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Epilogue because there is more to know
CONTENT
I N FOCUS Legislative Assembly GOVERNOR’S ADDRESS
6
30
A new beginning... 30
CM’S REPLY
16
Appreciate the difference...
CUSTODIAN OF HOUSE
19 Special Supplement With Epilogue
QUESTION HOUR
23 23 23 24 24 25 25 26 26 26 27 27 28 28 29 29 30
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The Assembly Speaker, who does not speak less
PMGSY projects cleared for Doda 7.36 lakh BPL families in State RBA status being accorded as per criteria : Sakina Streams in new Colleges as per need Adequate fertilizers, seed stocks available Renovation plan for Walnut Hulling Drying Centre Demand for New Mcs being examined 300 contractual appointment soon 100% funds to be released in April Govt training veterinary volunteers Committees set up to check road mishaps Policy to regulate private institutions Consultancy to identify tourism potential areas Extraction of Lignite, Sapphire, Marble mines Village Numberdars to supervising water services Govt bracing up to rationalize health institutions Govt to revamp school board
31 32 32 33 33
Re-verification of BPL lists in full swing Sports complex at every district hq soon Padam-Zanskar Road under PMRP II Mobile veterinary services in state soon 6.43 lakh students get scholarships Steps afoot to increase green cover Monitoring, implementation of RGGVY
DEMANDS ON GRANTS
34 39 41 42 44 46 48 50 52 54 55 57 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64
Delivery on ground, not slogans, hallmarks of our government Finance, Ladakh Affairs Housing & Urban Development Rural Development, Law & Parliamentary Affairs Forest, Environment, Ecology School Education Revenue Relief, Rehabilitation Social Welfare Industries & Commerce High Education, Labour, Employment Animal Husbandry Fisheries Cooperatives Tourism & Culture Agriculture Health & Family Welfare CA & PD, Transport Roads & Buildings Technical Education, Youth Services, Sports Public Health Engineering, Irrigation, Flood Control
SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT WITH EPILOGUE VOL. 4, ISSUE 4, APRIL 2010 ISSUE
Epilogue Research Foundation J&K Center for Policy Studies
T
he J&K Center for Policy Studies is supported by the Epilogue Magazine as an upcoming multidisciplinary institute for research, debates, discussions and analysis on a range of policy matters that shape up the life of the people in Jammu and Kashmir. Under the auspices of Epilogue Research Foundation, the J&K Center for Policy Studies maintains an impressive collection of books and papers on Jammu and Kashmir and is constantly engaged in documentation on a wide variety of subjects. The basic idea of our work is to generate an objective and indepth understanding on key issues and put them to debates through seminars, public discussions and publications in journals, newspapers etc to help policy formulations.
Journal of Jammu and Kashmir Public Policy & Governance
T
his inaugural issue of the Journal of Jammu and Kashmir Public Policy & Governance is being brought out with issue focus on J&K State Legislative Assembly's Budget Session 2010. This issue is being circulated as a supplement with April 2010 issue of the Epilogue Magazine. Epilogue Magazine and the J&K Center for Policy Studies intend to bring out a special supplement at the end of each session of State Legislative Assembly with a view to document the proceedings for future reference in single volume for each session. In the present issue, we have been able to document only some key proceedings including Governor's address to joint sitting of legislature, Chief Minister's reply, a selection of questions from Question Hour and full coverage of demands on grants. We are conscious of the fact that the present issue does not cover debates and discussions which we had to skip due to lack of adequate manpower and other resources. In the subsequent issues we intend to make debates and discussions as main highlight of the journal for which funding support is being explored at different levels. Suggestions from legislators and other readers are welcome at epilogue@epilogue.in
FOR FULL COVERAGE OF BUDGET 2010 PLEASE REFER TO EPILOGUE MAGAZINE (MAIN ISSUE) APRIL 2010
Edited, printed and published by Zafar Iqbal Choudhary for Epilogue Magazine and Epilogue Research Foundation -J&K Center for Policy Studies. Published from Epilogue, Bathindi Top Jammu and Printed at Dee Dee Reprographix, Rehari, Jammu Phone/Fax -0191-2493136, 09858507136, 09419180762 Epilogue Research Foundation J&K Center for Policy Studies
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3
BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS
J&K Legislative Assembly BUDGET SESSION 2010
NOTES FROM GALLERY
I
and the people. It conveys to the people what is happening in the Legislature and informs them about various policies, legislations and programmes of the Government. It is through the media that the Legislature gathers information about the responses and reactions of the public, which helps it in keeping surveillance over the Government and ensuring the accountability of the Executive. Recognizing the importance of the Press in a In an active parliamentary parliamentary democracy This special supplement of Epilogue democracy, the famous which Jammu and Magazine named as journal of Public political thinker, Edmund Policy & Governance is just an Kashmir is bestowed Burke, had referred to it addition to the media coverage of with, Legislature and the as the `Fourth Estate `. legislative business in Jammu and Press have a common The last few decades of Kashmir even though it is unique in its responsibility to work for 20th Century have approach. The uniqueness in approach the welfare of the people is in the basic idea of documentation ushered in a significant – Legislature by having of the proceedings to serve as a change in the field of informed debates on single volume reference for each information and various important issues session. communication and the Press by technology. Accordingly, appropriately keeping the the reporting of political or legislative people informed about the deliberations. In events, etc. through both the print and order to be able to perform their onerous electronic media, has undergone a responsibilities in an effective and efficient metamorphic change. The televising of manner, both these institutions are vested legislative proceedings has helped in with the requisite freedom of speech and bringing the institution of Legislature nearer expression. Over the years, Legislature has to the people. This special supplement of become more and more a multi-dimensional Epilogue Magazine named as journal of and multi-functional institution performing a Public Policy & Governance is just an variety of roles. It is the forum where addition to the media coverage of legislative solutions are found for redressal of public business in Jammu and Kashmir even grievances and decisions based on collective though it is unique in its approach. The wisdom are taken. Having gained access to uniqueness in approach is in the basic idea legislative proceedings, the media has of documentation of the proceedings to serve assumed the role of being the principal as a single volume reference for each communication link between the Legislature session. n democracies, legislatures are the institutions of highest order where future of peoples is shaped up. With a rich history and divergent composition, the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly has created a place of its own in the country for the eminence of members from time to time, thought provoking debated and pathbreaking legislations in best interest of the peoples who send in their representatives.
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J&K Legislative Assembly
4
FACT SHEET
BUDGET SESSION 2010
Jammu and Kashmir
Legislative Assembly Budget Session 2010 (February 22 – April 9)
TIME CONSUMPTION BY PARTIES NC 15:20 Hrs PDP 15:20 Hrs CONGRESS 6:10 Hrs JKNPP 6:10 Hrs BJP 6:55 Hrs CPIM 1:40 Hrs JSM 2:10 Hrs INDEPENDENTS 2:00 Hrs
TOTAL WORKING DAYS
: 25
TOTAL BUSINESS HOURS
: 56
GOVT BILLS INTRODUCED PASSED REFERRED TO SELECT COMMITTEES
22 16 01
PRIVATE MEMBER BILLS RECEIVED 62 INTRODUCED 6 WITHDRAWN/REJECTED 14 REFERRED TO SELECT COMMITTEES 1 DISALLOWED 16 CALLING ATTENTION NOTICES RECEIVED 94 TAKEN UP 22 DISALLOWED 19
TOTAL QUESTIONS RECEIVED STARRED 608 UNSTARRED 492 ? QUESTIONS ADMITTED
1026
? QUESTIONS DISALLOWED
72
? QUESTIONS TAKEN UP FOR DISCUSSION
160
? SUPPLEMENTARIES RAISED
475
RESOLUTIONS RECEIVED ADMITTED DISALLOWED
112 76 20
REPORTS/PAPERS TABLES IN HOUSE: 08 Epilogue Research Foundation J&K Center for Policy Studies
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5
J&K Legislative Assembly
BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS
BUDGET SESSION 2010
www.epilogue.in Ø Estimates of Total Receipts (TR) – Rs. 25984
crore as against Rs. 22885 crore in 2009-10. Ø Estimates of Total Expenditure (TE) also at Rs.
Ø Besides Rs. 128 crore for maintenance under
non-plan, Rs. 20 crore under Plan also for Flood Protection and R&B Sector.
25984 crore as against Rs. 22885 crore in 2009-10.
Ø Rs. 7.62 crore for strengthening of Regional
Ø Highest ever Share in Central Taxes – Rs. 2911
Ø Rs. 75 crore in Plan for implementation of Sher-
crore under 13th Finance Commission Award as against Rs. 1880 crore in 2009-10.
e-Kashmir Employment & Welfare Programme for Youths.
Ø Central Grants also at a high of Rs. 3940 crore
Ø For bringing greater transparency and account-
as against Rs. 2385 crore in 2009-10. However, the flow will be tapering with terminal year (2014-15) flow of Rs. 2096 crore.
ability in implementation of development programme, 150 projects worth Rs. 744 crore assigned to NABCONS and M/S Mckenzy.
Ø Revenue Receipts (RR) contribute Rs. 22849
Ø Rs. 60 crore for meeting cost of VRS/GHS in
crore, Capital Receipts Rs. 3135 crore. Ø Revenue Expenditure (RE) including Security
Related Expenditure (SRE) – Rs. 17698 crore, Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) – Rs. 8286 crore. Ø Non Plan Revenue Expenditure (NPRE) con-
sumes Rs. 16717 crore of which Rs. 2251 crore for interest payment. Ø Non Plan Capital Expenditure (NPCE) of the
order of Rs. 1211 crore of which comprise loans repayment.
Rs. 959 crore
Ø Annual Plan 2010-11 size Rs. 7206 crore of
which Rs. 1206 crore under Prime Minister's Reconstruction Plan (PMRP). Ø Plan Revenue Expenditure (PRE) estimates at
Rs. 927 crore. Plan Capital Expenditure (PCE) Rs. 6279 crore and Rs. 850 crore under CSS. Ø Off-treasury developmental expenditure Rs.
3323 crore. Ø Non-Plan salaries burden at Rs. 8179 crore
including Rs. 725 crore for DA installments. Ø Pension bill soars to Rs. 1800 crore as against
Rs. 1495 crore in 2009-10. Ø Rs. 8 crore for migrants' group mediclaim
Rural Banks.
PSUs. Ø Provision of Rs. 2051 crore for purchase of
power from CPSUs and J&K SPDC. Ø For Media, revision of Advertisement rates
done after 2006. Rates enhanced by 40%. Budgetary provisions also increased by Rs. 150 lakh under REs 2009-10 and further by Rs. 245 lakhs in 2010-11. Ø Completion
of all ongoing Health and Educational institutions and making these fully operational by end 2010-11 a major thrust area under Plan.
Ø Rs. 30 crore for improving HT/LT network
through CD route. Another Rs. 20 crore for creation of transformer bank. Ø Rs. 35 crore envisaged for enhancing share cap-
ital of State Financial Corporation for its revival. Initial Rs. 5 crore provisioned in 201011. Ø Rs. 20 crore for reactivation of worn out and pro-
curement of new water supply pumps. Ø Rs. 2 crore for strengthening the Planning mech-
anism. Ø Plan outlay for Rural Development raised by
insurance. Ø Rs. 15 crore set apart for 10% Employer's
share under New Pension System introduced from January, 2010.
82%. Roads Sector gets 51% hike. Social Services receive 45% enhancement. Agriculture Sector outlay hiked by 28%.
Ø Starting with fiscal 2007-08, an amount of Rs.
4 crore is being provided every year for settling outstanding of JAKFED towards JCCB crystallized at Rs. 80 crore.
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GOVERNOR’S ADDRESS Joint Sitting of Legislature
6
BUDGET SESSION 2010
A new beginning… “My Government, under the leadership of our young Chief Minister, Shri Omar Abdullah, is committed to taking the State rapidly and assuredly forward on the path of peace, prosperity and development”
I
t gives me great pleasure to address this Joint Session of the State Legislature at a time when my Government has already completed one year in office. The elections of 2008 were truly a watershed, given the exceptionally large turnout of over 61%, and my Government took office in an atmosphere of hope and expectation. The people of Jammu & Kashmir unequivocally affirmed their faith in the democratic process and clearly demonstrated their desire to put the past behind them. The unambiguous message given by the people of the State to the separatists and to all those who
oppose the democratic process is that the problems of the State can be best resolved by political means, within the established democratic and parliamentary system. The rejection of violence, implicit in this message, needs to be taken note of by all those opposed to democracy. My Government made a new beginning, both politically and administratively, with the objective of boosting the socio-economic development of the State, which has been adversely affected by the prolonged period of insurgency. The Government has defined its role in regard to the delivery of basic services to
the people and as a facilitator to encourage private and collective enterprise. It has also been decided that the broad policy orientation would be towards the completion and consolidation of all existing and ongoing schemes and programmes, rather than on creating new ones, with exceptions being made for launching schemes which are targeted to secure the development of hitherto under-funded and neglected areas. In the context of restoring normalcy in the State, it is essential that the process of dialogue be resumed. My Government has welcomed the initiative taken by the Government of India to
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7 GOVERNOR’S ADDRESS Joint Sitting of Legislature
BUDGET SESSION 2010
recommence the dialogue process. My Government also welcomes the projected discussions between the Foreign Secretaries of India and Pakistan. Possibly the highest priority for my Government's policy during its first year in office was the restoration of peace and tranquillity in the State. After more than two decades of militancy-related violence and terrorism, there is a palpable yearning for peace across all sections of the society in the different regions of the State. It is clear that people want to put the past behind them and to get on with their lives. Over the years, the disruption of normal life caused by violence, hartals, bandhs, etc. has taken a heavy toll and the delivery of services by the Government has inevitably been adversely affected. The repeated disruption of academic schedules has done irreparable damage to the future of the younger generation. More importantly, the people of the State have not been able to take full benefit of the economic development which took place in various parts of the country after the liberalisation of the 1990's. The State has to now take rapid steps to make up for lost time.
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My Government is committed to effectively countering militancy and terrorism in the State. It is clear that socioeconomic development cannot be achieved unless an atmosphere of relative peace, tranquility and harmony prevails in the State. There has been a significant reduction in terrorist related incidents in the State in 2009. There were only 499 terrorist incidents last year as compared to 708 in 2008 and 1092 in 2007. This trend clearly shows that the situation is progressively improving, significantly. All the other indices also indicate a return to normalcy in the State. The reduction in terrorism related violence is due in a large part to the concerted action taken by the Security Forces and the Army against militants in the State. The work done in this regard and the sacrifices made by the Army, the Central Paramilitary Forces and the State Police are commendable. The high level of coordination between the Army, the Central Paramilitary Forces and the State Police has ensured that consistent pressure continues to be mounted against the militants and their over ground supporters. During 2009, a total of 239 militants
were killed and 187 were arrested. More importantly, a number of influential terrorist field commanders were also eliminated. However, areas of concern remain. There was a rise in attempts to infiltrate into the State across the LoC and the International Border during 2009 and in the month of January 2010. The Security Forces are taking all necessary action to prevent infiltration. While effective initiatives must necessarily be taken against militants and terrorists, my Government is absolutely clear that all the action taken should be in conformity with the law. The zero tolerance policy of the Government has ensured that there is much greater respect for Human Rights and that prompt action is taken whenever violations occur. In addition, the Empowered Committee system was made fully functional during 2009 which made it possible to consider the recommendations made by the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) during the year with a minimum time lag. The Government will try to achieve the difficult balance between empowering the Security Forces and the Police to act decisively and effectively and the firm com-
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GOVERNOR’S ADDRESS Joint Sitting of Legislature
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BUDGET SESSION 2010
mitment to ensure that violations of Human Rights do not occur during the course of such action. Kashmiri Pandits are an essential component of the identity and ethos of Kashmir and their safe return to the Valley with dignity and honour is a major objective of my Government. The State Cabinet has recently approved a package for the return and rehabilitation of Kashmiri migrants with an outlay of Rs. 1618.40 crore. An Apex Advisory Committee has been constituted to oversee the effective implementation of the package, one of the main components of which is the provision of employment to unemployed migrant youth. As many as 3,000 posts have been created for them in various Government departments and the recruitment agencies have already initiated the selection process. Transit accommodation in Kashmir is being constructed for the returning migrants. Work on the new township at Jagti, where 4218 flats for Kashmiri Migrants are under construction, is at an advanced stage of completion and these flats will be available for allotment during the current year. My Government is also committed to addressing the unresolved problems relating to displaced persons, the refugees and the migrants in Jammu. The only way for the State to progress is for its three regions, Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh, to develop and grow in a spirit of mutual co-operation and co-existence. To achieve this objective, my Government is single mindedly pursuing its agenda to promote the equitable development of all the three regions and sub-regions of the State. The policies and programmes aimed at promoting the welfare of Scheduled
Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Gujjars and Bakerwals, Pahari speaking people and other Backward Classes will continue to receive Government's priority attention. A de-centralized development process which involves people's participation at all levels is essential for the overall development of the State. My Government is committed to establishing Panchayati Raj in the State and to devolving powers and responsibilities upon Panchayati Raj Institutions and Urban Local Bodies to enable them to function as self governing institutions.
During 2009, a total of 239 militants were killed and 187 were arrested. More importantly, a number of influential terrorist field commanders were also eliminated. However, areas of concern remain. There was a rise in attempts to infiltrate into the State across the LoC and the International Border during 2009 and in the month of January 2010.
