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| With half of Govt putting in his camp, Azad takes charge of Chenab Valley | | | ZAFAR CHOUDHARY
Jammu, June 21: While an edgy coalition government is yet to come out of an embarrassing Shopian shock, the senior Congress leader and Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad appears to have taken charge of the Chenab Valley region –checking health of the administrative apparatus and monitoring developments on the ground.
In view of no meetings of district development boards and absolutely no contact of the government with the situation on ground in last six months, the Union Health Minister today took charge of the things by convening, at Bhaderwah, a stock-taking meeting of three districts –Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban.
Azad is currently on a three day tour of the region and is accompanied by almost half of the state government. The meeting was attended by Deputy Chief Minister, two Cabinet Ministers, a Member of Parliament, three local legislators and all heads of the departments and the district and sectoral officers.
Interestingly, the Chenab Valley region –the districts of Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban –constitute the epicenter of Azad’s power in Jammu and Kashmir and his three-day extended tour of region coupled by review meetings carries a huge political message as well. That the high level review meeting of three districts was held at Bhaderwah –the home town of Azad –and not at the headquarters of any of the districts also assumes a significance of its own.
In his second visit to the state in less than a month after being sworn in as a Minister in the Union Cabinet, Azad has loudly conveyed that he is much serious in the state politics. It may be remembered here that during his earlier stints as Minister at Center, particularly in early 1990s and then during 2004-05, Azad had shown very little inclination to the politics of home state. “After his bitter experience as Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir and the inner party conspiracy theories after fall of his government in July 2008 appear to have motivated Azad to fine tune his grip on the state politics”, observed a senior Congress leader accompanying the Union Health Minister.
At his today’s meeting at Bhaderwah, Azad asked the officers of Union Health ministry to bring down the criterion under National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) for establishing PHCs, CHCs, Health Sub-Centres and Medical Aid Centres in hilly areas. This, he said would bring the hilly regions having scattered population under the ambit of NRHM.
The State Health Minister Sham Lal Sharma apprised that there is one ambulance for every 50 km in plain areas while as for every 15-20 km in hilly areas to provide better healthcare, adding that process of recruitment of drivers is also under active consideration. He also called for utilizing the services of ASHA workers efficiently for promoting institutional deliveries.
Regarding delay in construction of Hospital building at Bhaderwah, for which JKPCC pointed out paucity of funds, Mr. Sham Lal Sharma directed the MD, JKPCC to utilize the funds already lying with the Corporation under various schemes and complete the building within stipulated time period.
Azad also reviewed the status of Hospital buildings at Bhaderwah, Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban and Trauma Centre at Thathri.
Enquiring about the status of various road projects in Bhaderwah, Doda and Ramban, the Union Minister stressed for early completion of these projects so that people do not face any problem. He was informed that forest clearance was the main bottleneck in construction of various roads under PMGSY in the erstwhile Doda district. He also directed the concerned authorities to start the work of Kaljugasar road in Gundoh and Ganpat Bridge in Doda within a week’s time.
Azad also took stock of the ration supply in the district and directed the concerned authorities to properly monitor the distribution and quality of food grains being supplied to the consumers in rural areas.
Meanwhile, Azad along with the ministers and officers visited Bhaderwah Fort, which was earlier used as a jail and is now being developed into a museum. They also visited the north campus of Jammu University at Sungli, Bhaderwah and reviewed its status. He also distributed certificates to the mountaineers of Jawahar Institute of Mountaineering, Bhaderwah for their successful expeditions.
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