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| Omar calls on Pranab, seek Centre’s sop for employees | | Also meets Chidambaram, Antony | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
NEW DELHI, APR 26: Faced with the State employees demand to clear arrears to be paid to them as per the recommendations of the sixth pay commission, Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah called on Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee here today.
The State Government has been looking for Central assistance ever since employees went on strike throughout Jammu and Kashmir which not only disrupted work in State Government offices but also affected as essential services as healthcare in Government run hospitals.
After great efforts Omar Abdullah’s Government has been able to persuade employees to resume work with the assurance that their arrears would be paid by his Government.
Thus, Chief Minister is understood to have discussed the issue of employees’ arrears in his meeting with the Union Finance Minister today though there was no official word in this regard from North Block here until late tonight.
Omar has been in the Capital since yesterday to attend a charity event organised by a voluntary organisation run by his Delhi-based wife. Omar’s father and Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah along with his spouse too attended the event held in a plush hotel here.
The conviviality brought by the show was meant to raise funds to help needy and deserving children in Jammu and Kashmir as also in other parts of the country. Farooq Abdullah who has been expected to attend today’s crucial meeting of the Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) at Mumbai skipped the engagement though earlier he has been vocal about the issues thrown up by the by Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket’s murky deals.
Senior Abdullah preferred to be in Delhi throughout today since Parliament is in session where the Union Government has been facing the heat generated by the issue of alleged tapping of telephones of political higher ups of the country by intelligence agencies.
Moreover, a cut motion is expected to be brought tomorrow by the Opposition to force a showdown over Finance Bill and seek either withdrawal of hike in petrol and diesel prices slapped through this year’s Budget or turn the game up for the Government.
It was amid such big stakes that Farooq’s son and Chief Minister of J&K Omar Abdullah met Pranab Mukherjee today where sources say that though the audience turned out to be brief but nevertheless reassuring for the young Chief Minister
Meanwhile, Omar also discussed law and order and security scenario, prevailing in Jammu and Kashmir, with the Union Home Minister, P. Chidambaram in a 45 minute long meeting here.
The Chief Minister during the meeting raised the issue of vacation of the Government establishments by the Security forces at strategic locations in view of the improved security situation in the State. He was assured by the Union Home Minister that a comprehensive programme of alternate accommodation is under implementation in the State and in a phased manner all such structure which are being used by the security forces because of security requirements shall be vacated.
On forthcoming Shri Amarnathji Yatra, the duo discussed the security arrangements in detail. The Home Minister assured that for smooth conduct of the Yatra, all the necessary logistic and manpower support shall be provided by the Central Government.
In his meeting with Union Defence Minister A K Antony, the Chief Minister urged the Defence Minister that the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) should be followed by the Army while on operations to ensure that the Human Rights Violations do not occur.
Omar emphasized that while on operation, the Army should always involve the local police and the civil administration because the civil administration is well aware of the local sensitivities. He said the incidents like Kellar Shopian and Kupwara could have been avoided, had the local police been involved at the very initial stage.
The Defence Minister assured that in future there will be a better coordination between the Army and Local Police while on operations.
Chief Minister also discussed with the Union Defence Minister the issue of proposed shifting of the commercial flight operations from Srinagar International Airport to Awantipora Airbase in view of the upgradation of runway at Srinagar Airport during end of June for 15 days. The Chief Minister insisted that the shifting of the operations from Srinagar International Airport to Awantipora will adversely affect the tourism Industry.
The Union Defence Minister assured the Chief Minister that the upgradation of the runway at Srinagar International Airport will be done in a way whereby the disruption to the Commercial flight operations will be minimal.
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