Elections to the Panchayats and the Urban Local Bodies in the State will be held soon. My Government is fully alive to the magnitude of the problem of unemployment among the educated youth. The answer to the problem of unemployment does not lie merely in creating more jobs in the already saturated Government sector but in creating employment opportunities in the economy as a whole. Appreciating this need, my Government has for the first time introduced a comprehensive and holistic Employment Policy called the Shere-Kashmir Employment and Welfare
Programme for the Youth which seeks to create employment opportunities and enable skill upgradation for about 5 lakh educated youth over the next five years. One of the salient features of the policy is the provision of a Voluntary Service Allowance to educated jobless youth. The erstwhile Employment Exchanges have been revamped and renamed District Employment and Counselling Centres. An Overseas Employment Corporation has been established to act as a Placement Agency for overseas employment. An Employment Facilitating Agency is being established to oversee the functioning of all employment-related organizations. Side by side with the creation of employment opportunities for the youth, my Government has fast tracked the process of selection through the recruiting agencies. During the past one year, over 20,500 Gazetted and Non-gazetted appointments were made and another 20,000 are in the pipeline. My Government remains focused on the provision of Good Governance. Government institutions and Government functionaries have to become effective and, more importantly, accountable for their work. Immediately after it took office, my Government took various steps to establish a responsive, accountable and people-friendly administration. In order to ensure adequate transparency in the functioning of the Government, a new Jammu & Kashmir Right to Information Act 2009, was enacted on the lines of the Central Act. Another new initiative was the setting up of a Grievance Cell (Awaz-e-Awam) in the Chief Minister's Secretariat for the speedy redressal of public grievances. The new Awami Mulaqat system
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J&K Legislative Assembly
9 GOVERNOR’S ADDRESS Joint Sitting of Legislature
BUDGET SESSION 2010
for taking the Government to the people at district headquarters level has evoked an overwhelming response from the public. The State Information Commission is expected to become fully functional shortly and the State Accountability Commission is being reconstituted. My Government recognizes that urgent steps are required to deal with the scourge of corruption in public service. Corruption has adversely affected the delivery of governmental services to the public. Therefore, without tackling corruption, the very effectiveness of the Government is compromised. My Government will not compromise on the issue of corruption and ruthless action under law will be taken against wrongdoers. When my Government assumed office about 14 months ago, the biggest challenge before it was to boost economic activities and to find the resources to achieve this. The Government has been successful in increasing the Annual Plan of 2009-10 to Rs. 5500 crore, which is the highest allocation ever. In addition, another Rs. 1,200 crore under the Prime Minister's Reconstruction Plan (PMRP), including Rs. 220 crore as 'counter-part share' to enable the State Government to raise a matching share of loan from the Asian Development Bank, has also been obtained. My Government expresses its gratitude to the Central Government for extending wholehearted support to the State. The provision of electricity is probably the most important input for the socio-economic development of our State. We are in a paradoxical situation where even though nature has endowed us with an estimated 20,000 MW of
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hydro-electric potential, only around 12% of this vast potential has been tapped both in the State and the Central sectors. A multi-pronged strategy has been adopted to harness the available hydro-electric potential in the shortest possible time. Follow up action on the decision to execute five hydro electric projects in the State with a total installed capacity of 870.5 MW has already been initiated. The bidding process for the 690 MW Ratle Project, being taken up under the IPP route, is under way. Three other major projects with an aggregate installed capacity of 2100 MW in the Chenab River basin are to be implemented through a Joint Venture Company. Another 6 projects with a total installed capacity of 1799 MW are under execution by NHPC on a fast track basis. Of these, the 120 MW SEWA-II Project is nearing completion. My Government also intends to encourage micro hydel projects through the Public-Private–Partnership mode. Side by side with the harnessing of hydro-electric power, it makes eminent sense to also utilize non-conventional sources of energy. This is particularly relevant in the high altitude desert environment of Ladakh where solar photo voltaic systems have been found to be very effective. Wind power and geothermal power in Ladakh also need to be exploited optimally. A decentralized, non-grid solution using non conventional sources of energy is required for the provision of power to remote and inaccessible areas of the State. My Government is working in close coordination with the Union Ministry for New and Renewable Energy for setting up power projects below 25 MW and solar energy projects. The possibility of set-
ting up a 5 MW Grid interactive SPV plant along with 6 stand alone SPV Solar Plants in Leh and Kargil Districts in collaboration with Central Electricity Authority is being examined. As is well known, the problems in the State's power sector are not merely related to the inadequate generation capacity. In the short run, a far more intractable problem relates to the lack of financial or commercial viability in the supply of electricity to consumers. A combination of soaring increases in demand coupled with unacceptably high Transmission and Distribution losses and an inability to generate the envisaged revenue from the supply of electricity to consumers has led to enormous strain on the budget of the State. Thus, the reform of the power sector with a view to making it commercially viable is imperative. A blueprint for reforms in the power sector has been prepared by M/s The Energy and Research Institute (TERI) who were engaged as Consultants for the purpose. The Restructured Accelerated Power Development Reforms Programme (RAPDRP) is presently being implemented in 30 cities and towns of the State. The High Voltage Distribution System and the Aerial Bunched Cable are to be extended to urban areas in the State in a phased manner so that power thefts can be checked. The High Voltage Transmission Network is being revamped and with the commissioning of 34 new Grid Stations and 29 new Transmission Lines taken up under the PMRP at a cost of Rs. 1351 crore, the reliability of the power system in the State will improve significantly. The implementation of the Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana at an approved cost
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BUDGET SESSION 2010
of Rs. 821.62 crore to provide electricity to un-electrified/de-electrified villages will be accelerated. My Government is actively pursuing, with the Government of India, the implementation of the Rangarajan Committee recommendation for transferring the 390 MW Dulhasti Hydro Electric Power Project to the State as part compensation for the losses suffered due to the Indus Water Treaty. My Government accords very high priority to the development of the Agriculture sector which sustains 75% of our rural population and 50% of our workforce. Emphasis continues to be placed on the adoption of double and multiple cropping patterns so as to increase output and yield and thereby make agriculture more economically viable for the farmer. The Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, which aims at filling the gaps in agricultural infrastructure and the modernization of agricultural practices in a project mode, has been introduced for the first time in the State. A National Mission on Medicinal Plants has also been approved for implementation in the State. Horticulture and Floriculture will continue to receive priority with special focus being placed on the diversification of fruit cultivation from traditional to exotic varieties. Fruits like walnut and cherry, which face little competition in the national market, are being propagated on a large scale. To ensure remunerative prices to horticulturists, a chain of regulated Fruit Mandis and Terminal Markets is being established and the existing ones are being upgraded. An Advisory Board has been set up under the Chairmanship of the Chief Minister for the welfare of the Kissans.
Livestock rearing is another area which has enormous scope for further development in the State. In spite of the fact that the per capita consumption of livestock products is one of the highest in the country, the State is unable to meet the demand internally. Given the extent of the unmet local demand, my Government's focus is on increasing the crossbred population of livestock so that self-sufficiency in livestock products can be attained. The Government has also reduced the levy on the import of one day old chicks from Rs. 2 to Re. 1 per bird for boosting the local Poultry indus-
The only way for the State to progress is for its three regions, Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh, to develop and grow in a spirit of mutual co-operation and coexistence. To achieve this objective, my Government is single mindedly pursuing its agenda to promote the equitable development of all the three regions and sub-regions of the State
try. The development of floriculture in the State has tremendous potential. The commercial production of cut-flowers is receiving special attention and contract farming for the production of flower seeds has been introduced in several districts. Initiatives have been taken for the commercialization of tulips as cutflowers and a cold storage facility for tulip bulbs, lilium bulbs and other cutflowers is being established at the Tulip Garden, Srinagar. In order to boost exports, a cargo facility at Srinagar Airport for perishable items is also being set up in collaboration with the
Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA). As a matter of policy, the major thrust in the health and education sectors is towards consolidation so as to optimally utilize the existing infrastructure. To improve the delivery of health care services, steps have already been taken to strengthen the primary and secondary health care institutions. During 2009, the buildings of 32 health care institutions, including 22 PHCs, were completed. It is anticipated that 12 more health care institutions, including staff quarters, will be completed this year. The remuneration of doctors and paramedical staff has been enhanced and special incentives have been sanctioned under NRHM to make the posting of doctors in difficult and remote areas more attractive. The referral transport system has been improved by procuring 125 new ambulances. Steps are being taken to provide critical-care ambulances at district headquarters. To improve health care delivery at tertiary level, the construction of SuperSpeciality Hospitals under Pradhan Mantri's Swasthya Suraksha Yojana is being fast tracked. My Government will also continue to focus on the promotion and mainstreaming of the Indian Systems of Medicine. The Central Government has announced the establishment of a Unani College in Kashmir and an Ayurvedic College in Jammu to promote Indian Systems of Medicine in the State. My Government attaches enormous importance to the spread of education. As a result of the implementation of flagship programmes like Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and the Midday Meal Scheme,
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11 GOVERNOR’S ADDRESS Joint Sitting of Legislature
BUDGET SESSION 2010
there has been a significant increase in the enrolment of children and a sharp decline in the dropout rates. The literacy rate has gone up from 55.50% in 2001 to 65.67% in 2008-09. New initiatives like Saakshar Bharat Mission-2012 and Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan are being launched in the State. Under the Prime Minister's Skill Development Mission, 50 lakh persons are to be skill trained by the year 2022. My Government plans to establish 50 additional ITIs in uncovered Blocks and 142 Skill Development Centres in all the Blocks of the State. Plans have also been made to train 8000 youth outside the State in skills for which the training facilities do not exist in the State. New Government Polytechnics are being set up at 18 locations in the uncovered districts of the State. Eleven new model colleges will be established in the Educationally Backward Districts. The process of establishing two Central Universities has been initiated. My Government is keen that academic activity in these institutions should commence in 2010-11. There is an urgent necessity to augment and improve urban services in the State. The acute sewerage problems in both the capital cities, of Srinagar and Jammu, are being addressed under the Jawahar Lal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), with an outlay of Rs. 132.92 crore and Rs. 129.23 crore, respectively. A comprehensive Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme for Small and Medium Towns (UIDSSMT) is also being executed. Under the Basic Services for Urban Poor (BSUP) scheme, which is meant to provide dwelling units to the BPL population of city slums, a total of 6,677 dwell-
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ing units have been sanctioned at a cost of Rs. 162.39 crore. Connectivity is vital for the socioeconomic development of a hill state like Jammu & Kashmir. Under the Prime Minister's Grameen Sadak Yojna (PMGSY), 885 road projects with a road length of 4772.44 km and an outlay of Rs. 2239.97 crore have been sanctioned. During the current financial year, 496 projects with a road length of 2239 km and an outlay of Rs. 1463.20 crore have been cleared by the Government of India under Phase-VII of the PMGSY, and 91 road projects connecting 370
Side by side with the creation of employment opportunities for the youth, my Government has fast tracked the process of selection through the recruiting agencies. During the past one year, over 20,500 Gazetted and Nongazetted appointments were made and another 20,000 are in the pipeline
habitations with a road length of 464 km were completed. Under NABARD and the Central Road Fund, 127 road projects costing Rs. 507.84 crore have been sanctioned. As many as 51 bridges were completed during the current financial year while another 61 are likely to be completed by ending March, 2010. A fourth bridge over the Tawi in Jammu is being constructed at an estimated cost of around Rs.126 crore. New flyovers are being constructed in Srinagar and Jammu in order to reduce the problems of traffic congestion. Inter-regional connectivity in the State is receiving the necessary attention
of my Government. Work on the prestigious Mughal Road Project, with an estimated outlay of Rs. 639.85 crore, is in full swing. Construction of the Singhpora tunnel is being taken up in the Public-Private Partnership mode and this will ultimately enable an alternate road from Dunera in Punjab to Kashmir via Basholi- Bhaderwah-Kishtwar. Work on the four-laning of the JammuSrinagar National Highway Project has commenced. On completion, this will significantly reduce the distance and time for travel between Jammu and Kashmir. The commissioning of the Qazigund-Anantnag section of the Qazigund-Srinagar-Baramulla railway line during 2009 has facilitated convenient, speedy and affordable rail transport from Qazigund to Baramulla. My Government has urged the Government of India for speeding up the construction of Udhampur-Qazigund section of U d h a m p u r- Q a z i g u n d - S r i n a g a rBaramulla rail project to connect Kashmir with the rest of the country by rail. My Government will also urge the Government of India to take up new rail projects for harnessing the full economic potential of the State. Srinagar Airport has been upgraded as an international airport and the airports at Jammu and Leh are being upgraded. The runway of the Kargil Airport is also being extended to facilitate operation of commercial flights. The revival and promotion of the Tourism sector, which has a huge potential for the generation of direct and indirect employment and to act as a catalyst for the economic transformation of the State, is another high priority area of my Government. The different regions of
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Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh have the potential to attract tourists throughout the year. However, the industry continues to suffer on account of the disturbed conditions in some parts of the State. My Government has initiated a series of proactive measures to promote the State as a safe tourist destination and put it back on the World Tourist Map. The number of tourist arrivals in the State during 2009, including pilgrims, was 92.89 lakh, which represents a marked increase of about 15.95 lakh over the previous year. The number of pilgrims visiting the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine during 2009 reached an all-time high of 82.35 lakh. My Government will continue to take steps to enable the much needed diversification of tourism activities in the State and to bring new areas on the Tourist Map. The State is planning to host the Commonwealth Golf Championship next summer and this will put Jammu & Kashmir on the international golfing map. My Government has initiated a number of steps for establishing quality tourism infrastructure. Till January 2010 projects for the development of Tourism infrastructure worth Rs. 162.58 crore were sanctioned with the assistance of Government of India. My Government has initiated a serious dialogue with Tour and Travel Operators within the country and abroad for the promotion of tourism in Jammu and Kashmir. My Government is also vigorously pursuing, through the Government of India, the withdrawal of advisories issued by various countries about travel to J&K. We are expecting an increase in tourist inflow during 201011. I urge the people of Jammu and Kashmir to create a congenial environment for the effective promotion of tour-
ism in the State. My Government attaches great importance to the conservation of the environment and important issues relating to the protection of water bodies and forests are receiving high attention. The Government of India has agreed to sanction Rs. 356 crore as additional assistance to fund the cleaning of the Dal and the rehabilitation of the lake dwellers for whom a colony at Rakh-i-Arth is being set up. Work has started on two Sewerage Treatment Plants at Brari Nambal and Nalla Amir Khan to treat raw sewage in the densely populated
When my Government assumed office about 14 months ago, the biggest challenge before it was to boost economic activities and to find the resources to achieve this. The Government has been successful in increasing the Annual Plan of 2009-10 to Rs. 5500 crore, which is the highest allocation ever
areas adjacent to the Dal Lake. The conservation programmes for other important water bodies will also be implemented in a time bound manner. The Government is determined to act responsibly to conserve the rich biodiversity and the abundant natural resources of the State. My Government is striving hard to extend green cover by launching a massive afforestation drive and is also attempting eco-restoration of degraded catchments in the State. A project has been formulated under the Integrated Forest Resource Management with an outlay of Rs. 600 crore which will focus on eco-system
conservation and also provide employment opportunities for the socioeconomic uplift of the stakeholders. Under the J&K State Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) set up in 2009, an amount of Rs.100 crore will be spent on afforestation and regeneration activities in the State during the next five years. To meet the genuine demand for timber and in order to discourage smuggling, the supply of timber has been increased from 8 lakh cft in 2008-09 to about 12 lakh cft during 2009-10 and a corresponding increase in the number of sale depots. The import of timber is also being encouraged to reduce pressure on our forests. It is a matter of pride that our State bagged the prestigious Indira Priya Darshini Vriksha Mitra Award for outstanding achievement in the fields of afforestation and wasteland development. One of the Government's primary responsibilities is the provision of safe drinking water for the people. The focus of my Government is on ensuring drinking water security on a sustainable basis by the optimal use of surface and ground waters, supplemented by rainwater harvesting along with proper ground water recharge. The Sitlee-III Intake/Filtration Plant of 54 lakh gallons per day capacity in Jammu has been completed and commissioned. In Kashmir, an additional capacity of 1 crore gallons per day was added through the Rangil Phase-II scheme. Another 30 lakh gallons of capacity was added in Jammu with the commissioning of 25 new tube wells. The water supply schemes in Lar Watlar and Manigam, with a combined capacity of 5 lakh gallons per day, have also been completed and commissioned. Two new
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projects of 1 crore gallons per day, each at Tangnar and Sukhnag in Kashmir, have been approved under JNNURM at an estimated cost of Rs.148 crore and Rs.120 crore, respectively. About 400 ongoing water supply schemes are being completed on a war footing during the current financial year under the Centrally Sponsored National Rural Drinking Water Supply Programme and other State and District sector schemes and 93 new schemes have been submitted to the LIC for loan assistance during the next financial year. In the Irrigation and Flood Control sector, emphasis is being laid on creating additional irrigation potential by taking up new irrigation schemes and, simultaneously, modernizing the existing ones. The Rajpura Lift Irrigation Scheme was commissioned at a cost of Rs. 63 crore. The Lar Canal Budgam, Zaingeer Canal and Grimtoo Canal, which are major and medium projects costing Rs. 220.70 crore, have been submitted to the Government of India for approval and release of funds under the Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP). Another 124 new minor irrigation projects costing Rs. 409.57 crore have also been submitted to the Government of India for approval and funding. Other important projects submitted for Central assistance include the construction of a Rs. 25 crore Weir on the River Tawi for augmenting water in the Ranbir Canal, downstream of Tawi Bridge at Belicharana, and the comprehensive Rs. 2200 crore Flood Management Project for the River Jhelum. The Mahatama Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme is under implementation in all districts of the State. Under the scheme, 14,184 works were taken up during 2009, out of which 5016 have been completed and, in the process, have generated 69.76 lakh man-days of employment. Under this scheme a total of 5,97,415 households were provided job cards during 2009. Under the Indira Awas Yojana, 9,683 houses were completed during 2009, out of which 7,174 have been newly constructed and 2,509
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upgraded. Under the PMRP, 119 villages are being developed as Model Villages at a cost of Rs. 142.80 crore. During 2009, 8 Model Villages were completed, raising the number of completed Model Villages in the State to 84. By March 2010, 35 more Model Villages are likely to be completed. My Government has taken several initiatives to facilitate the growth and development of Information Technology (IT) in the State. With a view to providing various services to the people nearer their homes, in collaboration with the Jammu and Kashmir Bank the State Government is in the process of establishing Common Service Centres (Khidmat Centres) in 1109 villages, of which more than 300 Centres have been set up and about 100 Centres have been made functional. Each Centre will cover 6 villages in the first instance. The services which are proposed to be offered through these Centres include disbursement of Social Welfare Pension, Pension to retired employees, voluntary service allowance to unemployed youth, receipt of electricity and telephone bills, application forms for recruitment/ admit cards, birth and death certificates, air and railway tickets, NREGA payments, etc. Under the National e-Governance Programme (NeGP), the Government has initiated the State Wide Area Network (SWAN) project which envisages connectivity of all Government offices upto Block level within the State on a common high speed data network controlled by the State Data Centre (SDC). My Government will also focus on selected Mission Mode Projects in key sectors to improve operational efficiency and transparency. My Government attaches great
importance to the welfare of the disadvantaged and vulnerable sections of the society particularly women, children, widows, orphans, persons with disabilities, the aged and the infirm. Under the Integrated Child Development Services Programme, as many as 7,01,426 beneficiaries, including children in the age group of 0-6, adolescent girls, pregnant women and lactating mothers, have been covered through 25,483 Anganwari Centres. The Government is opening 3,094 new Anganwari Centres under Phase III of the Expansion Programme which will, among other
Another new initiative was the setting up of a Grievance Cell (Awaz-e-Awam) in the Chief Minister's Secretariat for the speedy redressal of public grievances. The new Awami Mulaqat system for taking the Government to the people at district headquarters level has evoked an overwhelming response from the public
things, generate employment opportunities for 6,188 women. The Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) is being launched to improve the wellbeing of children living in difficult circumstances and also to reduce their vulnerability to abuse, neglect and exploitation. Various pre- and postMatriculation scholarship schemes for OBCs, SCs, STs, Gujjars, Bakerwals and Pahari speaking students are also under implementation. During the current financial year, monthly pension has been paid to 3,43,180 old age persons/ widows/ physically handicapped, involving an expenditure of Rs. 37.12
crore. Similarly, monthly pension has been paid to 1.29 lakh old age persons belonging to the BPL category involving an expenditure of Rs.17.67 crore. The Government has a special responsibility for tackling the problems faced by the victims of militancy. A total of 6467 militancy affected persons, including children and the disabled, have been covered under the enhanced pension schemes with an expenditure of Rs.2.52 crore. Scholarships, amounting to Rs.1.55 crore, have been disbursed to 1590 orphans. During the last year, nearly 3000 pending militancy related cases have been settled by way of providing compassionate appointment or payment of cash in lieu of appointment, involving an expenditure of Rs. 62 crore. My Government attaches the highest importance to the empowerment of women. As part of the initiative to empower women, due priority has been given to them in the new employment policy. Under this policy, the 2200 women entrepreneurs to be selected in the first phase will be granted soft loans up to Rs. 3 lakh through the State Women's Development Corporation. A corpus of Rs.10 crore has been created for the implementation of the scheme. My Government intends to introduce legislation for the protection of women from domestic violence. Gender budgeting is being given due attention so as to ensure that funds are allocated for activities which promote the development of women in an integrated manner. It has been the endeavour of my Government to attract private investment in the State in those sectors where local talent is available and where local resources can be utilized. A serious dialogue has been initiated with Corporate
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BUDGET SESSION 2010
India at the highest level for this purpose and the initial response has been encouraging. However, for these efforts to succeed, we need to create a conducive environment for the investors. Since such investment is crucial for creating productive employment opportunities for our youth, I urge everyone to play a role for the promotion of an investment conducive environment. While continuing with efforts to attract private investment in the State, the promotion of local industry will remain an area of priority for the Government. The development and revival of the Traditional Arts and Crafts will continue to receive focused attention. The Government is encouraging youth to take up handicrafts for earning a livelihood by providing training in 553 Handicrafts and 100 Handloom Training Centres and by giving soft loans under the Micro Credit Scheme. The National Institute of Fashion Technology, J&K Centre, is being established at Srinagar at a cost of about Rs. 70 crore. The prestigious Export Development Centre for Handicrafts, completed at a cost of Rs.7.28 crore, has been made functional. The welfare of Government employees is a major concern of my Government. It is because of its commitment to their welfare that, despite serious financial constraints, the Government has implemented the recommendations of the Sixth Central Pay Commission w.e.f. 1.7.2009, benefiting around 3.50 lakh Government employees and 1.20 lakh pensioners. The additional financial burden involved in extending the recommendations of the Sixth Central Pay Commission is estimated to be more than Rs. 1600 crore. It must be kept in mind that J&K took the lead in this matter and became one of the few States to implement the Sixth Central Pay Commission recommenda-
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tions. The Government has also allowed House Rent Allowance (HRA) in the revised pay scales, entailing an additional financial burden of Rs. 184 crore annually. All pending DA instalments released by the Central Government have also been sanctioned by the State Government to its employees. Government is committed to the agreement reached with the employees' unions to pay arrears of Pay revision w.e.f. 1.1.2006 as soon as funding for the same becomes available. Efforts are continuing to seek Central assistance for this. The Government has also raised
My Government has initiated a series of proactive measures to promote the State as a safe tourist destination and put it back on the World Tourist Map. The number of tourist arrivals in the State during 2009, including pilgrims, was 92.89 lakh, which represents a marked increase of about 15.95 lakh over the previous year. The number of pilgrims visiting the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine during 2009 reached an alltime high of 82.35 lakh the wages of Daily Rated Workers from Rs. 70 per day to Rs. 110 per day. To meet a long pending demand the Government has notified 43 instalments of COLA in favour of the State PSU employees. My Government has also taken a decision to regularize employees working on Ad hoc, Contractual and Consolidated basis against clear vacancies after completion of seven years of continuous service. The pay revision and the implementation of the various welfare measures for Government employees and employees of the Corporations have resulted in a substantial increase in the salaries of Government employees
across the board. Now that various welfare measures have been implemented, it is necessary for Government and PSU employees to assiduously discharge their responsibilities and to avoid taking confrontational or agitational postures in regard to some of their residual demands which the Government is already committed to addressing. Agitations and strikes by Government employees will not only thwart the pace of the developmental process in the State but also inevitably cause distress and inconvenience to the public at large. My Government will take all necessary steps to encourage hard working, honest and efficient officials and deal ruthlessly with slack, indisciplined, corrupt and dishonest functionaries. The people of Jammu & Kashmir have high expectations of the Government. We must live up to their expectations. The people of the State are its greatest strength and with their support and cooperation, we should be able to ensure the optimal socioeconomic development of the State. My Government has been in office only for the first of its six year tenure. While this is not a long period, any objective assessment of the work done by my Government during the last year would show that the pace has been set and various activities are moving in the right direction. On the basis of the firm foundation laid in its first year in office, the Government now confidently looks forward to meeting the hopes and aspirations of the people of the State. With the active cooperation of all concerned, my Government, under the leadership of our young Chief Minister, Shri Omar Abdullah, is committed to taking the State rapidly and assuredly forward on the path of peace, prosperity and development.
