CM lashes out at PDP for ‘self-praise’

Kalakote, Rajouri: Slamming the figments fabricated by main opposition party (PDP) regarding the empowerment of panchayats, Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah Tuesday pooh-poohed the baseless propaganda in this regard questioning the PDP leadership about fate of urban local body institutions during their regime.

“It was your dispensation who degraded the urban local body institutions to zero degree and made a fun of their respected members”, he told the PDP leadership without naming them adding that noise making is something else and taking action on ground is different. “People are wise enough to read between the lines. They judge us on practical work rather than slogan making”, he added.
Addressing a huge public gathering at Kalakote in Rajouri district of Jammu province about 150 kilometres from Jammu, the Chief Minister said that powerful and effective panchayat system is his government’s commitment.
“You will see soon a three-tier powerful panchayat system functioning and flourishing in the State”, he said asking the people to rest assure in this regard and don’t fall prey to any propaganda. He said that under a well drafted programme, election to block panchayat bodies would be completed soon after the election to the reserved seats for panchayats in Legislative Council is held.
The Chief Minister said that the four seats in Legislative Council are reserved for panchayats adding that the election to these is to be conducted by the Election Commission of India. He said the delay in the process of establishing block bodies was because of this reason and now decks have been cleared for holding the election of MLCs reserved for panchayat which would follow constitution of block and district panchayat councils. He said the services of 14 government departments have alrady been conferred to panchayats besides providing financial support of Rs. 40 crores.
Underlining the holding of panchayats as an historic achievement of his government, Omar Abdullah said that had the main opposition party (PDP) conducted these elections they would have unleashed propaganda and self praising campaign for 100 years. “The Uri-Muzaffarabad route was opened after the agreement reached between the two heads of the Countries of India and Pakistan but in this regard PDP created such an hype of self praising and blowing of own trumpet giving an impression that this party was distributing tickets for travelling in the bus service to Muzaffarabad”, he said taking a dig on the propagandist approach of PDP.
“Similarly, they talked much about healing touch but did nothing during their dispensation. It is our government which removed bunkers, brought in rehabilitation policy, launched Awami Mulakat programmes to reach out people in all areas, introduced unemployment allowance, expanded job orbit for youth and transferred power from the Secretariat to the grass root levels by holding panchayat elections”, he said referring to a list of new initiated and path breaking measures, the coalition government has taken during the last three years in the State to bring in transparency, restrict corruption and involve people in governance.
“During electioneering when we talked about providing unemployment allowance to the youth, our detractors smiled declaring it impossible. But we made it possible and presently thousands of unemployed youth are getting this benefit”, he said adding that the recently elected Utter Pradesh Government is now introducing a similar initiative in UP taking a page from our policy programme in this regard.
Omar Abdullah said that peace and progress with thrust on creation of economic activities and job opportunities is the central idea of the NC-Congress alliance. “We are working in tandem to mitigate difficulties of people and restore peace and stability in the State”, he said adding that the impact of balanced development unleashed in the State during the last three years is amply visible on ground. “The next three years will witness further fillip and fast tracking of development in the State. We do not say that we have done everything but it is visibly fact that our government has reached out to all corners of the State in the process of development”, he elaborated.
On corruption, the Chief Minister said that they (PDP) only raised the slogans and did nothing practical on ground. “Instead we brought in powerful Accountability Commission, Right to Information Commission and Public Service Guarantee Act to bring in transparency and check the malpractices and corruptions at various levels”, he said and also mentioned the third party monitoring and e-tendering launching by his government first time in the State to address the burning issue of corruption.
Omar Abdullah asked the party workers to apprise the people about the path breaking initiatives taken by the coalition government regarding time bound public service delivery, restricting corruption and empowering grass root level public representatives and involving them in development process and governance.
Omar Abdullah told them to make the people aware of the powers given to them under Public Service Guarantee Act (PSGA) to obtain some 50 public services from 6 departments of Power, PHE, CAPD, Housing, Transport and Revenue in a time bound manner. He said the government functionaries have been made responsible for delivery of services in a time bound manner to the consumers. “Any official to be found showing laxity or failing in providing the particular service in a fixed time frame is liable for a fine up to Rs. 5000 which shall be deducted from his salary”, he said explaining that a portion of this fine will be given to the affected consumer as compensation.
Thanking the people for their wholehearted support to the Chief Minister and his government, Omar Abdullah asked them to strengthen the communal harmony and brotherhood at all costs. “Some vested elements would try to wedge apart you in the name of region, religion, caste and creed, but you have to exhibit your resolve to maintain State’s rich ethos of mutual love and brotherhood prevailing between various sections of the society and between various regions”, he said.
The Chief Minister said that peace was imperative for development and every citizen of the State is equal share holder in peace and development process. He said government is determined to carry forward development to every area adding that peaceful atmosphere is necessary to accomplish this stupendous task.
Omar Abdullah thanked the Union Government for extending liberal financial support to the State Government in its endeavour to ensure equitable development in all sectors and in all regions of the State. He said that despite financial constraints the efforts are being made to ensure development equitably across the State. “My government aims at making the State financially self reliance. So many initiatives have been taken in this regard”, he said referring to the water usage tax imposed on power companies by his government. “Those (PDP) who are criticizing the power scenario in the State did nothing during their tenure”, he said. He said that the government has obtained Rs. 550 crores as water charges from NHPC as water tax so far.
On the development of far-flung areas like Kalakote and Nowshera, the Chief Minister said that all round and equitable development of all areas and all sections of the society is the commitment of his government. He said special focus is being given to the development of remote and far-off backward areas.
Speaking on the occasion Minister for Forests, Mian Altaf Ahmad and Vice Chairman Kissan Advisory Board, Rachpal Singh and Provincial President, National Conference, Rattan Lal Gupta listed the achievements registered by the coalition government on all fronts during the last three years.
In his speech Mian Altaf Ahmad said that the commitment made by the government to the people for holistic development would be fulfilled adding that a network of schemes have already been initiated in the State in this regard.
He referred to the endeavours the Chief Minister is making to seek peaceful and prosperous future for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. He also lambasted the opposition for circulating false propaganda to astray people for vested interests.
The Chief Minister also laid the foundation of Rs. 11.72 crore Degree College complex at Nowshera, the Chief Minister interacted with party workers.
The Degree Collage complex will come up on an area of over 102 kanals of land procured for this purpose. The collage building is likely to be completed in 2014.An amount of Rs 6.57 crores have been realised for the construction.
Minister for Forests, Mian Altaf Ahmad, MLA Nowshera, R. S. Sharma, MLC Ravinder Sharma and NC Provincial President, Rattan LAl Gupta were present on the occasion.
The Chief Minister met various deputations at Nowshera, Kalakote and Rajouri and also interacted with party workers at these places. The deputations were from different political parties, social organizations, traders, unions and other sections of the society. They presented their demands to the Chief Minister who gave patient hearing and said that the demands would be looked into actively for consideration.