Funds expended 72 percent of the total funds received, yet the works completed only 37 percent!
This feat has been accomplished by the state government in case of National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) scheme.
The official statistics maintained that the government, which is in the dock for not being able to expend the amount sanctioned under annual plan 2009-10 and the huge funds granted under Prime Minister's Reconstruction Programme (PMRP), has done "exceptionally well" in case of utilisation of funds under NREGA scheme.
Yet one smells rat only when one has a cursory glance at the yawning gap between the percentage of works completed and the whopping amount spent.
The performance graph on this account suggests that out of Rs 139.81 cr funds received from the Centre by the state government under NREGA during the current financial year, Rs 99.74 Cr funds have already been expended by the J&K Ministry for Rural Department and Panchayati Raj till ending January 2010. Thus the funds spent account for 72 percent of the total amount received so far.
83.59 lakhs mandays have been generated while 6,23,238 job cards too have been issued. During this period a total of 19618 works were taken up but only 7329 works could be completed till ending January in the current financial year, which accounts for 37 percent of the total works taken up.
Of the 22 districts of the state, Jammu districts have fared better as compared to the districts of Kashmir in terms of completion of works as well as expenditure.
Districts in Kashmir region in particular have performed disappointingly in completion of works although the expenditure has gone beyond 60 percent in majority of the cases.
Interestingly the militancy affected areas except Bandipora district have fared far better both in terms of work completion as well as expenditure in both the regions.
Leh district has attained an unenviable distinction of not even taking up any work in the current financial year under NREGA scheme although the district received Rs 1.14 Cr funds from the Centre and out of this 40.85 lakhs have been shown expended as well.
However without taking up any work, where this amount has been spent, is a challenging question to be solved.
Across the state, Kishtwar, despite being militancy infested district, has earned the top slot with 72.1 percent works completed during the current financial year with over 97 percent funds expended out of the total funds received. Second slot is captured by another militancy infested district Doda with 50.5 percent works completed by expending Rs 15.40 Cr out of Rs 16.10 Cr followed by Rajouri with 49 percent works completed by spending Rs 6.86 Cr out of Rs 8.67 Cr.
In Ramban district, 41 percent works were completed by expending Rs 8.85 Cr out of Rs 14.57 Cr.
Fifth slot has been captured by Anantnag district across the state (first in Kashmir region) with 35 percent works completed generating 3.65 lakhs mandays.
Paradoxically the worst affected district in terms of militancy in the Kashmir region Kupwara district earns the second spot in the region and sixth slot in the entire state with 34.7 works completed by expending Rs 6.45 Cr out of Rs 8.89 Cr.
Another militancy affected district Reasi has been able to complete 34 percent of works with an expenditure of Rs 3.62 Cr till ending January out of Rs 4.52 Cr funds received during the current financial year.
Interestingly among districts in Kashmir region, Shopian, which has been the most disturbed district of the state since last year on account of strikes, bandhs etc figures on the fifth spot, following Kulgam and Ganderbal, with 26.2 percent works completed with an expenditure of Rs 1.03 Cr out of Rs 2.01 Cr received. Kulgam and Ganderbal completed 33 and 28.5 percent works by spending Rs 3.47 Cr and Rs 2.42 Cr out of Rs 4.82 Cr and Rs 3.53 Cr respectively.
Kargil district completed 23.5 percent of works by expending Rs 0.91 Cr out of Rs 1.95 Cr.
Showing posts with label KT 25 Feb 2010. Show all posts
Showing posts with label KT 25 Feb 2010. Show all posts
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Feb 25: On this day in 1975....... By Mohammad Sayeed Malik
If the Sheikh had shown a little more patience and had the Indian government acted with sagacity the interests of the state as well as the country would have been served far bet- ter. On the contrary, the Kashmir Accord spoiled the taste on both sides.
Kashmiris felt cheated while a sizeable section of Indian public opinion resented `appeasement.'
BY coincidence, foreign secretaries of India and Pakistan are meeting in New Delhi today, February 25, the day which has a profound historic significance for Jammu & Kashmir state and its people.
It was on this day in the year 1975 that the Indian government sought to open `a new chapter' in its turbulent relationship with the popular sentiment in Kashmir. Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah was sworn in on that fateful day as the chief minister, 22 years after he had been unde- mocratically overthrown and imprisoned.
35 years on, that `new chapter' seems to have worn itself out.