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Appreciate the difference... We have put governance back on rails, respected human rights and prioritised employment
Honourable Speaker, have heard with rapt attention the view points of Opposition, particularly Peoples Democratic Party, on management of security and financial affairs by our government during session proceeding over last three to four days. I wonder are they the same people who sit with me in meetings of District Development Boards and hail our initiatives. I could not understand the quick transitions they make in front of camera and beyond that. As they made it a point to disrupt proceedings of the House, I thought something has gone wrong in our working. Before coming to the House with reply, I had an opportunity to look back at the things over 10 to 20 years to find out how different affairs were dealt with by different regimes. Having obtained all facts and figures, I can say with huge amount of confidence that the Peoples Democratic Party has got no moral authority to talk about the issues they have ruined during their time. Take, for example, their hoarse cries on violations of human rights. Their own track record reveals highest level of civilian killings during the three years of their regime. As compared to 94 civilian deaths during
I
my Government, there were 2205 civilian killings during the Mufti led Government and as compared to 16 cases of alleged rapes and molestations during the six years of Dr. Farooq Abdullah led Government, the number of these cases registered during the PDP Government were 75. The author of the so-called slogans of healing touch and peace with dignity, the patron of PDP had, as Union Home Minister, ordered for the massacre of
scores of innocent and unarmed people at Gowkadal and Islamia College in Srinagar, when the security forces, under his directions, fired upon the peaceful demonstrators and on participants of funeral procession of Moulana Mohammad Farooq. PDP, by its propagandist approach and political gimmickry, tries to remove from the minds of people the commissions and omissions its leaders have committed when in power at the State and
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CM’S Reply to debate on Governor’s address
J&K Legislative Assembly BUDGET SESSION 2010
the Centre, to pretend to be the angels descended from Heaven. Public memory may be short but it is not so short that people will forget the worst ever track record of Mufti regime on human rights violations front. Take example of four small children who were gunned down at Handwara while playing cricket, during the period when Mufti Sayeed was the Chief Minister of the State. PDP which is carrying the false bogie of arrests under PSA, during their regime put 1231 people behind bars under PSA. During the last 20 years of militancy it is for the first time that BSF handed over the accused killer of an innocent boy of Nishat Srinagar to Jammu and Kashmir Police for investigation and booking under law and the Union Home Minister, P. Chidambaram assured that if enquiry leads towards others they too would be booked under law. This is our commitment towards innocent killings and human rights violations. It is also for the first time that International Human Right Watch has praised the State Government for its commitment for human rights violations and prompt action against the violators. A handful of misguided youth will not be allowed to take one crore population of the state hostage. The stones they pelt make me painful and hurt me for the reason that these are not actually thrown on the Government but on the bread and butter of poor traders, labourers, shop-keepers, sumowalas and other small time earners. I am ready to release the stone pelters provided that the elders of the area, mosque and mohalla committees and their parents give assurance that they will not again indulge in such activities. I also appeal the media not to exag-
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gerate the stone pelting incidents which actually involve only five police stations in Srinagar downtown and one each in Sopore and Baramulla. We cannot magnify it by making the headlines like 'Valley erupts in violence' etc”, It directly tells upon the economic activities and tourist inflow in the State. FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT Peoples of Jammu and Kashmir have expectations from my government on economic and infrastructure development. The Opposition has been talking about these issues as well. Let me tell you how they left this sector in ruins and the
My Government has initiated a series of proactive measures to promote the State as a safe tourist destination and put it back on the World Tourist Map. The number of tourist arrivals in the State during 2009, including pilgrims, was 92.89 lakh, which represents a marked increase of about 15.95 lakh over the previous year. The number of pilgrims visiting the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine during 2009 reached an all time high of 82.35 lakh PDP led regime created Rs 2004 crores liabilities for my Government. I am not in a position to find out Rs 691 crores PDP got from the Centre Government under PMRP, Rs.379 crores they received under Natural Calamity Relief Fund, Rs.440 crores received in power sector, Rs.400 crores as unspent balance etc. The big holes PDP Government created in the economic sector is now liability for me to fill in. I am bound to clear the liabilities for the cause of general people at the cost of halting expansion programme in various public service sectors. I too want to give more schools, colleges, hospitals etc to my Legislators but I am held up for the reason I have to cre-
ate necessary men and machinery for the infrastructure created. This has made me to focus on consolidation rather than expansion. Within next couple of years a meaningful expansion programme will be started across the State in all the sectors. REHABILITATION POLICY A rehabilitation policy has been initiated which should not be mistaken with the surrender policy. There is already a surrender policy existing in Jammu and Kashmir under which militants are being rehabilitated and brought to mainstream. The BSF and CRPF has recruited some surrender militants in their ranks. The Opposition BJP has been raising questions. Let me address them on this. Instead of making hue and cry for J&K rehabilitation policy, BJP should start its agitation from Punjab as their ally Chief Minister of Punjab, Prakash Singh Badal has requested for similar policy for the Sikh youth. You should not have double standards. When a policy can be good for Punjab how it can be bad for Jammu and Kashmir. EMPLOYMENT POLICY For the first time a comprehensive policy - Sher-i-Kashmir Employment and Welfare Programme for Youth- has been formulated to address the employment concerns holistically. It is unfortunate that PDP has started saying that the policy has failed which will in fact commence from the 1st of April this year. How can a policy by judged to have failed when it has not been launched actually. While my Government has provided 20000 jobs to the youth in Government sector last year and another 20000 jobs are in the pipeline, more one lakh jobs are being created in Government service. However, the answer to unemployment does not lie in
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Government jobs. Attention is being paid to enhance the employability of youth to enable them get easily jobs in private job market. MIGRANTS AND REFUGEES Kashmir Valley is incomplete without Kashmiri Pandits and my Government is making sincere efforts for their dignified return to the valley. Besides creating 3000 jobs for Kashmiri Pandit youth transit residential complexes have been constructed in the Valley. 15000 KP youth have already applied for these jobs. A Committee headed by Minister for Revenue, Raman Bhalla has been constituted to look into the issue of West Pakistan Refugees and the Government is awaiting its recommendations. We have also released Rs.49 crore package for the welfare of PoK Refugees. ACHIEVEMENT In short span of little over one year we have made huge achievements on all fronts which is disturbing the Opposition parties. We have got two Central Universities, construction of 10 college complexes, 18 Polytechnics, 104 Skills Development Centres, sanctioning of one Unani and one Ayurvedic Colleges, approving of Kishtwar tunnel in private-public partnership, opening up of Mughal road, construction of 3000 kilometers of new roads, adding 1.54 crore gallons of drinking water to the systems in Srinagar and Jammu, starting work on Rs. 25 crore artificial lake in Jammu, construction of Veer on River Jehleum at Chattabal, approval for taking in hand construction of Shahpur Kandi Barrage etc. He said that the tourist flow in the valley during last year was 5.75 lakh excluding Amarnath Yatries. We received 30000 tourists in Valley by February 25 as compared to 21000 last year.
GOOD GOVERNANCE The Right to Information Act is the efficient tool to address the menace of corruption. The Act gives right to the people to make any questions to any department on any subject and thus helps in ensuring transparency in the transaction, expenditures, etc. Another tool to eradicate the chances of corruption is the proper monitoring. Besides the monitoring at three levels by the State officers, the Government has in consultation with the Central Government engaged International Monitoring Agency Mackenzy and Co. and National Monitoring Agency Nabcom to monitor Rs.500 crores Power Transmission Project and Rs.150 crores others project respectively. The third important ingredient to control the corruption is to transfer the power to panchayats and local bodies. My Government has flagged 2010 as the election year for local bodies and panchayats to empower the people at grass roots for taking decisions on development front and expending funds accordingly. POWER GENERATION My Government has taken measures to add 4000 MW of electricity to the system during next five years. However there is immediate need of reforming our power transmission and distribution sys-
tem to reduce the losses which have crossed Rs.2500 crores per annum at present. No Government can bear such huge loses. We have engaged The Energy Research Institute (TERI) for improvement and reforms in the power transmission and distribution system. INDO-PAK DIALOGUE From this august House I want to reiterate that we want to get rid of the gun culture. We wish to facilitate the dialogue between New Delhi and Islamabad and Centre and the State. I express the hope that my earnest appeal for restoring peace goes to right quarters and is not ignored. On employees demands, the Chief Minister said that the ISSUES OF EMPLOYEES Government has already fulfilled its commitment of enhancing the pay scales as recommended by the 6th Pay Commission besides other demands. We are committed to release the arrears soon the financial position eases. Government has not rejected the demand for raising the retirement age of 58 to 60 years but it is under active consideration. Since there are greater implications involved in this decision for the growing unemployment crises in the state, as such, the Government is working out a comprehensive and befitting strategy in this regard.
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J&K Legislative Assembly
Custodian of House
BUDGET SESSION 2010
The Assembly Speaker, who does not speak less
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or Speakers of legislatures, it is usually said that they speak less. But Mohammad Akbar Lone is apparently not one among them. Instead of only pressing the buzzer he intervenes quickly and speaks louder whenever there is an issue of public importance and the response from authorities is less than matching. In 89-member assembly where margin of numbers between ruling alliance and the opposition parties is only slightly thicker by a wafer, as custodian of House Speaker Mohammad Akbar Lone who is banked upon by all –inside and outside the House –for maintaining highest standards of Parliamentary democracy. A National Conference legislator from Sonawari in Bandipore district of North Kashmir, when Akbar Lone was elected as Speaker of 11th Legislative Assembly on February 25, 2009 it was not a sudden climb up to the dais of Presiding Officer. In fact he graduates to the Chair after remaining the Deputy Speaker of the House between 2002 and 2008. It was his tested patience, non-partisan approach, immaculate performance and thorough knowledge of the legislative business exhibited during his tenure as Deputy Speaker that he emerged as a natural choice to preside over 11th Legislative Assembly. As day one of the Legislative Assembly began at a stormy note, the Speaker did not wait for the second day
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to weigh the mood of the Members. Hours after the first day's session was over he went to the Press with an appeal to the Members of all political parties for ensuring the conduct of the business of
the House in free, fair and cordial manner. He said since the matters of most urgent public importance are raised in the House, particularly during the Question Hour, it is desired that the
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Members project these in a very cordial atmosphere so that these receive immediate attention of the Government. He urged members to maintain the sanctity of the House and emphasized the conduct of the Business in a cordial atmosphere. He said members should raise issues of public importance after completion of the question hour adding that the Government will have to provide adequate information to all the Members in this regard. The competitive number composition of present Legislative Assembly makes Speaker's job more challenging and demanding. His background in the ruling party put him under an acid test for a fair deal to the Opposition. However, Mohammad Akbar Lone seems to have emerged as true custodian of the House which collectively represents a diversity of peoples' aspirations. On number of occasion the Speaker was seen advising the government to take note of issues raised by the opposition members. Since the directions coming from the Chair are binding for the government, the opposition and other members had a true custodian in Speaker Mohammad Akbar Lone for his quick interventions and directions to the treasury on matters of urgent public importance. With his strict discipline, quick interventions and non-partisan approach it was, therefore, not surprising that on concluding day of the Budget session members showered praises on the Speaker and one of them dedicated a couplet to the working of Mohammad Akbar Lone. An ace Parliamentarian and Panthers Party member Harshdev Singh lauded the Speaker for running the proceedings smoothly despite pulls and pressures, adding that running the House proceeding was as difficult as to run a class of naughty children. He praised the Speaker for his positive con-
tribution and providing every Member due opportunity to express his views and highlight people's problems. CPIM leader MY Tarigami in his comments on the proceedings of the House, said that the Members should not blow up issue on political consideration which could widen regional void. He lauded the Speaker and the employees of the Assembly Secretariat for running the proceedings smoothly. Ashwani Kumar Sharma of Jammu State Morcha (JSM) thanked the Speaker for accommodating each Member to highlight problems of the people and express views on various public importance issue. Choudhary
The competitive number composition of present Legislative Assembly makes Speaker's job more challenging and demanding. His background in the ruling party put him under an acid test for a fair deal to the Opposition. However, Mohammad Akbar Lone seems to have emerged as true custodian of the House which collectively represents a diversity of peoples' aspirations.
Mohammad Aslam and Krishan Chander also spoke and thanked the Speaker, employees of Assembly Secretariat, media, security personnel for rendering their services dedicatedly for running the proceedings of the Budget Session. Even as his party BJP boycotted the conclusive proceedings, Durga Dass started his speech with a couplet and said “we are like brothers who some times go bitter on some issues�. He appreciated the role of the Speaker for providing balanced time to each and every Member of the House. Following were the important interventions made by the Speaker during budget session 2010: ? FEB 25: Asks the Deputy Chief Minister, Tara Chand, who is also the Minister Incharge Housing and Urban Development Department, to enquire about the allegations of rampant corruption in the Katra Municipal Committee, leveled by MLA Baldev Raj while speaking on Motion of Thanks on Governor'sAddress in LegislativeAssembly. ? FEB 25: Intervening during the reply by for Higher Education, Mr Abdul Gani Malik to a question of MLA Mushtaq Ahmed Shah, the Speaker asks the Minister to consider the demand of providing science stream in Tral Degree College. ? MARCH 1: Responding to the issue, raised by Leader of Opposition, Ms. Mehbooba Mufti, during Zero Hour in Legislative Assembly, Speaker directs the Government to provide free medicare facilities to a child, who was undergoing treatment in SKIMS after getting injured allegedly by a teargas shell. Speaker directed the Minister for Medical Education to process the case of the victim for sanctioning financial assistance under Chief Minister's Relief Fund.
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MARCH, 2: Intervening in an issue raised by Basharat Bukhari during the Zero Hour, Speaker directs the Minister for Higher Education to adopt uniform guidelines for admission to various courses in universities of Kashmir and Jammu and its affiliated institutions, in order to avoid any disparity with the students. ? MARCH, 5: Speaker while reacting to media reports that he has reprimanded the Minister for Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution, Qamar Ali Akhoon, the previous day during Half an Hour discussion on the functioning of CA&PD Department, says that he has immense regards for the Minister whom he described as an honest and upright person. He said the Minister has been instrumental in bringing some land mark improvements and reforms in the CA&PD and Transport Departments. ? MARCH, 8: Speaker con-
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venes a meeting of officers of Revenue Department, Jammu Development Authority(JDA) and Housing Board regarding the problems faced by the residents of Channi Rama Colonies and discusses threadbare various issues, including encroachments on the State land in the area. Lone directs the concerned authori-
On number of occasion the Speaker was seen advising the government to take note of issues raised by the opposition members. Since the directions coming from the Chair are binding for the government, the opposition and other members had a true custodian in Speaker Mohammad Akbar Lone for his quick interventions and directions to the treasury on matters of urgent public importance
ties to work in coordination and prepare a detailed report with regard to the demarcation of land of each agency. He asks each agency to identify the land under its jurisdiction and separate the same with boundary walls. ? MARCH 18: Speaker directs the Government to finalize the land acquisition and compensation thereof for the Degree College, Banihal. The Speaker gave this direction on the question raised by Mr. Vikar Rasool. ? MARCH 20: Speaker asks the Government to address the concerns of the opposition members with respect to Planning and Development of their respective constituencies. Intervening during the reply by Minister of State for Finance and planning, Dr Manohar Lal Sharma, on the questions of Peer Mansoor and M Y Tarigami, the Speaker said that there was no scope for doubting the intentions of Chief Minister, Omar
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BUDGET SESSION 2010
Abdullah who is sincerely striving for the uniform development of the State. He said the Government should make every effort to take the members along in every respect of development as it would help it to achieve its set targets more effectively. ? MARCH 22: Speaker spots a government employee sitting in the Speaker's Gallery and asks government as how he was able to be there. Government immediately swings into action and the Minister for Forests, Mian Altaf informs the House that one employee of Local Bodies Ghulam Mohammad Lone working as Head Assistant in Rafiabad had left the station without seeking permission of the concerned authorities and hence has been put under suspension. ? MARCH 22: Speaker directs the Government to ensure that concerned MLAs are involved in all the official functions held in respective Constituencies. The Speaker gave these
directions, in reaction to the concern shown by some MLAs of the PDP including Mr. Abdul Razak Zohra, Mr. Rafi Mohammad Mir and Syed Bashir Ahmad, soon after the Question Hour in the House alleging that they were not being invited in the official functions held in their Constituencies. ? MARCH 23: Speaker directs the Government to look into the matter regarding the death of one Ms Raja wife of Mohammad Akram at Gulab Bagh, Tral who had allegedly died during the search operation conducted by the security forces. The Speaker issued the direction when the issue was raised by Mr. Mushtaq Ahmad Shah in the Legislative Assembly. ? MARCH 29: Speaker issues directions to the Government to involve concerned Members of Legislative Assembly in developmental activities and implementation of District Development Board Meeting's decisions in respective Constituencies.
Intervening during the reply by Minister of State for Finance and Planning, Dr Manohar Lal Sharma, on the supplimentaries on question by Er Abdul Rasheed, in Legislative Assembly, during Question Hour, here, the Speaker also asked the Government to stop execution of new works, if any, for which funds were released at the tail end of the financial year. The Speaker issued these directions following a point raised by Harhsdev Singh, while raising supplimentaries on the main question. ? MARCH 30: Speaker advises the Government to ensure comprehensive implementation of schemes for boosting agriculture and horticulture production and suggested for involving local representatives in this regard. Intervening during the reply by Minister for Horticulture, Mr Sham Lal Sharma, on question by M. Y Tarigami, the Speaker told the Minister to seek the advise the Member as he has a good knowledge of the field.
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J&K Legislative Assembly
Question Hour
BUDGET SESSION 2010
ROADS & BRIDGES
CA&PD
PMGSY projects cleared for Doda
7.36 lakh BPL families in State
M
inister for R&B, Mr. G. M. Saroori informed the House that seven Prime Minister Gramain Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) schemes of Doda constituency have been cleared by the Empowered Committee of the Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India, Phase VII but formal sanction is awaited. Additionally, he said, three schemes under PMGSY in the constituency are presently under scrutiny with the State Technical Agency. Minister said that 15 NABARD schemes of Doda constituency have been prioritized for loan assistance during the current year. He said 4 schemes in the MAIN QUESTION: ABDUL MAJID WANI SUPPLEMENTARIES: SAJJAD AHMED KICHLOO, MY TARIGAMI, NAZIR AHMED GUREZI constituency have been forwarded to the Centre for sanction under Central Road Fund. Replying another question of Mr. Harsh Dev Singh, the Minister said that in Jammu province, 1589 works of urgent nature have been executed departmentally, as per delegation in the Book of Financial Powers. He said during the current year, two schemes of the Ramnagar Constituency upgradation of Majalta Katheel Jansal road and construction of road from Johnu to Ramnagar via Panjgrain - have been sanctioned under RIDF XV. He said, however, no funds have been released by PWD for construction of fly-overs in the Kashmir and Jammu regions.
