Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Apr 8: A strong Central delegation headed by Cabinet Secretary Ajit Kumar Seth and comprising Home Secretary RK Singh besides Secretaries of various other Central Ministries are visiting Jammu, the winter capital of the State, on April 13 for a high level review of development and security scenario in the State.
Earlier, the delegation was scheduled to visit here on March 19 but the visit had to be postponed in view of Parliament session in New Delhi and budget session of the State Legislature in Jammu.
Official sources told the Excelsior that Mr Seth, Mr Singh and other Secretaries would undertake a review of Centrally Sponsored Schemes including Prime Minister’s Re-construction Plan and other mega projects, which were funded by the Centre Government in a meeting with Administrative Secretaries of the State and Directors of some important areas.
The State Government’s demand for Rs 30,000 crore worth City Mobility Plan for twin capital cities of Jammu and Srinagar would come up for a high level discussion. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had taken up the demand with Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram in January this year to cope up with ever increasing demands of the City including metro services to overcome traffic congestion.
Sources said the Home Secretary could utilise the opportunity of his visit to Jammu to hold a separate security review meeting with top brass of civil and police administration besides heads of para-military forces and Intelligence agencies in the State. This would be the first high level security review by any top Central Government official post-Afzal Guru execution and arrest of Kupwara youth Liyaqat Shah by New Delhi police putting clouds over State Government’s Rehabilitation Policy and situation arising out of the two major incidents.
The review of security scenario would also include recent militancy related incidents including the fidayeen attack at Bemina, Srinagar in which five CRPF personnel were killed besides killing of two police constables and some civilians including Sarpanchs in the Kashmir Valley.
Sources said the Cabinet Secretary and the Secretaries of the Union Government would interact with different ‘working groups’ within the administration to review the progress of various developmental projects especially mega projects, which had the Central funding.
Progress on the projects undertaken in both Central and State sectors including Prime Minister’s Re-construction Plan (PMRP) would be reviewed. In addition, the works going on in the State under various Centrally Sponsored Schemes and mega projects would also come up for a high level review.
The projects to be taken up by the State Government under 12th Five Year Plan, current financial year’s annual plan and PMRP would also be discussed.
Sources said the Planning and Finance Secretaries of the State would take up with the Central delegation the blockade of funds under various heads of the State, which were not released even at the fag end of last financial year. The State would forcefully take up the demand for revalidation of the funds, which lapsed during 2012-13.
For current financial year, the State would put up a strong case for Rs 8000 crore worth annual plan and Rs 600 crores under PMRP besides liberal funding under other Centrally Sponsored Schemes and other shares of the State.
The State would seek release of blocked funds for Housing and Urban Development as the Government had initiated process of much awaited reforms by going in for Urban Bodies elections, Property Tax etc.
Sources said the State Government has directed its top brass of civil administration, Administrative Secretaries and HoDs of important Departments to fully gear up for effective presentation before the Cabinet Secretary, Home Secretary and Central team of the Secretaries.
The progress on projects reviewed earlier by the Cabinet Secretary would also be discussed, sources said.
The State was likely to reiterate its demand for return of Dul Hasti and Salal hydro electric power projects to it from National Hydro-electric Power Corporation (NHPC), sources said, adding that Rangarajan Committee had recommended that Dul Hasti project should be handed over to the State.
Various other important issues would also figure in the review meetings, sources said.
Meanwhile, the Government today designated 10 KAS officers as Liaison Officers with the Central team.
They included Showkat Hussain Kazmi, Deputy Excise Commissioner (Distilleries), Jammu, Choudhary Mohammad Rashid, Project Officer, Self Employment, Jammu, Arun Kumar Manhas, Deputy Director Estates, Jammu, Syed Muried Hussain Shah, CEO/Secretary, J&K Building and Other Constructions Welfare Board.
Sanjay Gupta, Assistant Settlement Officer, Jammu, Suram Chand Sharma, Project Officer (Water Shed), Arun Kishore Kotwal, Deputy Director CAPD, Vinod Kumar Behnal, Deputy Director Local Bodies, Vir Krishen Dhar, Deputy Director Employment and Naresh Kumar, Secretary, Jammu Municipal Corporation.
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