Srinagar, Oct 15: Jammu and Kashmir Central Contractors Coordination Committee (JKCCCC) Monday alleged discrimination over distribution of funds provided by the centre among the three regions of the state. Accusing the National Conference-led coalition government of showering favors to Jammu and Ladakh regions at the cost of Kashmir, it threatened to boycott all the development works in the valley.
Why Rs 105 crore were allocated to Jammu district during recent district development board meeting, while as Rs 59 crore were allotted to Srinagar district? Moreover, the pace of funding for the centrally-sponsored schemes like NREGA is very low in Kashmir, JKCCCC general-secretary, Farooq Ahmad Dar, told media persons here.
The difference of Rs 46 crore in allocation between the two districts , according to Dar, shows how much apathetic central and state government is towards the development of Kashmir.
He said Rs 150 crore were given to Jammu and Ladakh regions for development works, while as peanuts were allocated to Kashmir, Dar said.
He said outstanding bills of Rs 300 crore were pending clearance in various government departments. Owing to it, the infrastructural development in Kashmir is suffering badly. We are not against development of Jammu and Ladakh region, but at the same time, we wont tolerate development of these regions at the cost of Kashmir, he warned.
Criticizing the government over the e-tendering, Dar said barring Jammu and Ladakh, a small portion of contractors in Kashmir used the electronic process for contracts.
Out of 70,000 contractors in Kashmir, only 14 per cent submit their tenders through their electronic medium as it has only scored losses since its inception here. Rs 20 crore were lost owing to the poor internet services during recent two-day strike call in the Valley, he said.
With the ensuing winters impacting power supply in the Valley, Dar forecast doom for contractors as more than Rs 100 crore were lost earlier when electricity was snapped owing to heavy snowfall.
We saw how erratic electricity supply threw life out of gear during the previous winter. With internet facilities snapped during strikes and inclement weather, the contractors in Kashmir lost Rs 400 crore on yearly basis.
We demand that by-hand tenders be allowed along with the electronic process so that we heave a sigh of relief in such circumstances, Dar urged.
Opposing the privatization of R&B sector in the Valley, Dar said that every Kashmiri was abreast with how the centre was making fortunes out of vast water resources in Kashmir Be it the National Highway Authority of India or any other concern, we wont allow the privatization of this sector as a lions share of developmental works are assigned through it, Dar warned.
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