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M
inister for CA&PD, Mr. Qamar Ali Akhoon told the House that the number of BPL families, as approved by the Central Government, has been 7.36 lakh (4.80 lakh-BPL and 1.56 lakh-AAY) during 9th and 10th plan. He said 63067 MTs of food grains are allocated per month by the Centre to the State and the MAIN QUESTION: allocation has remained constant PROF. CHAMAN LAL GUPTA for the past two years. He said adequate buffer stocks of food grains are maintained and rations are being provided at prevalent scales, as per demand and off-take trend of food grains. He said additional rations are also provided on need basis to the beneficiaries.
SOCIAL WELFARE
RBA status being accorded as per criteria
M
inister for Social Welfare, Sakina Itoo, said there is no pick and choose in granting status of backward areas to the villages MAIN QUESTION: SYED BASHIR AHMED recommended. She said the J&K Backward Classes Commission received 376 representations of which, 145 cases were settled and 231 cases were rejected while as 531 cases are pending disposal with the Commission. She said no recommendations have been received from the Commission for inclusion of villages Drabgam and Babhar in the RBA category.
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BUDGET SESSION 2010
HIGHER EDUCATION
Streams in new Colleges as per need
M
inister for Higher Education, Mr Abdul Gani Malik said that new streams have been introduced in the colleges, as per the requirements put forth by the college managements. He was replying to supplementaries on a question by Mr Mushtaq Ahmed Shah. The Minister said SUPPLEMENTARIES: that science and other MUSHTAQ AHMED SHAH, streams are being PEERZADA MANSOOR HUSSAIN introduced only after making available required infrastructure at the particular institutions. Intervening during the reply by the Minister, the Speaker asked the Minister to consider the demand of providing science stream in Tral Degree College. Replying to the main question, the Minister for Higher Education, Mr. Abdul Gani Malik informed the House that at present there is no proposal to introduce science stream in the Government Degree College, Tral. No infrastructure is yet available for starting the science stream. He said commerce stream has been introduced in the college from this year.
Panther’s Party MLA Harshdev Singh raising a point.
AGRICULTURE
Adequate fertilizers, seed stocks available
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he Minister for Agriculture Mr. Ghulam Hassan Mir assured the Lower House that there was adequate stocks of fertilizers in the State adding that he will take steps to further streamline the distribution to ensure that the farmers do not face any problem. Giving details about the fertilizer stocks in Jammu, he said that one rack of Urea reached Jammu on Feb 26, as per the assurances given in the House, adding that one more rack was expected to arrive here in, next the two days. He also said that two racks of Urea stocks have been reserved for meeting emergency requirements. Regarding availability and distribution of seeds, the Minister said that seeds are being provided to the farmers as per demand which is about 10 percent of the total requirement. He said at the national level also the seeds distributed through the Government is twenty SUPPLEMENTARIES: five percent of the total requirement. He said that steps are afoot to JUGAL KISHORE, HARSHDEV SINGH, match the national average in terms of the distribution of seeds. MOHAMMAD YUSUF TARIGAMI , He also assured the House that adequate stocks of fertilizers and seeds A R VEERI AND MOHMMAD SHAFI are available in the Valley, as well, to meet future requirements. Replying to the main question, the Minister said that the Government has sanctioned free ration of 35 Kg per family as compensation for the damage of crops following long dry spells in the parts of Jammu Division. He asked the Members to bring specific cases in his notice where the compensation was not paid and assured immediate action. He, however, said that the compensation was being given to the farmers who have suffered losses and was not free for all. Epilogue Research Foundation J&K Center for Policy Studies
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J&K Legislative Assembly
Question Hour
BUDGET SESSION 2010
HORTICULTURE
HOUSING & UD
Renovation plan for Walnut Hulling Drying Centre
Demand for New Mcs being examined
D
M
inister for Horticulture, Sham Lal Sharma informed the House that Walnut Hulling & Drying Centre and one Apple and Grading Centre established at Beerwah by the J&K Horticulture Produce Marketing & Processing Corporation (JKHPMC) were damaged during the turmoil. He said that the premises have been vacated by the security forces recently and for the restoration of various
eputy Chief Minister, Mr. Tara Chand told the Legislative Assembly that the proposal for setting up of Municipal Committees at Ghagwal, Rajpura and Gura Shalathia in Samba district is being examined. However, no such proposal is under consideration for setting up a Municipal Committee at Marheen in Kathua district. MAIN QUESTION: In reply to DURGA DASS, LAL CHAND another question by Mr. Lal Chand, the Minister for PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control, Mr. Taj Mohi-ud-Din today assured the House that the Government would examine the demand for setting up of a PHE Sub-Division at Bani Tehsil Headquarters on viability basis. He said one irrigation Sub-Division of I&FC Department is functioning at Bani, located at the Tehsil headquarters. So far as Sub-Division of PHE Department is concerned, the work of PHE Sector is being looked after by the PHE SubDivision Basohli of PHE Division, Kathua at present. Opposition BJP members protesting over an issue.
MAIN QUESTION: SHAFI AHMED WANI damaged assets, including at Beerwah, the Corporation requires an amount of Rs. 35.37 crore for which a restructuring plan has been formulated. As and when funds become available, the renovation/repair works shall be taken in hand, he informed the House. The Minister also said the Revenue Department has paid an amount of Rs. 2233200/- to 2071 affected families of 24 villages of Tehsil Beerwah and Tehsil Khag of Beerwah Constituency on account of damages to the fruits caused due to the wind storm and hail storm during 2008-09. However, in respect of villages Ichgam, Astanpora, Sikanderpora, Larkipora and Bongund, Rs. 140400/-, Rs. 57900/-, Rs. 4500/-, respectively are unpaid.
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BUDGET SESSION 2010
REVENUE
300 contractual appointment soon
T
PDP MLA Choudhary Zulfikar Ali participating in discussion.
he Government has decided to make three hundred contractual appointments to fill various vacancies of Patwaris across the State, Revenue Minister Raman Bhalla informed the House. The Minister said that considering the urgency for meeting man power requirements, the Government has decided to press in the appointment process on fast track and avail the services of these trained persons till the regular recruitment was made. He also said that involvement of private sector in training the SUPPLEMENTARIES: revenue record handling capable SAJJAD KITCHLOO, MIR SAIFULLAH, manpower would also be explored. NAZIR AHMED GUREZI, Sharing the concern of the BALWANT SINGH MANKOTIA, Members about vacancies of revenue RADHEY SHAM SHARMA, officials, particularly in rural areas, the HARSHDEV SINGH Minister said that the recruiting agencies would be asked to expedite and complete the process of recruitment referred to them at the earliest. Replying to the main question, the Minister gave details about the steps taken for completing settlement operations in the State. He also furnished the details about the sanctioned posts of Patwaris, Girdawars and Niab- Tehsildars in District Kishtwar. Replying to another question by Mir Zahoor, The Minister said that the Government has constituted a Committee to draw an action plan for utilization of amount received on account of compensation for the land acquired by CRPF at village Lathipora. He said the money received would be spent for developing basic infrastructure in the village.
FINANCE
ANIMAL HUSBANDRY
100% funds to be released in April
Govt training veterinary volunteers
T
he Government is looking forward to release hundred percent funds for various works right in the month of April, during next financial year, to enable executing agencies to optimally utilize the working season, particularly in far off areas. Replying to the main question, the Minister said that funds would be released to facilitate taking up of works early financial year and ensure MAIN QUESTION: completion within the working season. MEHBOOBA MUFTI The Minister also gave details of measures taken by the Government to enforce financial discipline and said that it has been resolved not to release any funds after the end of February, except in case of the need to divert savings, if any, for meeting the land acquisition, and to clear work 窶電one liabilities relating to the earlier years (based on physical verification and authentication of expenditure incurred by the District Development Commissioners concerned).
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he Government has decided to train volunteers to extend veterinary facilities to un-covered areas of the State, MAIN QUESTION: MOHAMMAD SHARIEF NIAZ said Minister for Animal, Sheep Husbandry, Aga Sayed Ruhulla. Minister gave resume of the norms set for regularization of trail veternity centres and also gave details about the veternity facilities available in Bhaderwah Constituency.
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27
Question Hour
J&K Legislative Assembly BUDGET SESSION 2010
TRANSPORT
SCHOOL EDUCATION
Committees set up to check road mishaps
Policy to regulate private institutions
T-
he Government has set up Committees at District level to coordinate enforcement measures for checking road safety violations and avoiding road mishaps in hilly districts of the State. This informainister for School Education, Peerzada tion was given by Minister for Transport, Consumer Affairs and Mohammad Sayeed, listed the measures Public Distribution, Mr Qamar Ali Akhoon. being taken by the Government to regulate the Giving details, the Minister said private educational institutions, that the Committees, headed by including fee charged from the stuDistrict Development MLA Abdul Rehman Veeri making a point. Commissioners, with representatives from Traffic, Transport and MAIN QUESTION: other concerned agencies have RAFI AHMED MIR, been holding meetings on regular NAZIR GUREZI, intervals to maintain coordination NIZAM-UD-DIN BHAT, in the enforcement of road safety MY TARIGAMI, measures, including checking of HARSHDEV SINGH, over-loading, rash driving , driving CHOUDHARY MOHAMMAD RAMZAN MAIN QUESTION: ABDUL MAJID WANI, dents, wages paid to the teaching SAJJAD AHMED KITCHLOO, staff and admissions. He said that it JUGAL KISHORE, A.R VEERI, RAFI AHMAD MIR, has been made mandatory on such institutions to admit 20 to 25 perRAFIQ AHMED KHAN, cent students belonging to Below CHOUDHARY ZULFIKAR ALI AND NAZIR AHMED GUREZI Poverty Line families. Minister said that the Government has come up with a clear policy for licenses, ensuring adequate public establishing reasonable fee structransport on routes, maintenance ture for private schools. He said the and safety measures along the wages being given to the teaching roads. staff are also being governed by the Traffic, Police and Motor vehicle Wage Board. He said to enforce Departments have also launched special drives to conduct re-trials of Wage Board scales, the schools have been drivers and fitness check of vehicles to avert road accidents and to preasked to pay the salary through cheques. vent loss of precious human life and property, he added. The Minister also informed that a legislation, The Minister said that to ensure availability of adequate transport, perdefining rules for the regulation of private mits are being given at district level itself. He further said that SRTC schools, was also being brought by the passenger vehicles have also been deployed to supplement the Government soon. He also gave details of the requirement of public transport in such areas. like the areas of erstset norms for opening private schools of variwhile Doda District, additional SRTC vehicles have been deployed for ous levels. Poonch, Shadra Sharief, besides areas of Gurez, he added.
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Question Hour
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BUDGET SESSION 2010
TOURISM
Consultancy to identify tourism potential areas
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he Government has engaged a Consultancy Agency of international repute to identify the tourism potential areas across the State and suggest measures for their development. The Minister for Tourism and Culture, Mr Rigzin Jora, made the announcement in the Legislative Assembly. The Minister said that the consultancy would conduct a comprehensive survey in all the three regions of the State and suggest measures to harness the tourist potential more optimally. Responding to the demands of the Members, the Minister said that the provisions allow for expanding the scope and jurisdiction of a particular Development Authority, on the public demand. He said that it was the prime objective of the Government to expand the scope of the vital tourism industry to every potential area and various measures are being taken in this regard. In reply to the question of Mr. Ashok Kumar, the Minister said that the Government has contacted Goa Institute of Water Sports for survey and consultancy to recommend measures for promoting Minister for CA&PD Qamar Ali Akhoon Water Sports in replying to questions. Baglihar Dam Lake.
He also QUESTIONS : gave BASHARAT BUKHARI, details NIZAM-UDIN BHAT, about the ABDUL RAZAK SAYED BASHIR tourism infrastructure development works taken up in Sanasar and Batote areas. In reply to another question by MOHAMMAD ASHRAF , the Minister said that there was no proposal for creating SubDivision within Wullar- Manasbal. He, however, said that some more villages, having tourism potential are being included under the ambit of the Development Authority. The Minister also informed that the Tourism Department has spent Rs 19.45 lakh and Rs 4.07 lakh for developing facilities for visiting devotees at Baba Shakur-ud-Din Shrine and Tujar Sharief, respectively. The Minister also gave a detailed resume of the tourism development activities in Tral area of the Kashmir Division and Bani Tehsil of the Jammu division, in reply to the clubbed questions of MUSHTAQ AHMAD SHAH and LAL CHAND
INDUSTRIES & COMMERCE
Extraction of Lignite, Sapphire, Marble mines
T
he Minister for Industries and Commerce, Surjeet Singh Salathia, assured the House that the possibilities of extraction at Nichama lignite, Kupwara Marble and Paddar Sapphire mines, MAIN QUESTION: in a big way, are being explored vigorously. CHOWDHARY MOHAMMAD RAMZAN Replying to the main question, the Minister said that the matter of exploring lignite mines at Nachama has been taken up with the Union Coal Ministry. He said that the survey conducted earlier has established that the mines contain deposits of 7.62 million tones. Listing the measures taken for exploiting Sapphire in Paddar, he said, presently the extraction, at small scale, of the precious Sapphire is being carried out by the JK Minerals. He, however, said that the Government has also floated global tenders for extraction at large scale. Epilogue Research Foundation J&K Center for Policy Studies
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J&K Legislative Assembly
Question Hour
BUDGET SESSION 2010
PHE
Village Numberdars to supervising water services
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he Minister for Public Health Engineering, Taj Mohi-u-din told the House that village Numberdars, on the pattern of school education, were being involved to supervise the attendance of Public Health Engineering staff to ensure better services in the rural areas. The Minister said that the PHE staffer(s) will not be QUESTION: paid salary unless his AJAZ AHMED JAN attendance was endorsed by the concerned Numberdars. He hoped that the decentralization of supervisory powers at the gross roots level will help in enforcing disciplinary measures. He said that following the enforcement of various disciplinary measures in the Department, over 2000 employees, who could not withstand these measures, have applied for pre-mature retirement. The Minister also informed the House that the officers heading a particular area have been authorized to appoint persons on need based to man the water supply schemes under their jurisdiction.
HEALTH & FAMILY WELFARE
Govt bracing up to rationalize health institutions
T
shortly. The Minister also said that the Government has crehe Government is bracing up to effect rationalization of ated 2,500 posts to meet the requirement of medicos and health institutions across the State for which a document para–medics. would be laid in the House. This was stated by Minister for To ensure effective implementaHealth and Horticulture Mr Sham Lal tion of the flagship schemes, the matSharma. QUESTIONS: ter to make the guidelines more state The Minister said that it has been SUKH NANDAN, ASHOK KUMAR, specific has been taken up with the observed that in some areas many SAJJAD AHMED KITCHLOO, Union Government and a positive health centers were setup on political ABDUL MAJID WANI, response is expected, the Minister considerations, not having much area ASHOK KHUJURAI, said. to cater. He said there are also areas PEERZADA MANSOOR, Replying to the main questions, where health institutions were not ER ABDUL RASHED, A R VEERI the Minister gave details about the available even within scores of kiloAND MEHBOOBA MUFTI, AHMED steps taken to improve health delivery meters. KITCHLOO at Marh Sub District Hospital and Responding to the demands of steps being taken to accessibility of the members for opening sub centers medicare services in far off areas of Ramban constituency for in their respective constituencies, the Minister said that a prowhich Allopathic Dispensaries of Kastigarh and Halla are posal for 200 sub centers has been submitted to the Union being upgraded to the level of Primary Health Centers. Health Ministry, which is expected to get the approval
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Question Hour
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BUDGET SESSION 2010
SCHOOL EDUCATION
SOCIAL WELFARE
Govt to revamp School Board
Re-verification of BPL lists in full swing
M
inister for School Education, Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed, said that the Government would make efforts to bring a Bill to amend JK Board of School Education (BOSE) Act to meet the requirements of new trends in education and the national quality standards. The Minister said that the new Act is under review in consultation with the educational experts for which workshops and meetings were held to seek views from resource persons. He said that the Government would explore the possibility of bringing the amended bill during the current session itself.
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he Minister for Social Welfare, Ms Sakina Itoo informed the House that the re-verification of the BPL lists was in full swing. She said the re-verification is being carried out jointly by Rural Development, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution and Revenue MAIN QUESTION: Departments, with Deputy DURGA DASS, LAL CHAND Commissioners and Tehsildars as Nodal Officers at district and tehsil levels, respectively. She also gave details about the pension schemes being implemented by the Social welfare Department.
QUESTIONS: MY TARIGAMI, ABDUL HAQ KHAN, NIZAM-U-DIN, PEERZADA MANSOOR, CH. MOHAMMAD RAMZAN In his supplementaries, Mr.Tarigami demanded that the Board being an autonomous body be streamlined on the pattern of University Grants Commission. He said if the Board is following UGC norms in terms of salaries and recruitment why can't the institution be overhauled on the lines and pattern of UGC. He said it is all the more imperative that keeping in view the fast changing developments in the educational scenario, J&K BOSE should be given a new look and steps in this direction be taken at the earliest. Replying to a supplementary, the Minister said that the Government would soon come up with the rules for regulating the functioning of private educational institution.
SPORTS, YOUTH SERVICES
Sports complex at every district hq soon
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he Government is looking forward to construct Sports complexes at every District Headquarter, with latest facilities, including provisions for indoor games. Minister for Youth Services and Sports, R S Cib told the Hosue. Replying to the main question, the Minister said that Rs 20 lakh have been kept QUESTIONS: for developing a Sports Stadium at ER. ABDUL RASHID, CHOUDHARY MOHAMMAD RAMZAN, Handwara and the work on the project would be started after identifiMIR SAIFULLAH cation of land for the purpose.
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31
Question Hour
J&K Legislative Assembly BUDGET SESSION 2010
ROADS & BRIDGES
Padam– Zanskar Road under PMRP II
M
inister for R&B, GM Saroori told the House that the construction of vital Panikher – Padam–Zanskar Road have been proposed to be taken up under Prime Minister's Reconstruction Programme phase II. Replying to another question by Peer Afaq Ahmed, the Minister gave details about the process of land acquisition for QUESTIONS: FEROZ KHAN, RAFIQ HUSSAIN KHAN widening of Khanyar Zadibal Pandach Road. He said that acquisition of the widening area that includes rehabilitation of shopkeepers and residents has already been started. Replying to yet another question, the Minister said that a project estimated to cost Rs 1.61 crore , for the construction of Causeway on a vital Bhera Salwa Road, Mhendhar , has been already formulated and in due course of time funds for the same would be made available.
