Avtar Bhat/
Nishikant Khajuria
-Excelsior/Madan
JAMMU/KATHUA, Oct 13: Establishing a link between the recent flood furry and more than two-decade long militancy in Kashmir, the Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh today said that the natural calamity was apparent result of the wrongs done during turmoil in the State.
He also came down heavily on the critics of Central Government over alleged discrimination in relief measures and pulled up the Kashmir based leaders for refraining to laud Indian Army and Border Security Force for their exemplary services in rescuing people during the floods.
Dr Jitendra Singh, the Union Minister of State, Independent Charge, for Science and Technology & Earth Science, who is also MoS in PMO, was addressing a function in connection with the launching of Jammu & Kashmir Special Credit cum Relief Camps programme at Jammu University where the State Finance Minister A R Rather was also present.
Apparently referring to the excuses made by the successive State Governments in checking defiance of law on the name of militancy, Mr Singh pointed out that the spree of encroachments and illegal constructions in Kashmir led to recent floods. “Sooner or later we have to introspect this link between the recent flood furry and the turmoil being witnessed in Kashmir for the last 25 years during which a sense of arrogance and new terminologies were conceived by the people who propagated that the land of neighbours as well as of rivers was their for resorting to encroachments,” he said.
Without naming anyone, the Union Minister lambasted the separatists as well as the mainstream political parties in Kashmir Valley for refraining to shower praise on Indian Army and BSF notwithstanding the exemplary services rendered by the forces in rescue operation during floods.
“Even as we have not trained our Army for such rescue and relief operations, they did it excellently and we must say that our Army is best in not only taking on the enemy but also saving innocent lives,” he said while looking at A R Rather, who- in his address earlier on the occasion, had lauded Central Government for timely help but did not mention about the well known heroic role of Army during Valley floods.
In this context, Mr Singh quoted the holy Quran according to which not praising anything worth praise is also a sin.
The Union Minister, who represents Kathua-Doda Parliamentary constituency in the Lok Sabha, also came down heavily on the critics of Modi Government over alleged discrimination in the flood relief measures. “Besides personal visits of the Prime Minister, Union Home Minister and other senior Ministers to the flood ravaged Valley, the Centre provided immediate relief, which was required but it was the State Government which had to take care of proper distribution among needy,” he said while listing instances of mismanagement by the State machinery in distribution of chlorine tablets and other relief.
Later addressing the border people in shelter homes at Hiranagar and Ghagwal tehsils, Dr Jitendra Singh announced that Centre has enhanced the ex-gratia for the deceased in border firing to Rs two lakh and Rs 50,000 for the injured. The formal order in this regard will likely to be issued today in Union Capital, he added.
He said the issue was taken up by him with Union Home Minister, Raj Nath Singh recently and he has in principle agreed to enhance the same.
Dr Singh, who was accompanied by the BJP MLA from Hiranagar Durga Dass, Party general secretary, Rajiv Jasrotia, Deputy Commissioner Samba, Mubarak Singh, DC Kathua Shahid Iqbal, SSP Kathua, Mohan Lal and other senior officers said construction of pacca bunkers for border people within their residential houses has been agreed to by the Border Security Forces (BSF) in principle and the work will begin on the same soon. This will go a long way in minimizing the civilian casualties during the shelling from across the border, he added.
Maintaining that Centre is fully seized of border migrants’ problems, the Union Minister said that it will never feel them let down and all steps will be taken to mitigate their sufferings. He said people living on IB and LoC have shown exemplary courage and valour and they are fighting against enemy shoulder to shoulder along with security forces.
He said all benefits under the banking industry which are given to flood affected people of the State will be extended to border firing victims also. This scheme will be implemented for the border people too and they are entitled to all benefits which are given to flood victims of the State, Dr Singh added.
He said the objective of this scheme should be that bank should reach to victim and victim should not go to bank. The people under this scheme will get benefit up to Rs 10 lakh for which minimum documentation is needed.
The Union Minister said the civil society should be involved in the same to identify the genuine victims so that the scheme is not misused.
Dr Singh said, besides, he has taken up the issue of constructing the women toilets in border areas on priority basis as the women folk feel it difficult to ease out themselves during late night hours due to border shelling and patrolling of security forces. Besides the Government will also start recruitment drive for border people in para military forces as was in practice during previous NDA rule led by Mr Vajpayee and which was abandoned during last 10 years of UPA Government at Centre, he added.
Dr Singh said that allotment of five marlas of land for border migrants at safer places has also been taken up with the State Government which has started the process for identification of land.
Dr Singh issued on the spot directives to respective District Development Commissioners to provide conveyance facilities to border people and school and college going children to visit their homes daily and also take steps to arrange fodder for their cattle. He also issued instructions regarding waiving off of power tariff to border people for the month of October which too has been agreed to by the authorities in principle.
The migrant camps visited by Minister included Nanath Ashram Gahagwal, Narsim Mandir Ghagwal, HSS Hiranagar, Koota Hiranagar and Middle School Chan Kataria, Hiranagar.
While addressing a function at Khajuria Palace Kathua, Dr Singh reiterated the resolve of Government led by Narendra Modi that it will not show any leniency towards the aggressor nor it will say like the previous UPA Government that the people who resorted to border shelling were non State actors.
He said Indian forces have been given a free hand and they are better judges how to deal with situation on borders as there is no interference in their work. Dr Singh said India has most disciplined force in the world and entire nation feels proud of them.
“Our forces are above all in repulsing the attacks on border or dealing with natural calamites’’, he said, adding this has been proved by them while rescuing flood victims in Kashmir Valley recently.
He announced that the work on over Rs 130 crore Kedi Gadyal bridge in Kathua district will begin soon as the tenders for the same have been called by CPWD. This 1100 metre span bridge is a major inter –State connectivity project which besides curtailing the long standing distances will decrease the traffic conjunction and make journey easy, he added.
He said the Union Surface Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari was to lay foundation stone of the bridge and perform the pooja but due to recent floods in the State he postponed the programme and the formal pooja will be performed by him soon. Besides the Minister will also inaugurate the Jammu- Udhampur four lanning of National Highway soon, he added.
Dr Singh said, besides 25 kilometre long road from Pali to Nagri will also be constructed in Kathua district by CPWD in collaboration with the State Government.
He said the construction of new Railway Station at Kathua is also in pipeline as the issue which was taken up by him with Railway Minister Sadanand Gowda is in the active consideration of Railway Ministry. Besides, Basohli will also be linked to rail and proposal has been mooted to run DMU from Pathankote to Basholi via Kathua, he added.
Dr Singh said he has taken up the issue regarding grant of heritage city status to Basohli township with Union Cultural Ministry also and after the Ministry examines the project report through professional consultancy will submit the same to UNESCO for approval.
He said land acquisition is a hurdle for setting up of KV at Kathua and land for setting up of an IIT in the Jammu region is being identified either at Kathua, Reasi or Udhampur while the foundation of Bio Tech park has already been laid at Kathie, he added.
Dr Singh said that proposal has also been mooted to start morning flight from Jammu to Delhi as the issue has been taken up by him with Civil Aviation Minister and upgradation of University camps at Kathua is also being considered.
Dr Singh said for the facility of the people of his constituency an office was opened by him at Centrally located place at Jammu which will be convenient for the people of Doda, Kishtwar. Ramban, Reasi, Udhampur as well as Kathua district also.
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