*Announces Saffron Parks for Kishtwar, Pampore
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Sept 26: Amidst growing demand for announcement of special relief package for the flood-hit Jammu and Kashmir, Union Minister, Dr Jitendra Singh today said that State Government should not hanker for any specific financial assistance from the Centre as Prime Minister, Narendra Modi led-Government is committed to extend unlimited help for rebuilding of ravaged State.
Addressing a largely attended public meeting at Kishtwar after conducting aerial survey of different areas affected due to recent heavy rains particularly Chatroo and Dachhan, Dr Jitendra Singh said that Union Government promptly responded to the devastation caused by the flash floods in Jammu and Kashmir and announced liberal financial assistance for relief and rehabilitation of the affected people.
“As Union Government didn’t give any chance to the critics to question its seriousness to help Jammu and Kashmir, some leaders have now started raising the issue of granting special relief package for the sake of expressing sympathy with the floods-hit people”, he said, adding “the fact is that offer of relief assistance from the Union Government is much more than any package”.
“We don’t want to restrict assistance to J&K to any particular amount, we are committed to provide unlimited help in order to ensure rebuilding of damaged infrastructure and ensure proper rehabilitation of the affected populace”, said Dr Singh, who is holding the portfolio of MoS in Prime Minister’s Office, DoPT, Space and Atomic Energy, Earth Sciences and Science and Technology.
Making it clear that BJP-led Union Government doesn’t want to play politics over extending financial assistance to Jammu and Kashmir, he said, “we have already decided to be liberal in rebuilding floods ravaged State as it is the responsibility of Union Government to ensure that J&K is back on the track of normalcy”.
“This can be gauged from the fact that Rs 2400 crore financial assistance has already been granted to Jammu and Kashmir and several Union Ministers reiterated the commitment of liberal funding during their visits to the State in the aftermath of devastating floods”, Dr Jitendra Singh added.
He said that the only concern of the Union Government was ensuring utilization of funds in fair and transparent manner so that each and affected people is provided assistance. “In order to ensure this, we have been advising the respective District Development Commissioners to involve local committees so that justice is done to each and every affected person”, Dr Singh added.
Pointing towards the canards spread by certain political parties during the campaign for Lok Sabha elections, he said, “only those speak of secularism, who have nothing to do for the betterment of people just to hoodwink the common masses”, adding “actually there is no need to become secular. Prime Minister, Narendra Modi wants people belonging to each and every section of society to contribute for the development and progress of the country by following the religion they belong to”.
About apprehensions of certain quarters regarding utilization of funding being given by the Union Government in the aftermath of floods, he said, “Union Government is for the entire State and not for any particular region. People have to change mindset as we will not allow discrimination with any region of Jammu and Kashmir”.
Stating that BJP-led Union Government doesn’t want to speak about the performance of previous Government, he said, “Prime Minister has made it clear to all the Ministers to focus on the work as indulging in comparison would amount to wastage of energy, which we want to utilize for the constructive purpose and progress of the country”.
On the occasion, Dr Singh announced setting up of Saffron Parks at Kishtwar and Pampore and said, “Union Government would revive Saffron Committee, which is lying defunct despite the fact that it has an important role to play”.
He announced that formal orders regarding enhancement of honorarium of Special Police Officers (SPOs) from Rs 3000 to Rs 6000 per month would be issued shortly as both Union Ministry of Home Affairs and Finance Ministry have cleared the proposal.
Similarly, he announced that Special Job Mela would be organized in Kishtwar on the pattern of Kathua in order to provide employment to unemployed youth through the Multi National Companies. He informed that around 500 youth were recruited by different companies during such Mela held at Kathua recently.
Dr Singh said that he has issued directions to the companies engaged in construction of tunnels, roads and power projects to provide employment to the locals in their respective projects. “I will ensure that they fulfill their obligation”, he added.
Assuring upgradation of health infrastructure in rural areas of the State, he stressed that State Government should lay required focus on disaster management. “All what is being done in the aftermath of recent flash floods is reaction to disaster and cannot be called disaster management for which required steps should have been taken by the Government keeping in view the vulnerability of State to disasters”, he added.
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