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Question Hour
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BUDGET SESSION 2010
ANIMAL HUSBANDRY
Mobile veterinary services in state soon
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he Government is mulling on a proposal to introduce mobile veterinary services to expand and ensure maximum coverage of livestock in far flung areas of the Sate. The use of Veterinary Mobile Vans is being deemed as an effective measure in this regard. This was stated by Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, while intervening during the reply by Minister for Animal and Sheep Husbandry, Aga Ruhullah, to the supplimentaries on a question. Sharing the view point of the members about huge employment and economic potential of the sector, the Chief Minister said that better veterinary services would QUESTIONS: give boost to various types of animal rearing and enable the State to lessen the reliTSETAN NAMGYAL, ance on huge imports of meat, milk and chicken. ASHWANI SHARMA, The Chief Minister said that it has been AR VEERI, PEER MANSOOR, observed, after close study, that the states which have made substantial progress in this vital sector are using Mobile Veterinary NAZIR GUREZI Vans for reaching out to the livestock for proper medical care. He said like these states, a visit schedule for these mobile centers would be to make available veterinary service to every nook and corner of the state. He hoped that the step would help to expand and ensure maximum coverage of the livestock, particularly in potential rural areas of the State. Secretary Legislative Assembly Mohammad Ramzan informing a point to Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather
SOCIAL WELFARE
6. 43 lakh students get scholarship
M
inister for Social Welfare, Sakina Itoo told the house that about 6.43 lakh students, across the State, have been given scholarship under various centrally sponsored schemes. Minister said that the scholarship, to various categories of students, being provided by the Social Welfare Department was given under certain criteria, as set under each scheme, by the Government of India. Responding to the demand of members for doing away with the criteria, Ms Itoo said that the matter was taken up by the State Government with the Union Minority Affairs Ministry, a number of times, but as of now, it has not QUESTIONS: received any positive response. TSETEN NAMGAYAL, Replying to the main question, NAZIR AHMED GUREZI, the Minister said that a separate BALWANT SINGH MANKOTIA, Directorate of Tribal Affairs has JUGAL KISHORE, been setup to look after the affairs ASHWANI SHARMA, of the Tribal population in the state. She said that the Social Welfare YASHPAL KUNDAL, Department and the new DURGA DAS, Directorate was working in close PROF GHARU RAM BHAGAT, coordination to ensure timely distriASHOK KUMAR, bution of scholarship among the LAL CHAND students belonging to this category. Epilogue Research Foundation J&K Center for Policy Studies
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33
Question Hour
J&K Legislative Assembly BUDGET SESSION 2010
FORESTS
Steps afoot to increase green cover
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he Minister for Forests and Environment, Mian Altaf Ahmed said that the Forest Department has taken various steps to improve the green cover in the State by implementing various development schemes. For this purpose, 5.08 lakh plants have been planted on 1563 hectares of forest land till January during current financial year. Replying to a question in the Legislative Assembly, the Minister said that there is no alarming decline in forest cover due to deforestation while comparing the data available in the State Forest Report 2005. He said the massive plantation drive undertaken by implementation of various schemes have yielded positive results, like reduction in soil loss, improvement in water regime and maintenance of ecological balance, adding that provision of fuel wood and fodder from plantations raised on community land has further reduced pressure on the forests. Replying to the supplementaries, the Minister informed the House that a forest policy has been framed and kept on website for general information and suggestions. He said the Government is taking all efforts for development of forests and eviction from the encroached forest land.
POWER
Monitoring, implementation of RGGVY
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Replying to separate questions the Minister gave he Government has put in place a three level monitoring details about the status and targets achieved under the mechanism, at state, province and district levels, to scheme in Bandipora and Jammu Districts , besides border ensure effective and expeditious implementation of Rajiv constituency of Karnah of North Kashmir Kupwara District Gandhi Grameen Vidhutikiran Yojna (RGGVY). This was . He also assured the House that the Government would prestated by Minister of State for Power, Shabir Ahmed Khan, pare a separate DPR for the villages which were left out in in reply to supplimentaries on a series of similar questions the previous survey for electrifiasked on the subject. cation of habitations, under the The Minister said that the QUESTIONS: ambitious scheme. Regarding Chief Minister has issued special HARSHDEV SINGH, measures taken by the department orders in this regard, after taking PROF CHAMAN LAL GUPTA, for ensuring timely replacement a high level meeting convened to RAFI AHMED MIR, MIR SAIFULLAH, of damaged transformers in review the flagship electrificaBALWANT SINGH MANKOTIA, Jammu, particularly during ensution scheme, recently. He said ing summer season, the Minister ASHWANI SHARMA, NIZAM-U-DIN BHAT, the State level monitoring has said that the Government has set BHARAT BHUSHAN, KAFEEL-UR-REHMAN been entrusted to Principle up two Transformer Banks, one Secretary Power, while at the each at Kashmir and Jammu to Divisional level, Chief Engineers meet such requirements . Informing that Rs 5 crore, each have been asked to keep a close eye on the pace of work, addhave been sanctioned for the twin Banks to procure surplus ing that the responsibility of monitoring on the ground has transformers, he said that in Jammu alone 188 transformers been delegated to Deputy Commissioners, who were asked have been procured for this purpose. to take monthly review on the pace of execution of works.
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Demands on Grants
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BUDGET SESSION 2010
Delivery on ground, not slogans, hallmark of our government Chief Minister: OMAR ABDULLAH
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ith the gradual restoration of peace and tranquility, the footprints of security forces in the state will lessen and Jammu and Kashmir Police be on frontline to deal with law and order. Without creating any hype we have reduced 35000 army personnel and also decreased the number of CRPF and BSF men from the internal duty‌ the process will continue in accordance with prevalence of peace. The track record of our Government's last one year is testimony to his commitment to zero tolerance and upholding Human Rights under all circumstances. I don't want to count the number of killings and draw comparison of it during various periods. This dehumanizes the human tragedy and before me even a single innocent killing is more than huge. Security forces have been sensitized to exhibit extreme H I G H L I G H T S Tranquility to reduce footprints of forces Protection of human rights top priority Rs.10,000 Cr to be spent on development power generation to swell to 6000 MWs Epilogue Research Foundation J&K Center for Policy Studies
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restraint while combating militancy. We want to ensure that there is no loss of innocent life during the operations against militants… damage to the property can be made good but the loss of life is irreparable. This has been said (in assembly debates) that I had gone to Delhi requesting for handing over the BSF officer and personnel accused of killing the young boy of Nishat, Zahid. Let me tell you that for ensuring justice to an innocent and booking the culprits, I am ready to make hundreds of such requests without feeling ashamed. I will pursue my agenda to protect the Human Rights and stand like a rock against all HR violations. Since development is co-related with peace, the large scale works programme initiated across the State, especially in remote and far-flung
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Let me tell you that for ensuring justice to an innocent and booking the culprits, I am ready to make hundreds of such requests without feeling ashamed. I will pursue my agenda to protect the Human Rights and stand like a rock against all HR violations. I am astonished over the behaviour and approach of PDP vis-à-vis stone-pelters. Syed Ali Shah Gelani and Mufti Azam Kashmir, both have condemned the practice but PDP is trying to defend the offenders I don't want to count the number of killings and draw comparison of it during various periods. This de-humanizes the human tragedy and before me even a single innocent killing is more than huge
areas by our Government could be successfully accomplished when peace dawns fast and a tranquil atmosphere is created. All of us have to work jointly in this direction… the atmosphere is more or less better currently as compared to the past. However, the increase in infiltration attempts during the year 2009 has affected the security scenario in early 2010. This aspect is being taken care of. We are confronted with the problem of stone pelting in some Valley areas and some boys have been arrested in that connection. Elders of various areas have given undertaking to the police about those arrested for the offence and the Government is considering their release. However, I am astonished over the behaviour and approach of PDP vis-à-vis stonepelters. Syed Ali Shah Gelani and
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Mufti Azam Kashmir, both have condemned the practice but PDP is trying to defend the offenders. We have a record that SP of a particular area was approached by a Member of PDP for release of some arrested stone-pelters, describing them as their workers‌ the SP replied that stone-pelters are stonepelters and will be dealt accordingly. Some peoples are claiming credits for Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University and Islamic University of Awantipora and linking them with dreams and realisations‌it is easy to dream but very difficult to realize the dreams. Both the Universities were initiated (by PDP led government) without arranging funds for these. During the year 2003-04 Baba Shah University received only Rs. 1 lakh funds and in the year 2005-06 no fund was allotted to it by the then Government. During 2006-07 it received Rs.10 lakh and no money in 2007-08. During my tenure, University received Rs.177 lakh for 2009-10 and allocation of Rs.325 lakh has been earmarked for the next financial year. Same is the case with Islamic University, Awantipora which was allotted no funds in 2005 to 2007, Congress led Government provided Rs.1.39 crore to it and my Government Rs.3.50 crore in 2009-10. Opposition is making empty noises over some issues. Let me tell them that those who live in glass houses should not throw stones on others. I would like to advise PDP not to indulge in compelling me to open their record. Their practice will boomerang on them. The records of the Assembly speak loud and clear about the PDP's voting against the rehabilitation pol-
icy resolution tabled by Mr. M. Y. Tarigami in the House then. The rehabilitation policy we are working at provides for dignified entry of those youth who have not resorted to gun and want to live a peaceful life without carrying the stamp of surrender on their backs‌ the surrender policy was, however, an initiative of PDP Government. Points have also been made about expenditure under District Plan during the current fiscal by the end of February. I am happy that the challenge of spending huge funds within the shortest possible time has been accomplished and districts have received 80 percent expenditure by the end of February this year. Government is contemplating to invest over Rs.10,000 crore on development projects during the next financial year and a proper monitoring mechanism has been put in place, involving third party monitoring by NABCOM and Meckanzy International to ensure judicious spending. Considerable thrust is being given on the p o w e r g e n e r a t i o n a n d upgradation of LT/HT distribution and transmission system besides reforming the sector. Various Hydroelectric projects have been envisaged in the next five years to raise the generation from the present 2500 MWs to 6000 MWs. District Development Boards are being further strengthened and other representative bodies like panchayats and local bodies would be equally made effective to undertake the development at grass roots. He said during the current fiscal Rs.413 crore worth additionality has been granted to the districts. Of this, the districts in
Jammu division received Rs.203 crore and Kashmir division received Rs.210 crore. Members have expressed their concern over unemployment and we are fully seized of the issue. A holistic view has been taken under Sher-eKashmir Employment and Welfare Programme for Youth and under regular recruitment system more than 20,000 educated persons have been provided employment during his tenure of last one year. Further measures are underway to address this crisis are likely to yield positive results. As far as the issue of government employees is concerned the doors of the Government for talks with employees are always open and the matters could be amicably discussed and addressed across the table. The employees and the Government are members of the same house and the confrontation between the two will result in damaging the interests of both. I urge them to shun the practice of lockout and hartals for the larger interests of the state and its people. To deal with the issue of corruption our Government is contemplating to segregate the jurisdiction of Accountability Commission and the Vigilance Organization earmarking the areas. While Accountability Commission will look into the complaints against political leaders the Vigilance Organization will deal with the cases of Government functionaries. We are also contemplating to convert the Vigilance Organization into a Commission giving it more teeth. The Chief Information Commissioner and two Commissioners under RTI Act are being appointed soon.
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D I S C U S S I O N MEHBOOBA MUFTI (PDP, Wachi) said the present government headed by the NC lacks vision as well as road map. Instead of carving out a path of development and growth, this government has been working on the road map prepared by the previous PDP-Congress regime. What to say of appreciating road map prepared by the previous PDP-Congress regime, the present dispensation has been brazenly trying to take credits of the projects started by its predecessors, be it the construction of the Mughal Road and setting up of Baba Ghulam Shah Badhshah University at Rajouri. Incidents of human rights violation had increased after the formation of the NC-led government in the state. Government of adopting oppressive measures to stifle the voice of people. Our Chief Minister is behaving like a constable who terrorises people of his locality by his power. It is unfortunate that our Chief Minister is not behaving like the head of the government. Instead of treating all regions equally, he has been discriminating with the constituencies represented by the opposition. TSETAN NAMGYAL (Independent, Nubra) advocated for additional funds for Ladakh Hill Development Councils of Leh and Kargil to clear the liabilities and creation of a police range in the Ladakh division. He also demanded compensatory allowances for employees serving in for off areas of Ladakh division.
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PROF. CHAMAN LAL GUPTA (BJP, Jammu West) said the security forces have restored peace and normalcy in the State by sacrificing their lives. He criticised the demand for withdrawal of security forces and said that their presence was must for maintaining peace and checking designs of enemy. He alleged that the demand for withdrawal of troops smacks of separatism and the same should be countered. He also the government and particularly the Chief Minister to ensure that a balanced approach is adopted in development of region as, he said, in Jammu and Kashmir regions there is a sense of deprivation and discrimination. He demanded regularization of daily wagers who have rendered seven years of service. HAKIM MOHAMMAD YASEEN (PDF, Khansahib) stressed for decentralization of power and empowerment of Additional District Development Commissioners for ensuring speedy development in the State. He also sought strict implementation of decisions taken in the District Development Board meetings and expeditious completion of power projects in the area. MOHAMMAD SHARIEF NIAZ (Congress, Bhaderwah) lauded the services of police and security forces for restoring peace in the State. He demanded residential facilities for the police personal serving in far-flung areas and enhancement of honorarium for Home Guards and SPO's.
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D I S C U S S I O N CHOUDHARY MOHAMMAD RAMZAN (NC, Handwara) demanded compensation for affected people whose structures were demolished during widening of Airport road, Srinagar. He said, the previous Government of PDP was politically bankrupt party and expressed their vision through demolition drive and those affected were not taken care of. He hoped for better bilateral relations between the two neighbouring countries for peace and prosperity in the sub-continent. He urged for resolving the problems of the people and ensure zero tolerance for human rights violation. ABDUL MAJID WANI (Congress, Doda) demanded release of salary of Village Defence Committee (VDS) members, special recruitment drive in Police Department, relaxation of rules in recruitment process, enhancement of honorarium of SPO's and making available the latest equipments to fire and Emergency Services. HARSHDEV SINGH (Panthers Party, Ramnagar) lauded the intensions of Chief Minister, Mr. Omar Abdullah for creating infrastructure at grass root level. He emphasized for ensuring good governance, transparency and accountability. He demanded allocation of additional funds for improvement of rural infrastructure.
ER. ABDUL RASHID (Independent, Langate) while participating in the discussion said that PDP is befooling the common people by hollow slogans of selfrule recalling the development activities carried out in Kupwara district during their tenure. Lauding the efforts of present Government for taking steps to ensure corruption free, accountable and transparent Government, he said that PDP did nothing concrete for ensuring good governance. He also suggested for exempting the surrendered militants from regular attendance in police stations. Stressing for Zero tolerance to be maintained, he said that those involved in human rights violation irrespective of the status shall be sternly brought to book. He also stressed for tracing and punishing the culprits involved in the killing of Jaleel Andrabi. MY TARIGAMI (CPIM, Kulgam) emphasized on administrative reforms for transparent and good governance and urged for transferring power at grass roots level. He advocated for considering the basic academic merit for final selections on vacant posts by Public Service Commission and SSRB. He also asked for providing ration money to special police officers and special allowances for instructors of police training centres for their encouragement.
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Finance, Ladakh Affairs Minister: ABDUL RAHIM RATHER
Grants: Rs. 688297.59 lakhs Supplementary Grants: Rs. 111692.40 lakhs
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ith the element of accountability and transparency at various levels in the finance and its allied departments showing results, Jammu and Kashmir will be the best financially managed State of the country within a year. Replying to the debate, on the Demand of Grants, Rather said that reforms in the department have resulted in manifold increase in the tax revenues last year, compared to the previous years. 13th Finance Commission Award has appreciated the State for considerable improvement in the own tax collection effort. Rather dwelt in detail on the funds flow to the State and referred to the three-way mechanism of resource mobilization for running the affairs of the State, which include, mobilizing internal resources in the form of revenue receipts and other local taxes, awards from the Finance Commission and share in Central Taxes and annual plan allocations from the Planning Commission. State gets grants from the Centre under article-275 of the Indian Constitution from the Finance Commission. Allaying apprehensions of some Jammu based members that more revenue is collected from Jammu while the spending are more in Kashmir, the Minister said from all accounts, the State is a single entity and there is no room for debate as to wherefrom the revenue gets generated. However, he clarified and collaborated on the sources
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from where the taxes are generated; In this context, he made a mention of the Lakhanpur Toll Plaza, where all the entering entities, bound to Ladakh, Kashmir or, Jammu, have to pay the
entry and toll taxes. Besides, the corporate headquarters of almost all the commercial and multinational companies, operating in the entire State, are located in Jammu, and as such the taxes thus col-
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lected from all the three regions get reflected as revenue of Jammu Division. Moreover all the three Motor Sprit companies, selling their products across the State, are also located in Jammu whose tax receipts are also counted in the Jammu Head. Therefore, an allegation that more taxes collected from Jammu is misleading and distortion of facts. Quoting figures for the year 2008-09 in this regard, the Minister said that against a total realization of account of VAT, GST and MST amounting to Rs.1765 crore, an amount of Rs. 480 crore pertains Jammu Division and Rs.490 crore pertains to Kashmir division and Rs. 795 crore have been collected in Jammu for the whole state. Appreciating the performance of his departments, Rather said that the Commercial Taxes Department has registered growth of 17% with a record increase of Rs. 400 crore in its revenue collections during 2009-10, against the previous year. He said the revenue collected by the department in 2000-01 was Rs. 387.80 crore and the department is stated to collect an amount of Rs 2197 crore. He said that 17% growth in VAT co1lection in the State is higher than even the national average of nearly 12%. He attributed increase in revenue realization to the effective tax management, dedicated performance and regular monitoring at various levels. This will further improve with complete computerization which will help check leakages and loopholes and will also help the tax payers in a big way. The Minister said that revenue in the Excise Department has increased to Rs. 70 crore, as compared to the corresponding period last year, adding that tax revenue of about Rs. 590 crore is expected by the end of the current financial year. This reflects an increase of 14.07% over last year's revenue of Rs. 517.22.
Calling for launching a vigorous social campaign against use of alcohol as envisaged under the directive principles, Rather maintained that mere laws cannot bring prohibition as has been the experience in other states of the country. He hoped that the legislators will also exercise their influence against this evil. He said the powers for granting liquor licenses rests with the Excise Commissioner, adding that during his entire tenure as Finance Minister, he has never issued a single liquor license nor he intends to do it in future. He further informed the House that no new wine shop license has been issued since 2005-06. Referring to the next year's budget proposals, Rather said that the decision to increase toll tax from Rs. 2 to 5 per poultry bird and reduction of same on one day chick has shown desired results. While it will promote and encourage poultry rearing locally, the reduced rate of tax on a day old chick will give boost to the productivity. Already, there has been a decrease of about 15.84 lakh in import of birds. Similarly, there has been an increase of 24.79 lakh in the import of day old chicks by reducing toll tax per check. Rather said that there has been negligible pendency of bills in the treasuries and efforts are on to revive the State Financial Corporation (SFC). He said a comprehensive revival plan for the SFC has been formulated and our negotiations with SIDBI are on to provide assistance in this regard as the Bank has accepted to right off one part of the loan liabilities. He said the continuous grant of amnesty to the defaulters has been the main factor for losses in the SFC. The Minister said that the Government is bringing reforms in Ladakh Transfer Policy so that deficiency of staff is met in the region and a
push is given to development activities in the region. He said there is sufficient allocation of funds for both Leh and Kargil districts for various development oriented works; hence there was no need for grant of further additionalties. H I G H L I G H T S Impression of more tax collection from Jammu and less spending is totally misconceived. Tax collected at Lakhanpur is from vehicles headed for all parts of state and not any particular region. corporate headquarters of almost all the commercial and multinational companies, operating in the entire State, are located in Jammu, and as such the taxes thus collected from all the three regions get reflected as revenue of Jammu Division. Moreover all the three Motor Sprit companies, selling their products across the State, are also located in Jammu whose tax receipts are also counted in the Jammu Head. Therefore, an allegation that more taxes collected from Jammu is misleading and distortion of facts Commercial Taxes Department has registered growth of 17% with a record increase of Rs. 400 crore in its revenue collections during 2009-10, against the previous year. 17% growth in VAT co1lection in the State is higher than even the national average of nearly 12%. Government is bringing reforms in Ladakh Transfer Policy so that deficiency of staff is met in the region and a push is given to development activities in the region
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Housing & Urban Development Deputy Chief Minister: TARA CHAND
Grants : Rs. 67986.20 lakhs
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he biggest task of current year cut out for the Department of Housing and Urban Development is clearly holding of elections to urban civic bodies. There are two Municipal Corporations, six Municipal Councils and 77 Municipal Committees in Jammu and Kashmir. “The basic election process has already been started and will be completed by the end of May 2010�, Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand who holds the
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departments of Housing and Urban Development told Legislative Assembly on March 29. Tara Chand said that transfer of planning and implementation to the local bodies lies at the root of its policy. He said that certain reforms are also being introduced in these institution as well, which include adoption of modern accrual double entry system of accounting, introduction of egoverness etc. He said to make these institutions self sustaining levying of property tax with GIS Mapping and levy of user charges for the local body services are being introduced. Asserting that unprecedented improvement has been registered in the conservation of famous lakes in the Srinagar city, he said that Rs 142 crore was utilized under the National Lakes Conservation Programme on Dal, Nageen and Anchar Lakes this year. Regarding Rehabilitation Plan for 11000 families of Dal dwellers, the development of the colony Rakh-e-Arth
in the area spread over 7526 kanals is apace at a cost of Rs. 402 crores, the Deputy Chief Minister said that during the first phase, 700 plots have been completed rehabilitating 1299 families adding that the project is being completed before 2012. He further said that the Central Government has further agreed to sanction Rs. 356 crore for acquisition of structures with the Lake. About the achievements under the conservation plan, Mr Tara Chand said that 24738 meters sewer lines have been laid as part of sewerage treatment works, remodeling of 21661 meters drains, installation of 4 intermediate pumping stations and completion of 3 sewer treatment plants.
