Centre to release Rs 2,437 cr for flood-ravaged J&K
17 Jun 2015 6:21 AM IST
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Home Minister Rajnath Singh, in a joint press conference, said Rs 2,602 crore had already been released last year by the government to help the state in relief and rehabilitation work.
"Last year, Rs 2,602 crore had been released last year. Other than this, Rs 2,437 crore will be released this year," Jaitley told reporters here.
He said a team of Niti <g data-gr-id="32">Aayog's</g> Chief Executive Officer and Expenditure Secretary will be visiting Jammu and Kashmir to take stock of its future development needs.
"We will make a larger development plan. The officials will discuss with the state and give their views to the Centre on areas like power, highway, education, tourism and health services. The schemes which we have tentatively announced and some more which may be there, that will be decided later," the Finance Minister said.
Jaitley said there has been a special focus of the Central government on <g data-gr-id="42">development</g> of Jammu and Kashmir, Leh and Ladakh and Kargil regions. "There has been a popular government after the election in the state and the Centre will support it so that it completes its development agenda," he said.
Jaitley said that development is a work in progress. Last year's flood have affected all regions. Rs 770 crore was given at that time under the Prime Minister Relief Fund and Rs 1,602 crore was released under State Disaster Relief Fund and National Disaster Relief Fund. Special project assistance of Rs 1,000 crore was also announced by the Prime Minister when he had visited the state, he said.
The Centre has also decided to give food grains at Below Poverty Lines (BPL) prices besides approval on <g data-gr-id="39">construction</g> of Jammu-Srinagar highway. A total of 75,000 '<g data-gr-id="45">kacha</g> and <g data-gr-id="46">pakka</g>' houses, which were damaged, will also be rebuilt under the grant, Jaitley said.
The Finance Minister added that there has been <g data-gr-id="35">growth</g> of Jammu and Kashmir and its three parts.
"Tourism in the state is mainstream and at present a good tourism season is going on. There has been a loss to tourism projects and 12 tourism places," he said.
Terror cases dip by 25% in J&K: Rajnath
There has been 25 <g data-gr-id="57">per cent</g> decline in terror-related incidents in J&K, which is also witnessing "significant improvement" in <g data-gr-id="63">security</g> situation, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said on Tuesday.
"Prerequisite for <g data-gr-id="62">development</g> of any state or country is that a peaceful and secure atmosphere should be there. I would like to tell you that there has been <g data-gr-id="60">significant</g> improvement in <g data-gr-id="61">security</g> situation in J-K. There is <g data-gr-id="58">significant</g> decline in <g data-gr-id="59">level</g> of violence there. Not only this, there is 25 per cent fall of terror incidents," Singh said.
Sopore killings: J&K police announce RS 20-LAKH reward for two militants
The J&K police on Tuesday announced a reward of Rs 10 lakh each on the capture of two militants allegedly involved in the killing of six persons in the Sopore. The militants named in the posters are Abdul Qayoom Najar and Imtiyaz Ahmad Kandoo, who are believed to have defied the command of Hizbul Mujahideen supremo Syed Salahuddin and operating under the shadow name of Lashkar-e-Islam outfit.
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