAs were never accommodated.
Likewise senior PDP leader and MLA Bandipora, Nizamuddin Bhat strongly contested the government claims of equitable development saying that despite his repeated requests not a single penny was released through him as additionality. He, however, said that an insignificant amount out of Rs. 1.64 crore was spent through DC Bandipora in his constituency and that he was never taken into confidence.
The official figures suggest that in Shopian District Rs. 2.53 crore was released during 2011-12, Rs. 27.05 lakh during 2012-13 and Rs,. 23.15 lakh during the current fiscal but MLA Shopian, Abdul Razak Zawura alleged that the additionalities, if any have been released through a local NC MLC and he and Mehbooba Mufti who represents the Wachi constituency do not know anything about it.
While having a glance at the additionalities released for Udhampur district, the hue and cry raised by the opposition carries much weight and the government stands exposed. The figures suggest that during 2011-12 Rs. 1.85 crore was released as additionality while as during 2012-13 not even a single penny was given to the district and same is the case with the current fiscal. As regards to Kathua Rs 1.22 crore was released under additional funds during 2011-12 but during the last fiscal (2012-13) not even a single rupee was released.
MLA Lolab, Abdul Haq Khan says that in his constituency no additionality has been released since 2009-10. Meanwhile, several MLAs which include PDP's Peerzada Mansur Husain, Rafi Ahmad Mir and Nizamuddin Bhat, BJP's Ashok Khajuria, NPP's Balwant Singh Mankotia ridiculed the government claims that the District Plan Ceiling for 2013-14 has been fixed at Rs. 1972 crore as compared to last year's level of Rs. 1887 crore.
"They are befooling the people, how is it possible when the Planning Commission of India has refused to enhance the state plan by 10% and has retained the Plan Outlay at last year's level of Rs. 7300 crore," Peerzada Mansur Hussain told Early Times.
MLA Pahalgam, Rafi Ahmad Mir refuted the government statement of enhancing the District Plan Ceiling to Rs 1972 crore saying that a junior Minister admitted on the Floor of the House that the outlay of each department has been cut by 25%.
However, Deputy Commissioner Anantnag, Farooq Ahmad Lone said that the ceiling fixed in the District Development Board Meeting has remained unchanged. "There is no change in the Plan Outlay as for the District Anantnag is concerned, the ceiling was fixed at Rs. 110.80 crore, the capital component has remained unchanged but there is some increase in the revenue component," said Lone. When asked how it was possible when the overall plan size was retained at last year's level by the Planning Commission of India, Lone said there was increase in ceiling of some departments like PHE and Irrigation under AIBP. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