The level of Kashmir's emotional integration with rest of the coun- try has fallen to a new low. It is this key facet that the Sheikh symbolised in flesh and blood and which lends moral legitimacy to the constitutional, legal and technical integration. Haunted by the negative fallout of this chronic deficiency in its Kashmir case, India had no compunction in `turning back the hands of the clock' (to 1953)' for its own sake even while denying the same to the Sheikh for honouring his share of obligation. Apparently the Sheikh was compensated with reinstatement to his 1953 position of authority but actually the ornate seat he came to occupy had been rendered hollow from inside.
While the changeover from Syed Mir Qasim to Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah on Feb 25, 1975 suited India's momentary interests and served its purpose for the next about two decades or so, denial of the same to the Sheikh on the ground that the `hands of the clock cannot be turned back' sowed the seeds of a great disaster that struck the state in the 1989-90 period, less than a decade after the Sheikh's demise in September, 1982.
In retrospect it looks that if the Sheikh had shown a little more patience and had the Indian gov- ernment acted with sagacity the interests of the state as well as the country would have been served far better. On the con- trary, the Kashmir Accord spoiled the taste on both sides.
Kashmiris felt cheated while a sizeable section of Indian public opinion resented `appeasement.'
Sheikh's loss of popularity and credibility on this account, how- ever, did not bother him in his life time (till 1982) because of his immense tall stature and unri- valled popularity. But shortly after him, the edifice began to creak until it collapsed with devastating impact. The Sheikh was able to tackle all odds because of his own moral authority that out- weighed his temporal authority which he wielded between 1975 and 1982. Even so, the emotional alienation triggered off by the events preceding February 25, 1975 continued to take its subter- ranean toll. The fragile surface- calm vanished shortly after him, unleashing a Tsunami of accu- mulated anger and alienation.
Simmering alienation bared its teeth with vengeance and contin- ues to take a heavy toll across the board. 35 years after the Sheikh was gifted with a considerably down-sized chair to rescue the Indian `cause' from the quagmire of alienation Kashmir, the key question of its moral legitimacy continues to loom overhead ominously.
Two conclusions are readily available: One that it does not pay, in the long run at least, to undermine the credibility of local leadership even for momentary advantage to the more powerful side; and two that in the changed scenario Pakistan has to be brought on board even in the so- called `internal dimension' of the Kashmir problem. Though not on that scale or pattern, the run-up to the 1975 Kashmir Accord appears to be repeating itself in the year 2010 as if nobody had cared to learn the lesson of the history. All that the much-talked about and little-pursued `quiet dialogue' has so far achieved is to damage the credibility of the sep- aratist leaders, like that in the Sheikh's case. As the ultimate fate of the 1975 Kashmir Accord showed, tactical advantage gained through unfair bargain- ing was bound to prove counter- productive.
The Kashmir Accord was con- cluded within less than three years of the famous Shimla Accord between India and Pakistan that bound the two countries to a bilateral approach in resolving mutual disputes including the one over Kashmir. This co-relation between the two Accords (of 1972 and 1975) underlines the inherent linkage between normalisation of Indo- Pak relationship and resolving the internal dimension of the Kashmir problem.
Whether Nirupama Rao, Indian foreign secretary, and her Pakistani counterpart, Salman Bashir, scheduled to meet in New Delhi today, hold `talks' (as India would like to call it) or resume their stalled `dialogue' (as Pakistan would want) Kashmir issue and Kashmir-related issues are bound to figure prominently otherwise the exercise would be without substance. The meeting between Kashmiri separatist leaders with Pakistan foreign secretary on the eve of latter's diplomatic engagement with his Indian counterpart is how it ought to be. Leaving aside the bigger issue of a final settlement, even the process of confidence building measures in which both the countries have invested a lot in the recent past can be sus- tained only through mutual good- will. Kashmir and its people have vital stakes involved in this part of the bargain.
Again, going back to the 1975 analogy, Pakistan had been side- lined while Kashmir Accord was concluded with the Sheikh. The impact of this omission was almost instant. Kashmir Valley observed total hartal called by the late ZA Bhutto to symbolise `rejection' of the Kashmir Accord.
To demarcate the typical nuances of their peculiar approach, the very same Kashmiris who had `rejected' the Accord (on Bhutto's call) gave a hero's welcome to Sher-e- Kashmir as he travelled to the Valley by road from Jammu.
Failure to appreciate this deli- cate nuance in the Kashmiri psy- che lies at the heart of India's troubles. It has by now become a blind spot.
Over-simplifying the prevailing uneasy ground situation in Kashmir by dubbing it as an act of `paid stone throwers' is myopic.
Emotional alienation across the Valley needs to be recognised for what it really is. Otherwise the end-result would be no different from the comparable past.
