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| Paralytic Govt surrenders Rs 268 crores in Mughal Road: Mufti | | `State unable to benefit from CSSs' | | Early Times Report
srinagar, July 7: Expressing concern at the failure of the Government to carry forward the ambitious connectivity plan ushered in by previous coalition, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today said all sectors of development had come to a standstill in the State. "It is worse than a paralysis" he told a public meeting in Shopian today that the governance in J&K suffers from. "The prestigious Mughal road too has been a victim of governance paralysis resulting in delay in its completion" he added.
Senior Leaders Muzaffar Hussain Baig, Tariq Hameed Karra, Ab Razaq Zawoora MLA, Mohammad Shafi Bandey District president, Bashir Ahmed Malik, Gh Mohiudin Wani, Gh Hassan Bhat, Bashir Ahmed Sofi and Mohammad Abdullah Wani accompanied Mufti.
Sayeed said it was scandalous that an amount of Rs 268 crores had reportedly been surrendered in previous years out of the funds allocated for this new artery of growth, development and social integration. "Even the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has pointed it out in a report and the Government of India reportedly withheld further funding for the state's inability to spend" he said. Instead of completing this highway on time and securing funds for construction of a tunnel to make it an all weather facility the Government has virtually subverted this project which has the potential of rewriting the destiny of areas connected by it and the people living there.
Mufti said connecting people of all regions was a crucial part of PDP vision for the State. Inclusion of Kishtwar-Simthan-Anantnag road, construction of the tunnel across Zojilla and extension of North South corridor up to Srinagar was part of the same vision that was unfolded after 2002 with a positive and generous response by Government of India. However, the inability to push these projects on priority has resulted in all of them running years behind schedule. "The Prime Minister's special package announced in 2004 for a period of five years is not implemented fully in spite of several extensions" he added. Mufti said these road projects had remained trapped in the security jargon for decades resulting in severe impediments to growth and development of the State, but PDP was able to start them with Government of India help and multilateral funding from institutions like the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
Referring to the overall slowdown of development process Mufti said in contrast to previous coalition and other States the present Government had failed to seek benefits for the State under the Centrally Sponsored Schemes. "It is a sad reflection on the functioning of the State Government that reportedly a mere Rs 350 crores have been spent under the Sarva Shikhsha Abhiyan (SSA) last year out of a grant of Rs 1500 crores" he said terming it as a criminal waste of opportunity to upgrade basic education system.
Similarly, no action has been taken under another Central scheme RAMSA that aims at providing infrastructure for high schools, Mufti regretted. "This scheme has the potential of transforming the entire education system but it has been reported that not a single school has been taken up under this scheme even though the State could construct around 200 high schools under it, complete with laboratories and libraries in just one year" he said. He said he had received reports that about Rs 160 crores were available under this scheme but not a single penny has so far been spent.
Mufti said while governance had almost collapsed, the rulers were unable to come out of their arrogance and contempt for positive advice. Those, including the opposition are childishly targeted for raising issues of public importance, youth witch hunted and a war forced on Government employees. He said the same administration had produced entirely different results under him but the lack of political direction, loss of moral authority of the rulers and rampant corruption in high places had created a virtual anarchy in the State. "Hospitals are without even basic amenities, thousands of positions in health sector alone are vacant and patients unable to receive even basic care" he said. Similarly the Government stores in the Engineering Departments are reportedly empty and works programs are still to be drawn up. While power supply has been the worst victim of this Government's inefficient management there are demonstrations even for drinking and irrigation water almost every day. "How can this Government achieve anything substantial with such callousness and expect people to believe its announcements?" he wondered.
Speaking on the occasion Muzaffar Hussain Baig said the Government had failed to give the same priority treatment to horticulture that the previous Government had ensured. The development of fruit markets had stopped and even the construction of a Controlled Atmosphere Store (CAS) at Shopian had been shelved. He said horticulture constituted one of the fundamentals of State's economy that had a vast potential to grow further but the present dispensation had failed to implement the Rs 400 crore technology mission sanctioned many years back. The PDP led Government had liberated the industry from heavy taxation and introduced marketing and processing strategies that ensured higher returns for apple and other fruits but the NC led coalition has reversed all those policies which could further increase unemployment.
Baig said the construction of Mughal road had opened huge opportunities for tourism in the area. The Government must take initiatives in this direction and as a first step extend the jurisdiction of Aharbal Development Authority and Rajouri Development Authority to harness the potential of areas along this route, he said. He said the Mughal sarais along the route and the natural assets must be preserved and not allowed to fall victim to unplanned constructions, encroachments and uncontrolled commercialization
Senior party leader Tariq Hameed Karra on this occasion said that credibility of the present regime headed by National Conference (NC) has reached at its lowest ebb because this dispensation has lost faith of the common masses due to misdeeds and rampant corruption. "There is total chaos and anarchy because the present regime has failed to bring transparency and accountability in the Government.
Karra said that development works under the State and Central sectors are victims of Government lethargy, corruption and favoritism. Whatever works are taken up are driven by contractors close to Government and some ministers. There is no development strategy for the Government as was pointed out even by the Planning Commission of India. Annual Plan is still to be finalized. Plan funds are utilized to please their favorites. Malpractices in schemes like NAREGA have reached a level where the disbursements were stopped sometime back by GoI. ERA schemes have become a source of trouble rather than relief. |
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