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| Funds for development: Jammu province getting only crumbs | | |
RUSTAM
EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, Mar 7: There are elements in the state, including in the Jammu province, who consistently mislead the people by asserting that the State Government has always believed in the principle of justice and equity and that it has never ignored Jammu's developmental needs. This is a misinformation campaign. The fact is that it is Kashmir that has been receiving preferential treatment from the rulers as far as the allocation of funds is concerned. Ironically, even the Governors' dispensations proved Valley-centric.
The fact of the matter is that the development of Jammu province has been consistently hampered due to inadequate funds earmarked for it. For instance, in the 8th Five-Year Plan (1992-1997- practically Governor's dispensation) the share of Jammu province in sectors like agriculture, irrigation, roads & buildings, health, tourism, sewerage, drainage, housing & urban development and power was Rs 5761 crores; 91.14 crores; 114.2 crores; 123.92 crores; 15.21 crores; 2.92 crores; 20,37 crores; 19.38 crores; and 516.75 crores, respectively. As for Kashmir, its share was Rs 104.5 crores; 136.64 crores; 247.22 crores; 135.34 crores; 34.39 crores; 6.81 crores; 45/53 crores; 45.23 crores; and 775.12 crores, respectively.
In the 9th Five-Year Plan (1997-2002 - NC rule) the share of Jammu province in the same sectors, namely agriculture, irrigation, roads & buildings, health, tourism, sewerage, drainage, housing &urban development and power was Rs 147.31 crores; 112.79 crores; 29.38 crores; 226.07 crores; 34.99 crores; 6.26 crores; 27.84 crores; 39.87 crores; and 56.94 crores, respectively. As far as Kashmir was concerned, its share in the same nine sectors was Rs 253.17 crores; 210.05 crores; 403.67 crores; 274.45 crores; 58.01 crores; 14.61 crores; 64.96 crores; 93.02 crores; and 85.41 crores, respectively.
What about the 10th Five-Year Plan? In the 10th Five-year Plan (2002-2007 - PDP-Congress rule) the share of Jammu in the sectors, including agriculture, irrigation, roads & buildings, health, tourism, sewerage, drainage, housing & urban development and power was Rs 270.49 crores; 267.76 crores; 730.93 crores; 330.32 crores; 47.17 crores; 30.61 crores; 32.31 crores; 69.65 crores; and 1,154 crores, respectively. As for Kashmir, its share in the same sectors was Rs 380.29 crores; 446.72 crores; 751.03 crores; 390.25 crores; 109.85 crores; 71.42 crores; 75.41 crores; 162.52 crores; and 1,731.43 crores, respectively.
As far as the allocations during the 11th Five-Year Plan (2007-2012) in the same nine sectors were concerned, the share of Jammu in the agriculture, irrigation, roads & buildings, health, tourism, sewerage, drainage, housing & urban development and power sectors was Rs 337.56 crores; 282.54 crores; 1,229.24 crores; 510.81 crores; 36.29 crores; 11.54 crores; 67.75 crores; 27.94 crores; and 3,278.78 crores, respectively. As for Kashmir, it share was Rs 519.41 crores; 365.35 crores; 1,229.24 crores; 819.22 crores; 83.09 crores; 35.67 crores; 109.61 crores; 518.88 crores; and 4,918.17 crores, respectively.
As for sales tax collection from Kashmir province and Jammu province between 1975 and 2007, the State Government collected Rs 1,075.29 crores from Kashmir province, as against Rs 2,474.802 crores from the Jammu province. That means the State Government realized from the Jammu province sales tax more than two times as compared to Kashmir and still the Jammu province was treated unfairly.
Those who talk of the principle of justice and equity would do well to look all these facts in the face and take steps in order to compensate the huge losses the people of Jammu province have suffered thus far at the hands of the rulers.
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