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| PDP's MLA alleges discrimination, stages walkout | | | Kunal Shrivatsa
JAMMU, Mar 24: The issue of alleged biasness and discrimination in release of funds under various sectors to different constituencies particularly being represented by the members other than the ruling coalition once more echoed in the State Legislative Assembly as the main opposition Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP) again protested over the issue followed by a walkout from the House today.
It was during Question Hour that the issue of "discrimination" came to the forefront in the House which remained the focal point of several walkouts from the House earlier also during the current Budget session. Annoyed and dissatisfied over Minister for Finance Abdul Rahim Rather's reply over release of funds and the steps being taken to adopt a rational criteria to ensure equitable development of all the areas of the state, the PDP legislator from Darhal, Choudhary Zulfkar Ali backed by his other party colleagues grilled the government yet again and asserted that there is "discrimination" in allocation of funds to various assembly segments.
Earlier, while responding to the question of PDP legislator Zulfkar Ali during the Question Hour, the Minister for Finance Abdul Rahim Rather said the planning and development department conducts plan discussions with various administrative departments where the requirements, priorities, potentials of various sectors are discussed threadbare.
He said the state sector funds are allocated on the basis of need projected by the concerned departments, requirement of basic infrastructural facilities in different areas and also aspirations of the public. Expressing his dissatisfaction over Minister's reply, the PDP MLA Zulfkar Ali, however, claimed that there was "discrimination" in allocations of funds to various constituencies. He alleged that his constituency has been ignored in various sectors of fund allocation and granting of projects and demanded a clarification from the government.
Zulfkar maintained that out of total amount, only 27 percent funds have been kept under District Plan where the MLAs have direct involvement in development activities. "The remaining 73 percent of funds are spent at the prudence of ministers. But there are no criteria to spend this amount. The government has identified 67 works in Rajouri with an estimated cost of Rs 10 crore while other segments have been neglected," he charged.
However, Rather rejected the Member's allegation and said the state government is committed to ensure equitable and balanced development of all areas. "The additionalities are being released from state sector," he informed. In the meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition Mehbooba Mufti also blamed the government for "ignoring" the constituencies of Opposition legislators while releasing additionalities.
Some other PDP members also raised the pitch and alleged that the government is not partial in plan allocation and ignore the assembly segments represented by the opposition parties
The PDP members demanded that the government should stop discriminating in allocation of funds and wanted the government to reply whether it intends to allocate projects and funds to the constituencies which have been remained deprived till date.
Amidst PDP legislators' uproar over seeking a reply from the government, the Speaker Mohammad Akbar Lone announced that Question Hour is over.
Infuriated over the government's unsatisfactory reply, the PDP members walked out of the House in protest. —Early Times Report |
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