H I G H L I G H T S Successful anti-polythene drive Significant decongestion of city roads Major step up in municipal revenues realisation 1139 works, 2077 dwelling units in twin capital cities 8 town halls, 7 bus stands coming up Under JNNURM, 70 works underway at cost of Rs 1114.63 crore
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BUDGET SESSION 2010
Rural Development, Law & Parliamentary Affairs Minister: ALI MOHAMMAD SAGAR
Grants : Rs. 49105.9 lakhs
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he key hallmark of the Rural Development Department headed by Ali Mohammad Sagar is the essential participation of elected public representatives in formulation and implementation of schemes. “This is a significant stride towards involving the people at grass roots level in decision making and ensuring equitable development at local levels�, Sagar said while replying to the discussion on the Demand for Grants Rs. 132.15 crore have been spent till February 2010 on the completion of various works under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) of which 10065 works have been completed. State has projected a demand of Rs. 641 crore under the scheme this year. To provide dwelling units to the people living under Below Poverty Line (BPL), 50,872 houses have been undertaken for construction under Indira Awaas Yojana (IAY). Under the Prime Minister's Reconstruction Package, 119 model villages have been taken up for overall development; 85 of these have been completed. These villages have the state of art facilities like Rural Information Centres, Community Halls, Play fields etc. The Minister said that the Total Sanitation Campaign (TSC) is being implemented in the entire State while BPL families are being provided cash incentive of Rs. 2700 for construction of
individual house hold units. Under this scheme, he said, 146593 house hold latrines, 541 community sanitary complexes, 87 Anganwari units and 12837 school toilets have been constructed and an amount of Rs.46.39 crore have been spent till February. Sagar said that under the Integrated Water Development Project (Haryali), 37 projects have been taken up to cover 209 lakh hectares with a financial involvement of Rs. 125.52 crore. Similarly, under the Backward Regions Grant Fund (BRGF), an amount of Rs. 40.77 crore has been made available to develop various districts. So far Kupwara, Poonch, Doda, Ramban and Kishtwar covered under this programme, he said. Sagar said that in order to upgrade the judicial infrastructure, an amount of Rs. 191.2 crore have been made available for construction of district court complexes, pending block of High Court, Srinagar, Munsiff Courts at Sumabal Sonawari, Judicial Academy in District Court Complex, Srinagar, Sub-Judge Court Complex at Pattan, conversion of old Muhaffiz Khana into State Human Rights Commission office at Moulana Azad Complex, acquisition of land around Legislative Complex at Srinagar, construction of Atrium lobby in district court complex, Janipora, construction of district court complex, Udhampur, court complex at Ramnagar, amount for purchase of land for construction of district court complex, Doda
and construction of lawyers chambers at Janipora, Jammu. The Minister said that during 200910, a total number of 287 Lok Adalats were held in which 16524 cases have been settled and compensation of Rs. 14.42 crore have been disbursed to 801 motor accident claims. About 38 legal awareness camps have been held throughout the State. Similarly, 4133 cases have been disposed of by Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal in the State and an amount of Rs. 73.98 crore has been awarded to the victims. H I G H L I G H T S Involvement of public representatives key feature of formulation and implementation of schemes Rs. 132.15 crore have been spent till February 2010 on the completion of various works under MNREGA of which 10065 works have been completed During 2009-10, 287 Lok Adalats held in which 16524 cases were settled and compensation of Rs. 14.42 crore disbursed to 801 motor accident claims
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D I S C U S S I O N AR VEERI (PDP, Bijbehara) sought decentralization of power to involve people in the planning process at gross roots level. He also advocated for decentralization of panchayat ghars and use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) in the upcoming panchayat elections. SAJAD AHMAD KITCHLOO (NC, Kishtwar) appreciated the Government for increasing NREGA wages and regularization of blocks created in 2002 and stressed for creating more model villages and providing ACDs with mobility and adequate staff. He also demanded strengthening of the panchayat institutions in the State, besides enhancing the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) of legislators. Er. ABDUL RASHID (Independent, Langate) suggested sending a team of MLAs to various Jails for monitoring the facilities being made available to detenues. He also advocated the enhancement of wages under NREGA and release of pending payments in favour of labourers. He stressed on speeding up the works taken up under Indira Awas Yojna (IAY) and Prime Minister's Rozgar Guarantee Yojna (PMGS).
CHOWDHARY MOHAMMAD ASLAM (Congress, Surankote) demanded creation of mobile panchayats for nomadic population to involve them in the democratic set up. He suggested an elected Chairman rather than nominated one in panchayats. He called for addressing the problem of shortage of staff in Rural Development for speeding up of the development process in rural areas. MIR SAIFULLAH (NC, Kupwara) demanded establishment of Additional District Court at Kupwara and Munsif Court at Kralpora. He suggested revision of outdated laws by framing a committee of legal experts. He further urged for delimitation of panchayas and equitable development of all the blocks under NREGA in the State. IJAZ JAN (NC, Poonch) demanded construction of office buildings damaged due to earthquake in his constituency. He also urged for opening of more J&K Bank branches and Mobile Bank branches to facilitate the job card holders of NREGA. He also advocated increase of funds under IAY.
BIMLA LUTHRA (NC, Nominated) demanded nomination of women in Panchayat elections. She also urged increase in IAY amount and demanded fresh survey of BPL population so that benefits under various schemes can percolate to them. She also urged proper sanitation in rural areas CHOUDHARY ZULFIKAR ALI (PDP, Darhal) suggested to conduct Panchayat elections in the month of October-November as most population of his constituency is nomadic. He demanded creation of fast-track courts to solve the cases registered since long.
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BUDGET SESSION 2010
Forests, Environment, Ecology Minister: MIAN ALTAF AHMED
Grants: Rs. 45023 lakhs
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inister for Forests, Environment and Ecology, Mian Altaf Ahmad told Legislative Assembly that Rs. 2528.27 lakhs have been spent till February in Jammu and Kashmir on the forest sector, against the outlay of Rs. 3861.96 lakhs for the current fiscal. In addition, Rs. 1748. 32 lakhs have been spent under various centrally sponsored schemes, he added. Replying after discussion on Demand for Grants for the departments under his charge, the Minister said that 14.78 lakh cft. of timber has been provided to the consumers of the State through different concession zones and auction by the State Forest Corporation upto February 2010, against 13.05 lakh cfts supplied during the last financial year. He said that 1.7 lakh quintals of fire wood were also supplied till January 2010, adding that the same has been mostly supplied for religious purposes in the State. Emphasizing the need for popularizing afforestation under Social Forestry Programme on waste lands and village community lands bedsides degraded forests to increase green cover and reduce pressure on the national resources, along with meeting the requirements of the people, the Minister said that 1.59 lakh hectares of land has been covered under plantation and 2774 lakh plants planted, including those under farm forestry. The Minister said that 1562 lakh plants were distributed among farmers and revenue of Rs. 2.99 crore was real-
ized from the produce harvested from social forestry plantation by the end of February, 2010. The Minister informed that the National Highway Authority of India is carrying out plantation along the widened National Highway between Kathua and Jammu, being taken up by the Eco-task Force of the department with a financial outlay of Rs. 63 lakh. Enumerating the efforts made to avoid encroachments and damages to forests, the Minister said that 3920 hectares of forest land has been freed from encroachers. Three Forest Protection Force divisions at Kishtwar, Reasi and Bandipora besides territorial divisions at Kulgam and Samba, sub-division at Tangmarg have been created. 72000 cft timber, 791 horses/ponies and 77 vehicles were seized during this fiscal, he said while stressing for conservation of bio-diversity, development of medical plants, eco-tourism and addressing the man-animal conflict. He said that the Draft Forest Policy of the State is has been put on website of the Forest Department to invite suggestions from all sections of the society. He said Rs. 135 lakh have been approved under Integrated Forest Protection Scheme by the Union Government to tackle the forest fires in the State. To consolidate the forest-community interface and exploit eco-tourism potential, a pilot project at Dera-Gali in PoonchRajouri has been started, he added. The Minister said that efforts are being made to conserve water, especially in Shivalik region to mitigate
water crisis because of deficient and irregular monsoon, resulting in fall of ground water level and reduced soil erosion due to mountainous terrain of the State. Regarding the conservation of wildlife fauna of the State, Altaf said that special recovery programmes are being executed for conservation of Hangul, Snow Leopard, Markhor and Asiatic Bear for which an outlay of Rs. 375.89 lakhs has already been released.
H I G H L I G H T S For last 25 years there has been no direct recruitment in the department due to which 160 gazetted cadre and 1100 nongazetted posts are vacant. To increase green cover 1.59 lakh hectares of land has been covered under plantation and 2774 lakh plants planted Central funding for Integrated Forest Management Project, worth Rs. 600 crore awaited SFRI maintaining 42 preservation plots besides 54 seed production areas and seed orchards for construction of major species of medicinal plants.
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BUDGET SESSION 2010
D I S C U S S I O N BALWANT SINGH MANKOTIA (Panthers Party, Udhampur) expressed concern over cutting of trees in Forests of Chowadhi and demanded immediate action against forest smugglers. He also called for stopping encroachments on forest land. Besides, he demanded full utilization of Forest Protection Force to save the forests from fire incidents, particularly during the summer season. He also advocated for strengthening Pollution Control Board. CHOUDHARY MOHAMMAD RAMZAN (NC, Handwara) wanted Kashmir Forest Service (KFS) to be created in the State to fill up the vacant posts in the Department. He also demanded to empower the Forest Officers for stopping encroachment.
MOHAMMAD ASHRAF, demanded increasing the number of of forest sale depots in Sopore so that people may not suffer in getting timber. He also urged for proper fencing of the forests. ABDUL MAJID WANI (Congress, Doda) advocated strengthening of the forest and allied departments to generate revenue and employment avenues. He also demanded rebuilding of forest huts. BASHARAT BUKHARI (PDP, Sangrama) stressed the need for protection of forest, and urged the members for initiating collective efforts in this direction. ASHWANI KUMAR (JSM, Bishnah) advocated preparation of project for afforestation and creating awareness among the people about benefits of forests. He also demanded speeding up of pace of work on environmental parks in Jammu to attract tourists.
INDU PAWAR (Congress, Nominated) called for creating awareness among the people about plantation to ensure ecological balance and maintaining the biodiversity. She also demanded establishment of world class Forest Institute in the State for undertaking courses in conservation of flora and fauna.
ABDUL GAFFAR SOFI (PDP, ) pleaded for development of social forestry in the rural area and stressed for equally distribution of timber in the State. He also demanded extraction of fallen trees from forests to cater the needs of the people.
ABDUL RAZAK (PDP) demanded strict action against forest smugglers to save the green gold in Shopian. He urged for strict forest protection measures and said that timber seized should be provided to the people.
ABDUL REHMAN VEERI (PDP, Bijbehara) stressed to ease the process for providing timber for building purpose. He also sought permission for Saw Mills in rural areas as Horticulture sector is depend on it.
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BUDGET SESSION 2010
School Education Minister: PEERZADA MOHAMMAD SAYEED
Grants : Rs. 262039.08 lakhs
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mphasizing the importance universalization of elementary and secondary education, besides achieving hundred per cent literacy in the State, the Minister for Education and Public Enterprises, Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed said that main focus of the Government was to introduce job-oriented courses in the educational institutions. Replying to Discussion on Demand of Grants for the departments under his charge the Minister said that 4014 new primary schools have been opened and 5758 primary schools upgraded to the upper primary level. He said 24704 Rehbar-eTaleem Teachers (RETs) engaged in the newly opened and upgraded schools, have been regularized. To meet the shortage of teaching staff in the educational institutions, the Minister said about 6000 teachers have been selected by Service Selection Board (SSB) and 54497 ReTs engaged in the newly opened and upgraded schools, besides, 527 lecturers in education department were selected by Public Service Commission (PSC). He said that 1099 posts of teachers and 1,023 posts of lecturers have been referred to the concerned recruiting agencies. He said 4,242 primary and 616 middle school buildings have been constructed, besides 4585 additional classrooms and 330 computer learning centres established. Referring to the
initiatives for popularizing girl education, Peerzada said that 78 KGBVs have been made operational while construction of 60 KGBVs is in progress. So far 10 schools have been completed, he added. He said under Mid Day Meals Scheme, 8.51 Lakh children at primary level and 3.14 lakh children at upper primary level, have been covered during the current fiscal. As many as, 4,376 kitchen sheds have been constructed while construction of 4,415 is in progress. 330 higher secondary schools have been covered under computer education plan and additionally 200 institution are being taken up shortly. Enumerating the steps taken to ensure quality education in the institutions of the State, Peerzada said that 2,728 teachers and 232 lecturers were trained through the State and District Institutes of Education and Trainings, besides 34963 teachers were provided inservice teacher's training. He said by strenuous efforts of the department, the literacy rate has increased upto 65.67% and number of dropout school children has reduced from 3.67 lakhs to 0.39 lakh by opening and upgrading primary schools, establishment of EGS centres and conducting of seasonal camps. The Minister also said that the mobile schools would be reviewed in the areas where established some years back.
H I G H L I G H T S Literacy rate has increased upto 65.67% and number of dropout school children has reduced from 3.67 lakhs to 0.39 lakh by opening and upgrading primary schools, establishment of EGS centres and conducting of seasonal camps 4014 new primary schools have been opened and 5758 primary schools upgraded to the upper primary level 4,242 primary and 616 middle school buildings have been constructed, besides 4585 additional classrooms and 330 computer learning centres established
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D I S C U S S I O N PEERZADA MANSOOR (PDP, Shangus) urged for implementation of Right to Education Act in the State to make education compulsory and bring improvement in the sector. He also stressed for imparting quality education to the students, enabling them to compete at various competitive examination.
KAFIL-UR-REHMAN (NC, Karnah) advocated focused attention on the education sector in rural areas. He also stressed for consolidation of the education institutions in terms of adequate staff and infrastructure for newly upgraded schools.
Prof. CHAMAN LAL GUPTA (BJP, Jammu West) while participating in the discussion termed education as the main tool for ensuring development of the State. He advocated for increasing the allocation of funds for their sector to ensure quality education and better infrastructure in the newly created and upgraded educational institutions. He sought opening of schools after completing all codal formalities.
LAL CHAND (BJP, Bani) emphasized for acquainting the students with technical education so that they can create job avenues for themselves. He also advocated for incentives to the teachers working in remote and rural areas.
Dr. MUSTAFA KAMAL (NC, Hazratbal) while emphasized the utility of the education sector, called better efforts to ensure quality education to the students. He also demanded quality infrastructure for newly created education institutions
HARSHDEV SINGH (Panthers Party, Ramnagar) called for prioritizing the education sector to ensure progress and development of the State. He also stressed for expeditious completion of time bound schemes. He also urged for proper implementation of SSA. For girl education, he demanded establishment of Kastooba Gandhi Balika Vidialiya (KGBY) in his constituencies. He also sought suggestion of Board of School Education (BOSE) at divisional level.
Dr. MOHAMMAD SHAFI () stressed for quality education for curtailing dropout rates and improving the literacy rate. He further stressed for improvement in financial management at Zonal, Block and District levels.
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BUDGET SESSION 2010
Revenue, Relief, Rehabilitation Minister: RAMAN BHALLA
Grants : Rs. 45541.76 lakhs
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n a major step towards smart and efficient management of land affairs in Jammu and Kashmir, the government has decided to switch over to egovernance. The Minister for Revenue, Relief and Rehabilitation Raman Bhalla told Legislative Assembly in his reply to the discussion on demands for grants of his department that e-governance is being introduced in the Revenue Department with fully equipped labs in 256 Nayabats in the State. The Minister also said that settlement operations have been completed in 2040 villages out of 4430 notified villages. He said the Centre has sanctioned Rs. 65 lakhs for construction of modern record rooms in the districts of Udhampur and Kulgam in the first instance. Record Rooms will be established in four tehsils in Udhampur district and three tehsils in Kulgam district after which the scheme will be extended to other districts in a phased manner. He said during 2010-11, six new such record rooms, four in Pulwama one in Shopian and one in Samba districts, have been proposed. The Minister said Revenue Department, which also deals with Disaster Management and Natural Calamities also, has provided Rs. 82.81 crore as relief to various disaster affected persons so far during the current year. The department has formulated a package of Rs. 211 crore for approval of the Centre, for relief to the drought affected people under National
Calamity Relief Fund norms. Referring to the assistance being provided to the Kashmir Migrants, Mr. Bhalla said that in addition to cash relief and free ration, Government of India has provided funds for improving living condition of the migrants at Jammu. He said that construction of 5242 two room tenements for housing the Jammu based Kashmiri Migrants is apace. Of these, 1024 flats have been completed and allotted to eligible migrants while remaining flats are targeted to be completed upto October 2010. The implementation of Rs. 1618.40 crore Prime Minister's package for return and rehabilitation of Kashmir migrants, to the Kashmir valley has started and the recruitment agencies have advertized vacancies in various departments, to be filled by jobless Kashmir migrants adding that 13971 un-employed migrant youth have expressed their willingness to serve/work in the valley. Regarding rehabilitation of PoK displaced peoples, the Minister said that the Government has paid Rs 9.05 crore to 843 displaced families of Pak Occupied Kashmir (PoK) as ex-gratia cash compensation in lieu of land deficiency. He said the Wadhwa Committee recommendations for rehabilitation of West Pakistan refugees are under the consideration of the Government.
H I G H L I G H T S For efficient record management, Revenue Department switching over to e-governance with integration of 256 Nayabats in state. Land acquisition process for prestigious projects fast paced. More than 94 per cent of railway acquisition cases completed, more than 80 per cent of the land has been handed over to NHAI for four laning of National Highway. Land settlement operations have been completed in 2040 villages out of 4430 notified villages. 1,10,949 beneficiaries have been provided ownership rights under Roshni Scheme so far and the department has realized a revenue of Rs. 65.01 crore under the scheme.
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BUDGET SESSION 2010
D I S C U S S I O N NIZAM-UD-DIN BHAT (PDP, Bandipore): Revenue Department is a record bank for all departments and all common citizens therefore the department should digitise all records and store them in easily retrievable archives. There is also an imminent need for reorganization of the department and filling up of vacancies at a fast pace so that works are not struck up. JUGAL KISHORE (BJP, Nagrota): The re-habilitating the refugees of Pakistan occupied Kashmir is humanitarian issue and government should come up with a comprehensive policy. They should be provided at least Rs.25 lakh per family as compensation. Directions of Supreme Court in case of refugees should also be taken note of while framing rehabilitation policy. BALWANT SINGH MANKOTIA (Panthers Party, Udhampur): Hundreds of cases of compensation for the land acquired for widening of National Highway are still pending and people are being made to suffer. These cases of compensation should be cleared at priority otherwise people would hesitate from offering their lands for the prestigious infrastructure projects. Government should also adopt a uniform relief policy for migrants as those from Jammu region are being discriminated against despite Supreme Court orders.
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ASHWANI KUMAR (JSM, Bishnah): The fate of refugees from West Pakistan has been apparently linked with the resolution of Kashmir issue and the process generations after generations have been allowed to suffer. I think the West Pakistan refugees are passing through a humanitarian crisis and the government should work out a policy for their rehabilitation which takes care of their modern day needs and protects their future.
GA MIR (Congress, Doru): In view of its unique location Doru area needs the status and offices of Sub Division so that people don't have to suffer. This demand has several times earlier been putforth and it is again urged that a Sub Division be created for Doru. I would also like to urge that a system of uniform compensation rates should be adopted for properties damages in fire and other like incidents. CHARANJIT SINGH (Independent, Kathua): Government should rework and reorganize the Revenue Department with delegation of powers at different levels so that people in remote and rural areas don't have to suffer for getting their petty issues settled down. There is also need for ensuring greater degree of transparency and accountability in the department. Pending cases under Roshni Scheme may also be cleared in a time bound manner.
