Bringing JK Bank Under RBI Setback to JK Autonomy: Mufti

‘Mughal Road to be made alternative highway’ 

JAMMU – Crediting the people of the State for being real harbingers of change through the exercise of ballot, the Chief Minister said the new PDP-BJP Government will respect the mandate of the people and implement all its decisions mutually agreed upon in the Agenda of the Alliance.

The Chief Minister said his Government will bring administration right at the doorsteps of the people by delegating powers to the officers in the field. He said he will weed out corruption from the administration to strengthen the institutions of governance so that people bear fruit of a fair, transparent and accountable Government.

The Chief Minister was speaking while replying to the Demands for Grants of the Home, Tourism, GAD, Estates, Hospitality & Protocol and Information Departments in the Legislative Assembly today.

Mufti, in his opening remarks, said he will work to strengthen the constituency of peace by laying edifice for strong police-public relations, institutions of probity, delegation of powers and a transparent transfer policy, which will set the tone of good governance for the next six years.   

The Chief Minister said the people in the last Assembly elections have given their decision, which is overwhelmingly in favour of change. “We are the change and it will be felt at the grassroots’ level,” he added.

Referring to the Grants of the Home Department, the Chief Minister said the Government will not lower guard on security front in protecting our borders. He commended the Police, paramilitary forces and the Army for having done a commendable job in bringing peace to the State. He said the issue of doubling the stipend of SPOs, who have worked relentlessly, from Rs. 3,000 to Rs. 6,000 per month has been taken up with the Union Home Ministry.

Stressing on the need for making the Police force professional, the Chief Minister said the force will be made tourist-friendly, especially at the Airports and other exit and entry points so that the visitors to the State experience a ‘feel good factor’. He said he will equip the police force with the state-of-the art technologies to ensure speedier crime detection, traffic management, investigations and busting of drug trafficking rackets.  

Speaking precisely on providing succour to flood affected people and the emerging threat due to incessant rains that has lashed the State over the last two days, the Chief Minister said he spoke to the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh who has rushed an NDRF team to facilitate the divisional administration. He said following the Chief Secretary’s video conference with the Union Cabinet Secretary, the Central Government has released Rs. 200 crore for interim rescue and relief operations in the State.   

The Chief Minister said a three-phased relief and rehabilitation programme will begin next month for compensating the victims of the September 2014 floods. “In Phase 1st, we will work for restoration of livelihood for small businessmen and destitute with no insurance cover, while in Phase 2nd, the focus will be on private and public assets and clearance of liabilities. The third phase will address the restoration of public infrastructure,” the Chief Minister added.

Giving details of flood damage in 2014, the Chief Minister said 300 persons died in the 2014 floods while as 2,61,361 structures were damaged. “The devastating floods also destroyed standing crops over 4 lakh hectares of land and over 1 lakh cattle heads also perished in the floods,” he added.

The Chief Minister said the Government is keeping a close watch on Kashmir valley which has been lashed by incessant rains over the last two days, which has created a flood-like situation at several low-lying areas. He said the Divisional Administration has been activated to remain at the beck-and-call of the people in distress and an evacuation plan has been formulated.  

Making a reference on the power sector, the Chief Minister said he will have the Dulhasti and Uri Power Projects transferred to the State Government as it is as much the test of our credibility as that of the Centre. “Whatsoever be the procedures, these power projects shall be transferred to the State,” he stated.  

Referring to the scourge of unemployment amongst educated youth, the Chief Minister said the educated unemployed youth will be provided gainful employment in the Government sector by filling up all vacancies and absorbing the skilled educated unemployed youth in the private sector. “We will establish a training institute in Chenab valley to provide training to skilled youth to increase their chances of employability, particularly in the power projects,” he added. 

Asking the administration to gear up to ensure probity in day-to-day working, the Chief Minister announced making State Vigilance Commission and the State Accountability Commission effective regulatory tools of probity. He said all those who indulge in corruption and loot public exchequer will not be spared and rooted out of the system. He also announced enactment of a Single Window Clearance Act to provide approvals to the stakeholders under one platform.

Mufti said his Government will strengthen the roots of good governance by framing a new Recruitment Policy to fill up vacancies at both Gazetted and Non-gazetted level in a fair and transparent manner. “A new Transfer Policy will also be put in place to provide security of tenure to the Government employees. He said he will also ensure that the Public Services Guarantee Act would is further strengthened to address the concerns of poor and downtrodden.

