Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 8: A whopping Rs 80,000 crore package announced for the people of Jammu and Kashmir by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has invited mixed reaction from various political and social outfits.
Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief GA Mir while reacting to the package for flood affected people said that PDP- led Coalition Govt has miserably failed to get respite for affected people and it has further disappointed them. Rejecting the so called relief package, PCC chief said it was expected that Prime Minister would announce comprehensive package for rehabilitation of flood affected people, but that has not happened.
Describing Rs 7854 crore flood relief package as a cruel joke, PCC chief said that mere nearly Rs 8000 crore against Rs 44,000 crore comprehensive package sent to Centre by previous Cong-NC Govt, is not going to address issues of flood affected people. It amounts to adding insult to injuries of affected people, he said.
Expressing concern over the rising unemployment in the State, Mir accused PDP led coalition for failing to address unemployment problem. It was also expected that Prime Minister would announce a special employment package for the unemployment youth of the State, that too, has not happened, which has further disappointed youth to larger extent, he said.
Former Minister Abdul Gani Vakil termed the visit of Prime Minister to J&K as a futile exercise. He said that the so called package announced with hype is meaningless and only a symbolic gesture. Vakil said that if Prime Minister would have been seriously interested in utilizing the opportunity, he should have endorsed the suggestions forwarded by Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed for initiating dialogue with Pakistan to resolve Kashmir issue rather he chose to remain silent on core issue and didn’t pay any heed to it. He said that visit could have been historical one if all stake holders including Hurriyat were invited for dialogue in order to take peace process ahead.
Mr Vakil said that monetary support is not a solution to all problems but political will should prevail upon. He said silence of PM on all important issues having bearing on K -issue is unfortunate. Vakil said that the so called financial package announced by PM will not help J&K State to the better extent. He said package is meaningless for educated unemployed youth, agriculturalist as well as for horticulture and tourism sector which is backbone of State’s economy. People were also dissappointed by Modi’s speech as he didn’t utter a single word against the rising intolerence in the country, Vakil added.
Movement for Justice for Refugees of PoJK 1947 hailed the announcement of relief for PoJK refugees of 1947 by PM in the mega package of Rs 80,068 crores announced for the State.
“While we welcome the relief package announced for PoJK-1947 refugees and express gratitude to BJP-PDP alliance in the State and BJP at the Centre who have felt the pains and sufferings of PoJK refugees after lapse of about seven decades, but the amount earmarked for the relief of PoJK refugees is too meager and does not commensurate with the number of registered families and the recommendations made by the State Govt and various committees including the Joint Parliamentary Committee. The package announced does not speak out about our other demands like reservation for wards of refugees in technical institutions in the country and the State, employment package and also registration of left out families, a spokesman of MJR-47 said.
The spokesman said that MJR-47 had requested the State Govt as well as Centre to work out modalities for disbursement of relief so that like previous package it also do not become simply an eye wash. Administration instead of ensuring smooth flow of relief distribution may not create hazels for the aggrieved families.
All Jammu Hotels & Lodges Association (AJHLA) has appreciated the financial package of Rs 80,000 crore announced by the PM for development of tourism, roads and highways, power, health, flood relief and other sectors and said that it would help in ameliorating problems of the people.
In a press statement, president of the Association Inderjeet Khajuria appreciated the Prime Minister’s concern over tourism in the State as compared to other countries. He said that like Kashmir valley, Jammu has no dearth of tourism potential and lot many tourist spots are still lying un-explored. He said that Jammu tourism economy has suffered a great set back due to the rail link extension to Katra. The PM’s announcement of Rs 2241 crore for tourism sector in the package needs to be utilized equally as Jammu tourism has always been ignored in the past.
Reminding CM and DyCM of their commitment for equitable distribution of funds/ package for the development of three regions, he said that the commitments should be honestly translated into reality as the past experience was very disappointing. He stressed for early completion of Jammu projects like, Cable car project, Tawi artificial lake, Hari Singh Park, modernization of Bus Stand and multi storey-parking there, development of Saruinsar and Mansar etc.
Jammu West Assembly Movement led by Sunil Dimple also expressed displeasure over the package and alleged that PM Modi has disappointed the people of Jammu region. He said that BJP leader did not fulfill the promises made with the people of Jammu during elections. He appealed the Prime Minister to review the package and do justice with the people of Jammu. The activists of Movement also held brief protest at New Plot in this connection.
J&K Kissan Council president Tejinder Singh Wazir while terming Prime Minister package worth Rs 529 crore for Horticulture and Food Processing a good step however he said this package practically reflects the promotion of only horticulture sector and there are apprehensions among the farmers and the others who feel totally ignored in this package.
Wazir said that farmers are desperately suffering for marketing of their paddy crop as there is not a single permanent grain market available in the State where growers can sell their crop on minimum support price. He said the average land holding, rain fed agriculture, nominal research and extension, border tension are main constraints of agriculturists which need immediate addressing and policy for promotion of agriculture.
In J&K horticulture means development of apple, but technically horticulture means vegetable production, commercial floriculture, apiculture and mushroom growing etc, which need to include in this package with marketing intervention scheme specially for Jammu Basmati on apple pattern package is need of hour, he added.
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