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BUDGET SESSION 2010
Social Welfare Minister: SAKINA ITTOO
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n view of a large number of children facing distress as fallout of twodecade-long conflict the department of Social Welfare is proposing to launch an Integrated Child Protection Services Scheme (ICPS). Besides this, 3094 Anganwari Centres will be set up in the State, besides two new pension schemes, including Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS) and Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme (IGNDPS) will also be introduced to provide succor to the old age and physically challenged persons. Replying to the discussion on Demand for Grants, the Minister for Social Welfare Sakina Ittoo told Legislative Assembly that the upliftment of weaker sections of the society, besides empowerment of women and integrated child development have been prioritized to serve the deserving people of the State. She emphasized the need for creation and up-gradation of infrastructure under Integrated Child Development Scheme to explore the possibility of assessing the resources, besides digitalization of the records at tehsil and district levels. The Minister said that under various pre-Matric scholarship schemes about 6 lakh students were benefited, including 6,748 physically handicapped and about 37190 students under postMatric scholarship scheme were covered, including 290 physically handicapped as well. She said that 5 lakh persons were benefitted by providing old age pension and 7 lakh children were given supplementary nutrition. Itoo said
that nearly 6467 militancy hit victims were brought under purview of the pension scheme adding that the monthly pension for physically challenged persons was increased from Rs.500 to Rs.750. Emphasizing on accountability and transparency in the department, the Minister informed that Public Information Officers and SubDivisional Vigilance Offices have been appointed for internal vigilance and sanitizing these officers for effective utilization of their services. The Minister informed that District Level Offices are being set up under Directorate of Tribal Affairs for implementation of tribal related schemes, being started in eight districts of the State, besides engaging 6188 women to establish 3094 Anganwari Centres. Minister informed that out of the 425 Model Anganwari Centres, 193 buildings have been completed at a cost of Rs. 258.76 crore. She also said that 24-Bal-Ashrams and 12 Nari Niketans are run where 1105 children and 400 destitute women are being looked after. The Minister also dwelt on various schemes being implemented in the State and said that Rs. 115.14 crore, under Integrated Social Scheme, were utilized to cover 353180 beneficiaries and Rs. 62 crore spent under National Social
Assistance programme for 1.41 lakh beneficiaries. In addition, Rs. 2.41 lakh beneficiaries are being taken care under welfare of SC, ST, OBC Scheme, she added. The Minister further said that 141 Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) projects and 25, 483 Anganwari Centres are working in the State for successful implementation of ICDS. She also informed that two lakh beneficiaries were covered under Welfare of Gujjar & Bakerwal and for 1.17 lakh Pahari Speaking Students under Special Central Assistance to Scheduled Castes sub-plan, while under Special central Assistance to Tribal Sub-Plan Rs. 7.83 crore have been released. H I G H L I G H T S Integrated Child Protection Services Scheme for children in distress proposed Six lakh students getting prematric scholarship under various schemes, 6,748 physically handicapped and about 37190 students under post-Matric scholarship scheme were covered 425 Model Anganwari Centres, 193 buildings have been completed at a cost of Rs. 258.76 crore 6467 militancy victims provided pension
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BUDGET SESSION 2010
D I S C U S S I O N DURGA DASS (BJP, Hiranagar) sought relaxation for SC, ST and OBC students to avail the scholarships besides provision of reservation in appointment of Anganwari workers and helpers. He also advocated old age pension on the pattern adopted by Punjab Government. CHOUDHARY MOHAMMAD RAMZAN (NC, Handwara) demanded opening of Anganwari Centres in the uncovered areas besides enhancement of honorarium of Anganwari workers and helpers. He urged the establishment of special training centrs for Anganwari Workers and Helpers at district headquarters besides speedy clearance of financial assistance backlog of militancy victim cases. CHOWDHARY SHAM LAL (BJP, Suchetgarh) stressed for distribution of quality nutrition in Anganwari centres and allocation of adequate funds for Bal Ashrams and Nari Niketans in his Constituency. INDU PAWAR (Congress, Nominated) urged for women empowerment and effective implementation of Centrally Sponsored Schemes. She also demanded early sanctioning of pension in favour of the deserving persons.
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LAL CHAND (BJP, Bani) demanded allocation of more funds for the Department and timely release of pension under various categories and opening of Tehsil Social Welfare Office at Bani. SYED BASHARAT BUKHARI (PDP, Sangrama) advocated devising a pilot project for empowerment of women through training and creating awareness besides establishment of income generating units for them. He also urged for introducing a bill in Legislative Assembly regarding violence against women. He also demanded constituting a committee to monitor the implementation of schemes undertaken by the Department besides rationalization of funds allocated. BALWANT SINGH MANKOTIA (Panthers Party, Udhampur) demanded the introduction of a Bill against the persons involved in violence against women especially those indulging in throwing acid on the girls. He also urged scholarship for Sipply and Gaddi students besides strict implementation of Child Labour Law. ASHWANI KUMAR (JSM, Bishnah) advocated for creating awareness about the schemes of the Department among masses by organizing awareness camps in rural areas, adding that focused attention should be given to empower women of rural areas.
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BUDGET SESSION 2010
Industries and Commerce Minister: SURJEET SINGH SLATHIA
Grants : Rs 27678.26 lakhs
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n absence of any big and promising industrial base, the J&K government is laying huge emphasis on skill development, small industries and other income generating units, particularly involving artisans. In handloom sector alone 280 Cooperative Societies, including 180 in the Kashmir division and 100 in Jammu Division have been established with a total membership of 15043 weavers. He said as many as, 100 training Centres are located in various districts to impart specialized training to weavers in weaving pashmina and raffal shawls, silk sarees and other cotton items. Replying to discussion on demands for grants of Industries and Commerce Department, the Minister Surjeet Singh Slathia informed that about 25,000 industrial units have been registered to promote industrial culture as industrialization is key to productivity and tackling waxed un-employment problem. These units provide employment to about one lakh un-employed youth. 50 per cent subsidy is being provided to the weavers for purchasing modern looms, besides school going girl students of weavers are being provided scholarships, ranging from Rs 200-500 depending upon the class in which they are studying. He said under Integrated Handloom Development Scheme, 8 cluster projects have been sanctioned in different districts by the Union, Ministry of Textiles, besides 11 Groups Approach Projects, with an allocation of Rs 60 lakh as central share.
Regarding marketing facilities to the handloom products, the Minister said exhibitions, trade fairs and awareness camps are being conducted, besides establishment and maintaining export house for production of export trade to avail the benefits of the handloom industry. He said the Government has taken various steps, including provision of 50 per cent interest subsidy under Handicraft Micro Credit Scheme to the artisans and managerial subsidy to the cooperative societies for promoting carpet industry in the State. He said a proposal for replacement of old carpet looms is also under active consideration. He said all out efforts are being made to check misuse of Kashmir brand and sale of fake handicrafts items, adding that quality control inspectors and supervisors have been deputed at various craft bazaars, exhibitions and expos within and outside the State to monitor the quality of handicrafts. The Minister said that an amount of Rs 84785 have been realized as fine from erring traders, who were found selling fake handicraft items in the name of Kashmiri handicrafts. He said Kashmiri Pashmina, Kani shawls and Kashmiri Sozni have been registered under Geographical Indicators Act in a bid to give worldwide protection to these handicrafts. He said a testing laboratory for pashmina has also been sanctioned at Nowshera, Srinagar to give authenticity to the products which will also be tagged through Radio Frequency Identification Tag to protect
Kashmir Handicrafts. Slathia said in view of the Handicrafts and Handloom sectors, being thrust areas for economic activity, about 653 training centres all over the State have been established to impart training to local craft persons in carpets, Papier Machie, Wood Carving, Namdah, Gabba and Crewel. H I G H L I G H T S Industries and Commerce department has an added responsibility of facilitating the Cross-LoC trade. Goods worth Rs 52.72 crore and Rs 64.67 crore were exported and imported respectively on SrinagarMuzaffarabad route while goods worth Rs 59.20 crore and Rs 95.54 crore were exported and imported respectively on PoonchRawalakote route upto ending January 2010. About 25,000 industrial units have been registered to promote industrial culture. These units provide employment to about one lakh un-employed youth 1214 Cooperative Societies and 28,363 individual units under village industries sector have been provided financial assistance To promote exports in terms of recent Foreign Trade Policy, districts of Srinagar and Anantnag have been declared as towns of export excellence for five years and the State Government is contemplating to rope in the Export Promotion Council for handicrafts.
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BUDGET SESSION 2010
D I S C U S S I O N DR. MUSTAFA KAMAL (National Conference, Hazratbal): I&C department should give wide publicity to the quality handicraft products of the State. Registered artisans be encouraged by providing them incentives. He also demanded revival of silk industry. MY TARIGAMI (CPIM, Kulgam): Jammu and Kashmir is still an agrarian State which needs to be developed as an industrial State. Till we get an expanded industrial base, efforts should be made to upgrade existing industries in Jammu to ensure employment of local youth. There is a need for promotion and marketing of Kashmir made world famous handicrafts sector which will help in revival of sick units. ABDUL GAFFAR SOFI (PDP, ): We are a resource rich state and there is need of exploiting the local resources for making state industrially rich. Those industries which consume the local resources should be promoted on priority base for making a sound industrial base. Local youth should be mobilized to establish self-employment units by providing them proper incentives. Possibility should be explored for setting up a match box factory in Baramulla.
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HARSHDEV SINGH (Panthers Party, Ramnagar): There should be adequate marketing facilities for the handicraft products and exhibitions and awareness camps should be organized in and outside the State. I&C should take measures and come up with a policy that no more pesticide units come up in the state. This has become imminent to save the agricultural land from damages.
CHOUDHARY ZULFIKAR ALI (PDP, Darhal): In addition to its manifold responsibilities of promoting industrial culture and reducing unemployment, the Industries and Commerce Department is also charged with the responsibility of trade through Line of Control. This trade should be seen in the context of its input to the peace process and therefore the department should make efforts that system crossing points is streamlines with minimum hassles. ASHOK KUMAR (Congress, Ramban): Parts of erstwhile Doda district are quite rich in mineral resources and accordingly industries of this line should planned for these areas. There is also a local demand for revival of gypsum mines at Kanga in Ramban which can be a quite profitable unit and generate employment for the locals. The Industries and Commerce Department should order a fresh survey for mapping the mineral resources.
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BUDGET SESSION 2010
High Education, Labour, Employment Minister: ABDUL GHANI MALIK
Grants : Rs 23570.81 lakhs
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fter years of massive expansion the Department of Higher Education is now in consolidation mode. “Consolidation of existing infrastructure in the colleges has been prioritized and for the improvement in the academics, job oriented courses have been introduced to channelize the talent of the students and to create job avenues for the educated youth of the State�, said the Minister for Higher Education Abdul Ghani Malik while replying to discussion on demands for grants of departments under his charge, in the Legislative Assembly. He said, for spreading the reach of higher education across the State, the
Union Ministry of Human Resources Development has sanctioned 11 Degree Colleges for the educationally backward areas. He said 72 Degree Colleges are functional in the State to provide quality education. He said providing education through satellite system under EDUSAT scheme has been implemented, adding that two hubs and 103 satellite interactive terminals are presently functional besides 1000 receiving terminals have been sanctioned to be set up in higher secondary schools. The Minister said 5 Universities were presently functioning in the State besides two Agriculture Universities adding that two Central Universities, sanctioned are in the process of being established. In private sector the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University, Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University, Rajouri and Islamic University of Science and Technology, Awantipora are contributing to develop human resource. Malik said that the University of Jammu and the University of Kashmir have opened 16 campuses to take care of the pass outs of Degree Colleges. For expanding the quality and reach of education, the Minister said that 145 B.Ed Colleges, 03 Engineering Colleges and 71 Colleges provide Bachelors and Masters Courses in com-
puter application and Business Administration. Adequate staff is being made available to Colleges and vacant posts of gazetted and no-gazetted cadres have been referred to the concerned recruiting agencies. 486 such posts of lecturers in different disciplines are presently vacant. Replying to the queries of members regarding functioning of Printing Presses, the Minister for Printing & Stationery Dr. Manohar Lal Sharma said that the Government endeavourers to equip all the Government Presses with modern machineries. He said a committee headed by Director, stationeries and offices supplies with General Manager of Government Press and one Officer from industries department has been constituted to undertake supplies of stationer and printing material. H I G H L I G H T S 72 Colleges already operating in state. Ministry of Human Resource Development have sanctioned 11 more for educationally backward areas. Seven Universities are already functioning and two Central Universities are about to come up. Universities of Kashmir and Jammu have opened 16 outer campuses to cater to college passouts. 486 posts of Lecturers are vacant in various colleges. Most of the posts have been referred to recruiting agencies and selections are various levels.
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BUDGET SESSION 2010
Animal Husbandry Minister: AGHA SYED ROOHULLAH
Grants : Rs. 28715.20 lakhs
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ith livestock being 11 per cent of the primary sector –agriculture and allied –which makes 40 per cent of Jammu and Kashmir's Gross State Domestic Product, the government is according importance to the animal husbandry department even though a lot more needs to be done to achieve self sufficiency. Replying to Demand for Grants for the departments under his charge in the legislative Assembly, the Minister for Animal Husbandry Agha Syed Ruhullah informed that 1786 veterinary hospitals, 234 trial, 929 sheep, 1175 frozen semen centre and 11 liquid nitrogen plants, 10 poultry projects, 6 goat, 17 sheep, 4 cattle breeding, one camel and buffalo breeding farm are functioning to achieve the tangible targets on sustained basis. The Minister said 16 lakh metric tons of milk, 275 lakh kgs mutton, 438 lakh kgs poultry meat, 51crore eggs and 69 lakh kgs wool has been produced during the last year. He said the live stock population has touched a new high of 1.05 crore in the State. The figure is to the satisfaction but the sector has more potential to contribute much more in the State's GDP, he maintained. Under Intensive Dairy Development Scheme, efforts are underway to strengthen the quality infrastructure of Milk Cooperative Societies through village chilling units, automatic milk collection system,
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tankers and coolers in the seven districts including Jammu, Kathua, Udhampur, Baramulla, Pulwama, Anantnag and Budgam. Government is taking various measures to reduce dependence on imports of livestock products as Rs. 1100 crore are drained out by importing 44 crore eggs, 193 lac kgs of poultry meat and 210 lakh kgs of mutton besides one lakh metric tones of milk per year from the neighbouring States. Decision to reduce duty on import of day old chicks has proved beneficial, as there has been an increase of 22 percent in the import of day old chicks (DOCs) in the State and reduction in the import of broilers and culled birds. Decision has encouraged the local enterprises to set up hatcheries adding that 10 private entrepreneurs are ready to establish hatcheries in the State including 4 projects in Kashmir Division and 3 from Jammu Division which will increase the DOCs production by 1.15 crore per year. He said the population of sheep and goats has increased to 57 lakh which produces 275 lakhs kgs of muttons and 69 lakh of wool per year. He said exotic varieties like Merino, Corriedable and Rambouillet have been introduced for increasing the cross- breed population by 60 per cent.
H I G H L I G H T S Live stock population in J&K is estimated at 1.05 crore which is roughly equal to the human population in state 16 lakh metric tons of milk, 275 lakh kgs mutton, 438 lakh kgs poultry meat, 51crore eggs and 69 lakh kgs wool has been produced during the last year. Huge costs of imports in this sector have suddenly become a cause of concern. Rs. 1100 crore are annually spent on import of 44 crore eggs, 193 lac kgs of poultry meat and 210 lakh kgs of mutton besides one lakh metric tones of milk per year.
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BUDGET SESSION 2010
D I S C U S S I O N NIZAM-UD-DIN BHAT (PDP, Bandipore) called for introducing modern schemes and programmes for increasing livestock productivity. He also suggested proper management for utilization of milk production. He further suggested balanced approach for making the State self-sufficient in meat production. Provision of incentives to rural population for sheep rearing. He also suggested for conducting survey of the areas with great sheep rearing potential for boosting rural economy. NAZIR AHMAD GUREZI (NC, Gurez) advocated introduction of high yielding breeds of sheep to overcome the mutton problem in the State. He sought embargo on construction works on the fodder land. He sought establishing animal centres in the sheep rearing areas and supply of medicines to the sheep rears free of cost. He also demanded incentives for setting up of poultry farms in the remote areas. FEROZ AHMAD KHAN (NC, Leh) emphasized introduction of modern techniques, especially artificial insemination facility at all the centres with trained staff. He also sought measures for upgradation of milk production in Kargil besides providing a milk van in the area.
VIKAR RASOOL (Congress, Banihal) called for the incentives to be provided to the people associated with sheep and animal rearing. He also wanted awareness among people about high breeds of animals for better productivity. He suggested sufficient budgetary allocation for the sector alongwith establishment of animal health facilities at the doorsteps of ruralites. He advocated market facilities for wool production. CHOUDHARY MOHAMMAD ASLAM (Congress, Surankote) sought construction of colony for milk producers in the adjoining areas of Jammu city besides provision of high breeding rams for wool and meat production. He also demanded shelter sheds for shepherds and insurance policy for their livestock. RADHEY SHAM SHARMA (NC, Nowshera) urged for a mobile van equipped with medical facilities be made available in his Constituency. He also sought funds for sheep development and a farm coming up in Nowshera. MOHAMMAD ASHRAF emphasized for quality fodder and marketing facilities for milk producers.
DR. MUSTAFA KAMAL suggested Scheduled Tribe Status for Chopans. CHARANJIT SINGH demanded establishing more Veterinary Centres to take care of animal health. ABDUL RAZAK urged for establishment of sheep farms at Shopian and regularization of Tribal Veterinary Centre in the area. DR. MOHAMMAD SHAFI stressed the need for undertaking steps to reduce mortality and morbidity of sheep and animals besides measures for disease surveillance of sheep and cattle. Epilogue Research Foundation J&K Center for Policy Studies
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BUDGET SESSION 2010
Fisheries Minister: AJAZ AHMED KHAN
Grants: Rs. 4431.10 lakhs
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inister of State for Fisheries, Aijaz Ahmad Khan said that 1272 private fish ponds, besides establishment of fish markets at Jammu, Srinagar, Kathua and Baramulla are being established at a commutative cost of Rs. 2.50 crore. Replying to the discussions on Demand On Grants of the department under his charge the Minister said that 125 awareness camps will be organized in various parts of the State to create awareness about fish fanning. He informed that the fish seed production has increased from 21 to 40 lakh quintals due to the vigorous efforts of the department. H
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Cooperatives Minister: DR MANOHAR LAL SHARMA
Grants: Rs. 4431.10 lakhs
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inister of State for Cooperatives, Dr. Manohar Lal Sharma said that cooperative movement is being revived in a big way. Replying to discussion on Demand of Grants for Cooperatives and allied sectors, he said all the defunct and sick cooperative societies are being revived. He said 14 Cooperative Housing Colonies have already been established and 26 new such colonies are proposed to be established in the near future. The Minister said 31 new Cooperative Bank branch are being established in the State shortly. He said H I G H L I G H T S Cooperative Banks are playing vital role in providing credit to farmers and J&K first State in country NABARD and RBI have been where two full-fledged approached to simplify guidelines so Women Cooperative Bank are working that farmers could be provided loans at lowest interest rates. He said J&K is the 14 Cooperative Housing first State in the country where two fullColonies have already fledged Women Cooperative Bank have been established and 26 been established which are manned new such colonies are exclusively by female stakeholders proposed
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BUDGET SESSION 2010
Tourism & Culture Minister: NAWANG RIGZIN JORA
Grants: Rs. 23732.34 lakhs
M
inister for Tourism, Nawang Rigzin Jora has said that the Government has taken a series of proactive measures to promote Kashmir Valley as a safe tourist destination and put it back on the world tourism map. Replying to the Demand on Grants for the departments under his charge Jora said that diversification of tourism activities has helped in bringing new areas on tourism map. The Minister said as a result of these measures, over 10 lakh tourists visited Kashmir Valley during last year as Tourism Department has enhanced its presence in large number of events, travel fares, conferences and conventions held within and outside the country which include, International Travel Marts, National Travel Marts/Fairs and Festivals to motivate domestic as well as foreign tourists to visit J&K State in large numbers. Listing activities undertaken during the current year to promote tourism, the Minister said that the department organized Kashmir Festival, Tulip Festival, Sofi Festival, Saffron Festival, Snow Festival and Gulmarg Global Durbey. Besides, the department also organized DLF Golf Tournament, Ambassadors Autumn Golf Championship and Greater Kashmir Golf Tournament to promote Golf tourism in the State.