The Chief Minister said the new Government will hold civic body elections so that funds are accessed from the Centre out of the Centrally-sponsored schemes. He accused the previous NC-Congress Government of dilly-dallying over the issue of holding the civic elections in its six years of power which deprived the people of the funds to be sourced from the Centre. He also said the panchayats will be empowered as the State Assembly is powerful enough to take decisions in this respect.    

Highlighting the need to projectize the capital plan, the Chief Minister said his Government has flagged the issue of providing an arterial road network that connects the road corridors from Kathua to Kargil. He said he will speed-track establishment of AIIMS, IIT and IIM projects in the State. “These are our institutions. No distinction should be made on the basis of region. This infrastructure is coming up in our State which belongs to us,” he said.  

The Chief Minister said the Union Government has agreed to make Mughal Road an alternative to the National Highway. He also said that the Government will leave no stone unturned to improve rail connectivity in the State.   

Describing the Tourism sector as the backbone of the State’s economy, the Chief Minister said he will reboot the industry by taking series of measures to put it back on rails, following the devastating floods of September 2014. He said he has already set in motion development of Jammu as an independent tourist destination. “My Government will focus on projecting the potential of the State in high-end tourism by offering week-end, golf and resort packages to the high-spending visitors from the West and South East Asia,” he said and added that an alluring package for domestic tourists shall also be formulated to increase their footfall. He said he will promote Patnitop, Jai-Bhaderwah, Baghliar Dam catchment area, Sanasar and Mantalai. He also stated that Suchetgarh will be promoted as a mega border tourism site while as Mantalai will come up as an International Yoga Centre.

Referring to the illegal constructions at various tourist resorts, the Chief Minister said master plans at all mega tourist destinations will be completed as early as possible. Laying stress on promotion of new tourist destinations to off-load Gulmarg and Pahalgam, the Chief Minister said the Government will develop Shahr-e-Khas as a Heritage Tourist Destination and initiate efforts to bring the world-famous Dal Lake under UNESCO Heritage site.

Mufti said the tourists destinations in Ladakh region like Nun Kun & Suru Valley shall be promoted. “Leh tourism has to be promoted independently and its rich culture has to be brought on the heritage map of the country in a big way. He said he will take up with Centre the construction of Leh-Kailash-Mansarovar Road which will boost tourism in the region by improving road connectivity. 

Describing journalism as an inseparable pillar of accountable governance, the Chief Minister said the State he will promote free and fair journalism in the State. He said he will revive the proposal of developing Press Colonies for media-persons and also establish a Press Club at Srinagar. “I will also review the State Advertisement & Empanelment policies to promote institution of journalism,” he stated.

Referring to the NC-Congress Government, the Chief Minister said the decision to shift to RBI as bankers of the State as against the J&K Bank, which was the banker of the last resort for the Government, was not a good decision. “I want to make it clear that J&K Bank will be provided all support in running its operation,” the Chief Minister said.

Chief Minister said, “… the biggest setback to the autonomy was when the previous government shifted the ways and means (concerning overdrafts) from Jammu and Kashmir Bank to the Reserve Bank of India.”

He said that earlier the state government used to withdraw overdraft from the Jammu and Kashmir Bank to meet its financial needs and used to pay interest to the bank, which used to again reach the people of the state.

 “We used to draw overdraft of Rs 2000 to 2500 crore from the Jammu and Kashmir Bank. It was like taking money from our own house. When the money used to come (from centre), we paid the interest and it again was given back to our own people,” he said.

He said that handing over the “ways and means” of the bank to RBI by the previous government was a major setback to the institution of autonomy of the state.

While extending his government’s full support to J&K Bank, Mufti said that his government would renegotiate the terms with the Government of India.

“We will try to renegotiate the terms with the Government of India, but from this House I want to say that we stand behind Jammu and Kashmir Bank, we completely support the bank,” he said.

He said that the businessman in the state who take loans from the bank return the same with interest, whereas when loans given to business establishments from outside the state, the same get defaulted.

“The money given to the local businessman comes back with interest, but when the same money is given to the outside businessman gets defaulted,” he said.

Earlier, the Minister for Haj and Auquaf, Mr. Abdul Rehman Veeri on the behalf of Chief Minister moved a Demand for Grants of a sum of Rs. 567518.16 lakh to defray the charges which will come in the course of payment during the year ending March 31, 2016 for the department under his charge.

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