Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 16: Chairman, Legislative Council, Haji Anayat Ali today announced to form a House Committee to enquire into the alleged lapses/ bunglings in setting up of e-studio and mega seed unit in the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agriculture Sciences (SKUAST)-Jammu.
The Chairman made the announcement while intervening during the reply by the Minister for Agriculture Production Ghulam Nabi Lone to the question raised by PDP member, Surinder Kumar Chowdhary from district Rajouri.
Not only from PDP member, the Minister for Agriculture Production, Lone also faced tough opposition from the some other PDP and BJP members including Vibodh Gupta, Saifuddin Bhat, Zafar Iqbal, Ramesh Arora, Sofi Yousuf who pressed for setting up of House Committee. They virtually grilled the Minister and sought reply why despite farming two committees, the reports have not been submitted.
While pressing for the demand, Surinder Choudhary said it is unfortunate that two committees were framed during past two and half years to investigate the matter. But till today no report has been submitted by any Committee. He regretted that during last Budget Session also he had raised the same question, and almost same reply was given to him with changing of some language of the question. The Minister on the floor of the House had committed to submit report with in two months but it is very unfortunate that today after one year, he is claiming to submit report in the House during next session. He termed it as mockery of the system and alleged that Government was trying to shield the real culprits. He claimed that concerned Registrar who is real culprit was being shielded while just one officer was made scapegoat who had nothing to do with it.
The Minister tried his best to convince the PDP member and others with the reply but he failed to convince the member and the Chairman. The PDP member claimed that it was big scandal worth crores committed by some people in the Agriculture University and the culprits should be brought to justice. There is no progress on e-studios being set up for the farmers and mega seed unit as well.
Not convinced by the response of the Minister and mounting pressure from the Coalition members, the Chairman announced the framing of House Committee.
Earlier, replying to the main question, the Minister for Agriculture said that the University has constituted a Committee to ascertain the reason for non-functioning of e-studios. After the submission of fact finding report by the Committee, the University will proceed against the delinquent officers if any found involved.
He further informed that on the recommendation of another Committee constituted to enquire into the lapses in the mega seed project, penalty of premature retirement on proportionate pension other than that specified in Article 226 (2) of J&K CSR in terms of Rule 30 of J&K Civil Services Rules 1956 read with Clause 26, Chapter IV of SKUAST Statute was imposed on Ex-Director Research Dr NA Sudhan.
The Minister informed that the final award of 3594 kanals and 9 marlas was issued by Collector Land Acquisition Jammu to SKUAST-J for Rs 21.64 crore for land at Rakh Chatha, Shahzadpur, Gujran and Chatha. He said the State Government released Rs 18.77 crore in favour of University for land acquisition of which Rs 17.60 crore was placed at the disposal of Collector Land Acquisition, Jammu and balance amount of Rs 1.17 crore remitted to Agriculture Production Department for keeping under Civil deposit.
Giving more details, the Minister said that an amount of Rs 7,15,80,569 has been disbursed to 238 families as per record furnished by Revenue Department. The remaining funds are lying with the Collector Land Acquisition, Jammu and land compensation has been paid to 238 families and 37 families are left as per the record of the Revenue Department, he added.
He further said that the Government is considering the proposal for providing employment to those whose land was acquired by the University.
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