The tourism department also held serious dialogue with tour and travel operators within and outside the country for the promotion of tourism. To devise a long term tourism policy, a Tourism Vision Document and Master Plan is under finalization which also focused on making tourism a major income generating avenue for the people of the State. Jora informed that the Government has identified some new tourist destinations, including Bungus, Gurez, TelaiI, Doodpathri, Lolab, Drangyari Kupwara and Khag. He said development of Jehlum River front has been completed and illumination work is in progress. Wayside facilities have been created for the visiting tourists. In order to lift the advisories
issued by various countries against visiting J&K, the department arranged tours for tour and travel operators to study the ground reality and availability of basic Infrastructural facilities. The Minister informed that Rs 70.58 crores have been incurred by various Development Authorities for developing tourism infrastructure. Under the rural 'tourism scheme an amount of Rs 5.29 crore has been spent on 20 villages in the State. To promote Golf tourism, the Tourism department will upgrade Golf Courses at Gulmarg and Pahalgam from 9 to 18 holes with world class infrastructure facilities. He said the 18-hole golf course at Sidhra, Jammu is under execution and Ist phase of 9 holes of this golf course would be opened shortly. JKTDC has generated revenue of Rs. 22.46 crore till ending January against Rs 19.63 crore during the corresponding period last year. Similarly, the J&K Cable Car Corporation has generated revenue of Rs 11.59 crore as against Rs 8.39 crore during the last year. The Government will take up some projects during the current year, including construction of Ropeway Mubarak Mandi to Bahu Fort, Chair lift Maqdoom Sahib Shrine and Ghair lift to Kangdori and construction of revolving restaurant at Affarwat.
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J&K Legislative Assembly
Demands on Grants
BUDGET SESSION 2010
Agriculture Minister: GHULAM HASSAN MIR
Grants: Rs. 70061.05 lakhs
M
inister for Agriculture, Ghulam Hassan Mir has said that all available resources have being pooled to create Irrigation facilities to increase production and productivity in the State He said that only 41% of the total sown area in the State is irrigated and much cultivable land is situated on hill slopes and Karevas. Speaking on the Demand of Grants for Agriculture and allied sectors he enumerated the measures being undertaken to increase the crop yield and make the State self-sufficient in food production. He said intensive efforts have been made to increase the productivity of crops like rice, maize and wheat besides diversification of other crops. He said that State Land use Board has been constituted under the chairmanship of Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah to lay down the policy on land use in the State, adding that about 2.5 lakh hectares of agriculture at land has been converted for non-agriculture purposes in the State. Taking serious view of this issue, the Minister said a high powered committee has been constituted under the chairmanship of the Minister for Rural Development to check conversion of agricultural land for commercial, residential and infrastructural purposes. Underscoring the importance of double cropping in the Valley, the Minister said, that high yielding and early maturing varieties like Shalimar Wheat-I and Shalimar Rice-I developed by
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SKUAST-Kashmir have been introduced. These varieties would also help in introducing triple cropping to increase food grain production in the State. About 8000 hectares of land, on which paddy is grown, has been brought under mustard and 2000 hectares under fodder cultivation besides 180 hectare land has been brought under wheat cultivation to establish the paddy-wheat crop rotation. Regarding the distribution of High Yielding Varieties (HYV) of seeds, the Minister said that 32227 quintals of HYV seed of wheat was distributed among the farmers in Jammu division with an incentive of Rs. 500 per quintal during Rabi 200910 besides 41840 quintals of HYV seeds of different crops were distributed among fanners of Jammu division during the year. The Minister said for the first time, Kissan Welfare Board has been constituted to address the problems of farmers. Besides, Centrally Sponsored Schemes, the Technology Mission on Horticulture and Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana have significantly enhanced the fruit production. The Minister said that Kissan Credit Cards are being provided to the farmers in a big way to enable them avail
agriculture credit facilities, on meager 5% interest. He said crop insurance, which was introduced in the country in 2002 and in the State in 2004, is being implemented at ground level and Insurance Companies have been asked to establish their units at district level. The J&K Bank has agreed to provide logical support in this connection. He said horticulture sector has also been brought under Crop Insurance. Regarding the availability and distribution of fertilizers the Minister said that Union Government has been approached to sanction buffer stocks at various locations and revert to the special freight policy for the State as the uniform freight policy in vogue is acting as a disincentive for short haul transportation in J&K.
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BUDGET SESSION 2010
Health & Family Welfare Minister: SHAM LAL SHARMA
Grants: Rs. 139765.05Iakhs
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he Minister for Health Sham Lal Sharma has said government is planning to upgrade and improve healthcare facilities in a big way with establishment of 160 more PHCs and 85 Community Health centers and Sub District Hospitals with adequate staff. Replying to the Demand of Grants for the Health and allied departments, the Minister said that telemedicine facilities have been introduced at Kupwara, Poonch, Kathua, Leh and Kargil besides 20 Blood Banks, including 3 Blood Component Separation Facility units, 15 X-Ray plants, 14 Anesthesia Machines and 31 Dental Units, have been provided to various health institutions in the State. The Minister said construction of 108 health institutions, including PHCs, Allopathic and ISM Dispensaries at an estimated cost of Rs. 117.50 crore, have been taken up while construction of 32 buildings for various health institution shave been completed. The Minister said that as a result of transparency and enhanced work culture remarkable improvement is visible in the health care delivery system with Outdoor Patient Department (OPD) showing 14% increase, as compared to the last year. He said spending on health care delivery has increased 32% this fiscal. Be said revenue generation in Jammu division has been registered at 32% while it is all time high of 49% in the Kashmir division. Sharma said the Professional Audit Report could
help to rationalize expansion of health centres on need basis, and the document would be a road map for future expansion. The Minister further informed that adequate measures have been taken to improve the availability of doctors in the remote and far-off areas, adding that 10% of seats in postgraduate (PG) courses will be reserved for serving in these areas. The doctors, having served in rural areas, shall be given additional marks for getting PG seats. Regarding capacity building in the health department, the Minister said, 33 Medical Officers were imparted training to strengthen the mental health services while 18 doctors were deputed to National Institute of Health and Family Welfare, Delhi for developing administrative skills. Keeping in view the importance of health department, the annual plan allocation for the sector has also been increased to Rs. 293 crore in next year's budget, as commercial last year's Rs. 203 crore. He said Janani Suraksha Ybjana (JSY) has been revived in the State. The Minister said that AYUSH system of medicines is being promoted in a big way in the State adding that the Centre has earmarked Rs.10 crore each for setting up of
Government Ayurvedic and Unani Colleges in Jammu and Srinagar. He said Criticil Care Ambulances would be provided in each district to deal with the accident related cases appropriately. The Trauma Hospital at Qazigund will be inaugurated on 31st March this year, he said and announced that the honorarium of ASHA workers will be enhanced from Rs.600 to Rs. 1600 per case from April this year. Due to introduction of professional audit in the department, the overall functioning has improved substantially, he said, adding that in Jammu division, OPD, institutional deliveries, surgery and revenue realization has increased by 14%, 32%, 50% and 32%, respectively while in Kashmir division OPD caesarian sections and revenue generation has increased by 3% 10% and 50% respectively.
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J&K Legislative Assembly
Demands on Grants
BUDGET SESSION 2010
CA & PD, Transport Minister: QAMAR ALI AKHOON
Budget: Rs. 110335.52
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he Departments of Consumer Affairs, Public Distribution and Transport for their essential and daily connect with all walks of daily life remained a subject of heated discussions almost every day during the current budget session. It is a traditional mess in the departments which had the incumbent Minister Qamar Ali Akhoon always on toes convincing the Members that measures are afoot for radical change. His reply to the debate on demands for grants was, however, heard with rapt attention when Akhoon informed the House that a number of reformative measures have been taken to streamline Public Distribution System (PDS) and to plug pilferage of food grains. Said monitoring and inspection mechanism has been strengthened to thwart pilferage at various vulnerable stages of distribution, including, during transportation and sale at ration outlets. He said it has been ordered that every ration dealer shall have to lift the quota of ration from Ist to 15th of every month for distribution of the same among the consumers throughout the month. If a dealer fails to comply with these directions, his dealership license will be cancelled, the Minister said, adding that the dealers have also been asked to display the stock position and the rates prominently at each ration depot for convenience of the people. The Minister said that Jammu and Kashmir was the only State in the country which provides ration @ 50 kg per
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ration card to the people, as compared to 35 kgs per card in other states. The expenses, for the additional 15 kg is being borne by the State Government, putting a burden of Rs. 104 crore on the exchequer, as the additional ration is being provided on the subsidized rates to the beneficiaries, despite purchasing it at landed cost, the Minister added. Department is also providing three months free ration, worth over Rs. 70.45 crore to 1,20,367 to the drought affected families of the State. On Transport sector, Akhoon said that a Comprehensive City Transport Plan for Jammu and Srinagar cities is being contemplated to ensure smooth movement of traffic, besides urban Metropolitan Transport Authority. He said that a Committee in this regard has already been constituted under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary. He said 7,23,555 vehicles stand registered in the State of which 1,25,109 are commercial and over 5 lakh vehicles are non-commercial. He further said the Transport Department has realized a revenue of Rs 86.9 crore upto February 2010 during the financial year. For making the SRTC, self-reliant, the Government has approved Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) for 400 employees against a target of 1210, the Minister said.
H I G H L I G H T S Strong monitoring, inspection mechanism to check pilferage of food grains. 3445 surprise inspections, 1213 raids conducted in one year; licenses of the 45 Fair Price Shops were suspended and 210 persons arrested for hoarding, black-marketing etc. most of these raids/inspections were led by the Minister himself. To revive Public Distribution System about 636 Vigilance Committees have been constituted at District, Tehsil, Block and Panchayat levels in the State to check black-marketing and ensure timely distribution of ration to the beneficiaries. License of ration dealers to be cancelled if quota not lifted in first 15 days of month and distributed in next 15 days. Efforts underway to bridge supply-demand gap as state receives from Center only 6367 MTs of ration against demand of 1.32 lakh MTs. Case is being pursued with Planning Commission. Deputy Commissioners are also asked to furnish fresh BPL lists.
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BUDGET SESSION 2010
Roads & Buildings Minister: GM Saroori
Budget: Rs. 178945.56 lakhs
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n a hilly and scattered populated state like Jammu and Kashmir roads are the basic requirement to deliver even the minimum of developmental goals. This perhaps is a major realization in the roads and buildings department which has embarked on ushering Jammu and Kashmir into an era of thickly woven network of roads. In his reply to debate on the demands on grants for Roads and Buildings Department, the energetic Minister in-charge Ghulam Mohammad Saroori reflected road connectivity a priority of not only his department but also a collective vision of the coalition government. The prestigious Mughal Road, of course, has emerged as most import project of recent times and the Minister has invited Legislators to take a drive on this road in coming June. Saroori also talked about a massive Rs 1467 Cr project in 7th phase of Prime Minister's Grameen Sadak Yojna (PMGSY) for the State, aimed at giving boost to roads and bridges. The achievements registered during the past year have been possible due to close monitoring, solution to various bottlenecks following joint meetings of the departments concerned and on-thespot decision. The R&B Department is maintaining 21357 km road length in state. Terming Mughal Road as dream come true for the State, the Minister informed the House that he has been convening review meetings every fortnight. He said the project was close
to the heart of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah and praised the former Chief Ministers, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and Ghulam Nabi Azad and currently the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for expediting work on the project and arranging funds for it. He said the road would be open for light vehicles in June and invited Members to travel to Srinagar this season through this road to make the auspicious beginning. Saroori said in order to provide more inter-state road communication facilities to the people of the State, the Government has started construction on Bhadarwah-Chamba Road at a cost of Rs 73.73 crore. Connecting Himachal Pradesh with the State directly. He said, construction of 4.50 kms long ChatrooSingpora-Vailoo tunnel costing Rs 400 crore would connect district Doda in Jammu division with district Anantnag in Kashmir division. This road shall be the most comfortable road for Amarnath Ji Yatris to reach the Base Camp at Pahalgam within shortest possible time. The Minister said the Government also plans to construct tunnels at Zojila Pass to connect Kashmir Valley with Kargil and Leh in Ladakh, Sadhna Pass to connect Bandipora with Gurez, Razdan Pass tunnel to connect Kupwara with Tangdar, Kapran-Chatragul tunnel to connect Gool Gulab Garh area of Jammu with Banihal,Kulgam in Kashmir round the year. He said to check the quality of material in use two testing laboratories
have been setup at Jammu and Srinagar. He also referred to his continued visits to H I G H L I G H T S 2935 KMs of roads added at cost of Rs 747 Cr to connect areas in population range of 100 to 5000 2165 KMs road length in twin capital cities and peripheral areas macadamised at cost of Rs 65 Cr Rs 85 Cr spent under Central Road Fund in 2009-10 against Rs 205 Cr between 2005-09. Testing laboratories setup at Jammu and Srinagar for checking quality of materials used 2010 Targets 108 major bridges are being completed through JKPCC for which Rs. 784 crore has earmarked. Work on 102 new major bridges being taken up. Central funding of Rs 9377 Cr for four laning of the SrinagarJammu NH, including two long tunnels. Tendering for the first phase of the project complete and by April-May it will be completed for rest of the phases.
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Demands on Grants
BUDGET SESSION 2010
Technical Education, Youth Services, Sports Minister: RS CHIB
Budget: Rs. 53354.71
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lready embarked on a massive agenda of building skill capacities of four million youths in next 12 years, the Department of Youth Services, Sports and Technical Education is about to pick up 8000 youths from the state for their training on job oriented trades in different parts of country. In his reply to discussion on the demands on grants of his department, the incumbent Minister Prof RS Chib said that his core focus is on enhancing meaningful employability among the youths and making them self reliant. At local level strenuous initiatives are made to modernize the skill development facilities. Chib said that Government will strengthen all the existing Government Polytechnics through Central funding and Rs. two crore will be spent on each institution. He said a proposal to this effect has been submitted to the Ministry of Human Resources Development for funding. He said that the Government will establish 18 new Polytechnic Colleges in uncovered districts of the State for which land has been identified and work will start soon. Chib said that to encourage women enrolment in the Polytechnics, the Government will construct women's hostels in all existing Polytechnic Colleges under the coordinated action plan for skill development. Rs. one crore will be spent on each hostel, he added. The Minister said that there are 48 ITIs and one ITCs functioning in the State with a total seating capacity of 9252. He further said that, out of 5 new sanctioned
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ITIs, 4 ITIs at Banihal, Bani, Nowshera and Hajan have been made functional by internal arrangements, while ITI Gurez shall start its functioning during the next year. In order to strengthen the functioning of the ITIs, he said a committee has been constituted to study the gaps in infrastructure, manpower and machinery in these institutions. To further modernize and strength vocational training, the Minister said 104 long and short term courses have been introduced in these ITIs. He said 7 trade units have been introduced in women ITI, Jammu, besides 5 women wings, consisting 20 trade units in selected ITIs, have also been introduced. The Minister said that under Vocational Training Improvement Project (UTIP), 10 ITIs are being covered with World Bank assistance of Rs. 21.50 crore, which includes, ITIs of Jammu, Doda, Kishtwar, Rajouri, R. S. Pura, Hiranagar, Srinagar, Baramulla, Anantnag and Kupwara. The objectives of the scheme is to upgrade selected ITIs as centres of excellence by introducing new Multi-Skilling Modular Courses, improving physical infrastructure and adopting new training technologies. Highlighting the achievements made in the Youth Services and Sports, the Minister said that around 2.35 lakh students are being covered under various sports competitions at District, Division and State level. He said that Government has sponsored about 800 student players for participating in the National School Games outside the
State who secured 11 Gold, 15 silver and 17 bronze in different activities. H I G H L I G H T S Around 800 student players participated in the National School Games outside the State and secured 11 Gold, 15 silver and 17 bronze in different activities 8000 youths from the state for their training on job oriented trades in different parts of country. This exercise is a part of program to train 40 lakh youths by year 2022 Under Vocational Training Improvement Project (UTIP), 10 ITIs are being covered with World Bank assistance of Rs. 21.50 crore, which includes, ITIs of Jammu, Doda, Kishtwar, Rajouri, R. S. Pura, Hiranagar, Srinagar, Baramulla, Anantnag and Kupwara 48 ITIs and one ITCs are functioning in the State with a total seating capacity of 9252. Out of 5 new sanctioned ITIs, 4 ITIs at Banihal, Bani, Nowshera and Hajan have been made functional by internal arrangements, while ITI Gurez shall start its functioning during the next year
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BUDGET SESSION 2010
Public Health Engineering, Irrigation, Flood Control Minister: TAJ MOHI-UD-DIN
Budget: Rs. 157780.43 lakhs
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hile taking care of the growing need of potable water, the Department of Public Health Engineering has made a cautious policy of completing the ongoing schemes on fast priority basis before taking up new schemes in hand. Minister for PHE, Irrigation & Flood Control, Taj Mohi-ud-Din told Legislative Assembly, while replying to discussion on demands on grants, that 460 Water Supply Schemes (WSS) are ready for operation in the State. He said with the commissioning of these schemes nine lakh additional souls would be provided the facility of drinking water. He said no new water supply scheme would be taken in hand until the backlog of under completion schemes is cleared. He said for the next year a target of completing 800 such pending schemes has been set. Taj said the Government is building an artificial lake on river Tawi for which Rs 25 crore were already earmarked and on his request, the 13th Finance Commission has awarded a grant of additional Rs 25 crores for the project. Minister said the Chattabal Navigational Lock, popularly known as Chattabal Weir, is being restored and would be thrown open by the Chief Minister during the first week of April. He said with this a constant water level in the Jehlum would be maintained. He said the Weir would provide constant
supply of fresh water to Dal Lake on one hand and on the other enable water transport through river Jehlum. The Minister said, this year many irrigation canals have been cleaned, desilted and repaired. He said additional 700 cusecs of water would be taken from Tawi through gravitation for irrigation purposes this year which would irrigate around 25,000 acres of land in the catchment areas. Terming irrigation as the life line of agro economy, the Minister said since the signing of the agreement with Punjab some 31 years ago, the State did not get its water share despite construction of 400 km length of distributory network. He said the Government has also sought consultancy for the construction of remaining portion of Ravi Canal from Basantpur in Kathua district upstream Ranjit Sagar Dam. He said a massive reshuffle of about 30,000 employees in the department was undertaken to break the nexus of vested interests. He said there was no concept of retiring at the lowest level in these departments and when he took over only 345 vacancies were available. He said now around 2500 workers have opted for voluntary retirement and another 1000 are in the process. He said the Kashmir Union of PHE employees met him and even sought more time to take benefit of the scheme.
H I G H L I G H T S Policy formulated to complete ongoing water supply schemes before taking in hand new projects 460 water schemes ready for operation to serve nearly 10 lakh population. Target of completing 800 such schemes in 2010 already set. Additional 700 cusecs of water would be taken from Tawi through gravitation for irrigation purposes this year which would irrigate around 25,000 acres of land in the catchment areas Workers at lower rungs had fudged papers to postpone their retirements as only 345 vacancies were visible till last year. Steps were initiated to cleanse the system and now around 2500 workers have opted for voluntary retirement and another 1000 are in the process.
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n terms of form and content, Epilogue is a model of its kind. It would be wonderful if it could find imitators, so that every state of India could have its own informed journal showcasing its politics and culture RAMCHANDRA GUHA Author of India After Gandhi
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pilogue voices not just politically savvy but culturally sensitive opinions as well. It provides a forum at which heterogeneity in terms of cultural, political, social, and regional ideologies, is fostered and encouraged. NYLA ALI KHAN Author of Islam, Women and Violence in Kashmir
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have found Epilogue interesting. May be you need to broaden your convas to look at what has been happening in PaK and the Northern Areas and the solutions on offer or desired. Also the surrounding scene Tibet, Xinjiang, Afghanistan - the last being closely linked to development in J&K. And, of course, Pakistan BG VERGHESE
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s an independent news monthly, Epilogue is both an unbiased source of information and a meeting ground for diverse perspectives, serving scholars and analysts in J&K, in the broader subcontinent, and abroad. MATTHEW A. ROSENSTEIN, Associate Director, Program in Arms Control, Disarmament, and International Security (ACDIS), University of Illinois, USA