Become Participatory Stakeholders in Governance: Mehbooba to People

KL NEWS NETWORK

SRINAGAR

Urging people to become active stakeholders in governance to ensure accountability, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President and Member Parliament, Mehbooba Mufti Monday reiterated her party’s resolve to accomplish the unfinished agenda of dignified political peace and sustainable economic prosperity for the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

“Peace and political stability are imperative for J&K’s economic prosperity and not only the government, but the people also have a critical role to play and a great responsibility to discharge to pull the state out of the morass and shape up a politically stable and economically vibrant Jammu & Kashmir,” Mehbooba said while addressing a PDP workers convention in Budgam today.

Accusing the previous NC-Congress regime of reversing the process of political reconciliation bringing to halt the developmental process in the State, Mehbooba said while not a single new initiative was taken by the NC-led Government on political, economic and developmental fronts in the State, it instead put all the major initiatives taken after 2002 on the back-burner and pushed the State into an administrative and financial mess. “Today we have to not only clear the muck left behind by the previous non-performing regime, but have to make a beginning from almost zero to revive and rejuvenate the political, economic and developmental process in the State,” she said and added that around Rs 9000 Crore liabilities have been created by the previous regime without having done anything substantial on the ground. “All this money seems to have been pocketed by the politico-contractor nexus that was rampant during that regime,” she said and added that the present Government has started putting the things back on track and it will take some time to clear the mess and let the new initiatives leave their imprint on the ground.

The PDP President said the immediately after the present government took over in March this year, several initiatives in power, road communication, education, PHE, public distribution, rural development and other sectors to break the developmental inertia and revivify the institutions of governance. “Given the rot and inertia that has crept into the system over the past few years, the Government shall have to take some tough decisions in the larger public interest,” she said and added that the results will be there for the people to see after some time.

Mehbooba said as women have suffered the most during turmoil, the Government’s first priority was to address the social and financial concerns of the women especially the destitute. The Govt has made some noteworthy interventions including launching of Aasra scheme to provide social and financial security to the widows and destitute. “Similarly to deal with the declining child sex ratio, a new scheme has been launched wherein the Government would deposit Rs 1000 in the name of every new born girl for the next 14 years,” she said and added that the scheme has been launched on pilot basis in the six districts of the State with dismal child sex ratio. She said in another pro-women landmark initiative, the female govt employees would get 720 days child care leave to take care of their teenage children.

Mehbooba said education being fundamental to a nation’s growth and prosperity; various pioneering initiatives have been taken by the present Govt to infuse new life into this crucial sector which has an army of one of the best human resources at hand.  “Our Government has set into motion some landmark initiatives to revitalize the education sector and besides two new cluster universities and two new engineering colleges being established in the State, two Govt schools in each constituency are being upgraded as Model Schools with Smart Classrooms and other modern infrastructure facilities,” she said and added that the vast infrastructure and human resource available in the education sector is being put to productive use to assist our youth in getting their due share in the State’s life and progress, while equipping them to meet their obligations adequately.

Mehbooba said to ensure food security of its citizens, the Government has already announced from the next month rations would be provided as per the latest survey covering around 6 lakh additional families.

She said similarly in the health sector one maternity and one model hospital would be established in each constituency.

Mehbooba said the district Budgam is a symbol of amity and brotherhood, but despite being one of the closest districts of the summer capital, it continues to face massive developmental deficit and economic deprivation.

She assured the people of Budgam that the Govt would address the developmental concerns of the area on priority including improving road connectivity, up-gradation of educational infrastructure, augmentation of drinking water facilities and development of tourism infrastructure at Doodpathri and Yousmarg.

Addressing the convention, senior PDP politician and Minister for Finance, Dr Haseeb Drabu said PDP-BJP Agenda of Alliance places emphasis on bringing in confidence, trust and harmony amongst our people through inclusive development and strong commitment to good governance.

He said that immediately after the presentation of the Budget-2015/16 in March, allocations were released in April. He said a separate power budget has been presented to keep the power sector under focus.

Dr Drabu said the District Development Boards have been reconstituted and meetings convened in all the Districts under the chairmanship of Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed with immediate release of district plan allocations for fast-tracking development process. “District plan allocations have been hiked significantly and a new structured scheme of financing introduced with heavy emphasis on Centrally Sponsored Schemes under which Rs 6000 Crore have been earmarked for current fiscal,” he said and added that the new scheme of financing primarily focuses on development works aimed at creating durable assets within laid down time-frames.

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