Mufti meets Rajnath, Paswan

NEW DELHI, APRIL 07 (KMW): Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed met the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh & Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Ram Vilas Paswan, in two separate meetings, here today.
These were Mufti Sayeed’s first meetings with the Union Ministers after taking over as Chief Minister of J&K.
During his meeting with the Union Home Minister, the Chief Minister discussed the proposals of the State Government presently under the consideration of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) which include modernization of J&K Police, Cross-border trade and travel and sanction for raising five additional Indian Reserve (IR) Battalions.
Mufti Sayeed informed the Union Home Minister that the State Government will expedite the return of Kashmiri Pandit community to the Valley with dignity and honour as the cultural milieu without them remains incomplete.
The issues of increase in remuneration of Special Police Officers (SPOs) and honorarium of Voluntary Home Guards, revision of ex gratia relief for damage and casualty during cross-border firing and security-related expenditure were also discussed in the meeting, which was attended by senior officers of MHA and the Government of J&K.
The Union Home Minister said the proposal of enhancement in remuneration of SPOs is being pursued by MHA. He said the matter of raising of IR Battalions for J&K is also under the active consideration of MHA.
Rajnath Singh said the Central Government will ensure that all possible assistance would be provided to utilize the full potential of Coalition Government for the security and welfare of the people of the State.
In his meeting with the Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Mufti Sayeed raised the issue of shortage of food-grains in J&K and requested for allocating ration to the State as per Census of 2011.
The Chief Minister urged the Union Minister for allocating food-grains on the basis of ‘No-Profit No-Loss’, which is reflected in the Common Minimum Programme of the Coalition Government in the State. Presently, the ration is distributed in J&K on the basis of 2001 Census.
Ram Vilas Paswan assured the Chief Minister that he will expeditiously pursue the matter of allocating food-grains to State as per 2011 Census.
Minister for Finance, Dr. Haseeb A. Drabu, Minister for CA&PD, Chaudhary Zulfkar, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, B. B. Vyas and Secretary, CA&PD, Satish Nehru, were also present in the meeting.