INDIA bloc has nothing to do with ‘vote theft’
Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Dec 15 :Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said the issue of key institutions not being handed back to the elected Government should be taken very seriously.
Speaking to reporters here, Omar said that despite holding the Power portfolio, the Power Development Corporation (PDC) has not yet been returned to the elected Government. He said institutions that were earlier with the elected Government should be restored.
The Chief Minister said the Government was trying to revive the tourism sector but acknowledged that cancellations were taking place.
With Christmas and New Year approaching, he said a revival depended heavily on snowfall. “Until we get proper snow in Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Sonamarg, we will not get a good class of tourists,” he said.
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Omar said that the Government is doing everything possible in terms of infrastructure and promotion of tourism that suffered a major setback after the Pahalgam terror attack. “The annual convention of the Adventure Tour Operators Association of India will be held in Srinagar in the coming days as part of tourism promotion efforts,” he added.
The Chief Minister said that the capping airline ticket prices had failed across the country. “After the grounding of IndiGo flights, the Government of India issued clear instructions to control fares, but airlines did not agree. We are also victims of this, but we do not have a solution,” he said.
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On alleged mistreatment of MLA Chadoora, Omar said elected representatives did not “come from the sky” but were chosen by the people, and it was the responsibility of both the administration and Government to behave properly with them and consult them.
On a Congress rally at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi over alleged voting theft, the Chief Minister said every political party was free to set its own agenda but maintained that the INDIA bloc had nothing to do with the issue.
On issues related to industrial policy of 2021, Omar said the question was not about extending it but about funding. He said the money allocated under the policy had been exhausted and the Government was trying to increase the amount, but had not yet been able to convince the centre.
Asked about the National Investigation Agency filing a charge sheet in the Pahalgam attack case, the Chief Minister said there was little for him to add. He said the NIA had conducted the investigation and the decision would now be taken by the courts. “Who is guilty and who is innocent will be decided by the court. This is not my job or anyone else’s,” he said, adding that there was a legal process for such matters.
On the alleged interference of an MLA in a power project, Omar said that these projects are not only for Jammu and Kashmir but for the whole country. “These are projects of national importance and there should be no permission for interference anywhere,” he said.
The Chief Minister said that at present only one MLA has been publicly discussed, but interference was taking place at several project sites in Kishtwar.
He said that two opposition MLAs were interfering in almost every project in the district, adding that agencies should be allowed to do their work independently.
Earlier, the Chief Minister e-inaugurated and in virtual mode laid foundation stone of several key developmental projects worth Rs 37.92 crore in Srinagar district, aimed at strengthening urban infrastructure, improving civic amenities and enhancing the quality of life of the people.
The e-inauguration and e-foundation ceremony was held at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC). Ministers Javed Rana, Javid Dar and Satish Sharma, Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani, Chairperson District Development Council Srinagar Malik Aftab and MLAs including Ali Mohammad Sagar, Mubarak Gul, Shameem Firdous, Salman Sagar, Tanvir Sadiq, Ahsan Ahmad and Mushtaq Ahmad Guru, were present on the occasion.
Among senior officials present were Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister Dheeraj Gupta, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Anshul Garg, Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Akshay Labroo, along with Heads of Departments and other concerned officers.
The Chief Minister e-inaugurated the remodelling and repair work of the Wool Mandi at Nowshera in Srinagar, completed at a cost of Rs 1 crore.
He laid the e-foundation stone for the construction of a new building for the upgradation of the Surgery, Medicine and Radiology Departments at Government Medical College Srinagar, at an estimated cost of Rs 18.70 crore.
He also laid foundation stones for the upgradation of Abhedananda Home at Solina at a cost of Rs 9.90 crore, and for the construction of a Fleece Testing Laboratory at Zakura costing Rs 2.13 crore.
Similarly, the Chief Minister laid the e-foundation stone for construction of a 1×15-metre span plate girder RCC decked bridge over Maloori Nallah on the Gandtal-Ganimohar road at a cost of Rs 1.53 crore. He also laid the foundation stone for a Rs 4.66 crore project involving construction of a 1×20-metre span plate girder RCC decked bridge over Maloori Nallah at Sarabagh, along with the road stretch from Sarabagh to Dara Health Centre.
During the event, Omar handed over sanction letters to beneficiaries under Mission YUVA and the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP) from Srinagar district, reaffirming the Government’s commitment to employment generation and livelihood enhancement.
He took review of development projects under execution in Srinagar district under CSS, CAPEX, SASCI and CDF. He insisted on optimal utilisation of funds and meeting the timelines.
The CM listened to various issues posed by MLAs of Srinagar district and expressed concern over environmental issues due to Achan landfill site and stressed on decongestion of traffic in the city. He directed the concerned departments, divisional and district administration to find a longterm solutions to these pressing issues. He also underlined the need to address the issue of deteriorating air quality in Srinagar and to take measures to control air pollution apart from the dry climate aggravating the issue.
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