Those who were witness to the events of that historic day of Feb 25, 1975 would remember about an hour long suspense-filled delay in the Sheikh's swearing in at Jammu Raj Bhavan by the then Governor LK Jha. While the invited gathering waited for the Sheikh to turn up, Mir Qasim and a few others were engaged in virtually rescuing the Accord itself. The Sheikh, lodged in the Canal Road state Guest House, had been badly disturbed by New Delhi's one-sided official inter- pretation of the Accord through official mass media. He was having second thoughts on being sworn in. He foresaw deeper intrigue into it until Mir Qasim reassured him.
Earlier also, New Delhi had abruptly done an about-turn on another key issue. Till the time the Sheikh came to attend the special session of the Congress Legislature Party at the Banquet Hall of the chief minister's resi- dence on Feb 24 he was supposed to be elected as the CLP leader.
But, again some mysterious eleventh hour intervention changed the agenda. The CLP was only to extend its support to the Sheikh and not elect him as its leader. The aftermath of the difference between the two propositions was to unfold soon after. Mental reservations at the top even or settled issues played havoc. Today it is degenerated into solid mental blocks on either side. Over-simplifying the prob- lem demeans the dialogue itself and obfuscates the reality. The lessons of the February 25, 1975 are starkly evident for all con- cerned. Otherwise, the moral defence of India's presence in Kashmir would continue to suffer from its inherent weakness, notwithstanding over-militarisa- tion of the territory.
Kashmiris felt cheated while a sizeable section of Indian public opinion resented `appeasement.'
BY coincidence, foreign secretaries of India and Pakistan are meeting in New Delhi today, February 25, the day which has a profound historic significance for Jammu & Kashmir state and its people.
It was on this day in the year 1975 that the Indian government sought to open `a new chapter' in its turbulent relationship with the popular sentiment in Kashmir. Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah was sworn in on that fateful day as the chief minister, 22 years after he had been unde- mocratically overthrown and imprisoned.
35 years on, that `new chapter' seems to have worn itself out.
The level of Kashmir's emotional integration with rest of the coun- try has fallen to a new low. It is this key facet that the Sheikh symbolised in flesh and blood and which lends moral legitimacy to the constitutional, legal and technical integration. Haunted by the negative fallout of this chronic deficiency in its Kashmir case, India had no compunction in `turning back the hands of the clock' (to 1953)' for its own sake even while denying the same to the Sheikh for honouring his share of obligation. Apparently the Sheikh was compensated with reinstatement to his 1953 position of authority but actually the ornate seat he came to occupy had been rendered hollow from inside.
While the changeover from Syed Mir Qasim to Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah on Feb 25, 1975 suited India's momentary interests and served its purpose for the next about two decades or so, denial of the same to the Sheikh on the ground that the `hands of the clock cannot be turned back' sowed the seeds of a great disaster that struck the state in the 1989-90 period, less than a decade after the Sheikh's demise in September, 1982.
In retrospect it looks that if the Sheikh had shown a little more patience and had the Indian gov- ernment acted with sagacity the interests of the state as well as the country would have been served far better. On the con- trary, the Kashmir Accord spoiled the taste on both sides.
Kashmiris felt cheated while a sizeable section of Indian public opinion resented `appeasement.'
Sheikh's loss of popularity and credibility on this account, how- ever, did not bother him in his life time (till 1982) because of his immense tall stature and unri- valled popularity. But shortly after him, the edifice began to creak until it collapsed with devastating impact. The Sheikh was able to tackle all odds because of his own moral authority that out- weighed his temporal authority which he wielded between 1975 and 1982. Even so, the emotional alienation triggered off by the events preceding February 25, 1975 continued to take its subter- ranean toll. The fragile surface- calm vanished shortly after him, unleashing a Tsunami of accu- mulated anger and alienation.
Simmering alienation bared its teeth with vengeance and contin- ues to take a heavy toll across the board. 35 years after the Sheikh was gifted with a considerably down-sized chair to rescue the Indian `cause' from the quagmire of alienation Kashmir, the key question of its moral legitimacy continues to loom overhead ominously.
Two conclusions are readily available: One that it does not pay, in the long run at least, to undermine the credibility of local leadership even for momentary advantage to the more powerful side; and two that in the changed scenario Pakistan has to be brought on board even in the so- called `internal dimension' of the Kashmir problem. Though not on that scale or pattern, the run-up to the 1975 Kashmir Accord appears to be repeating itself in the year 2010 as if nobody had cared to learn the lesson of the history. All that the much-talked about and little-pursued `quiet dialogue' has so far achieved is to damage the credibility of the sep- aratist leaders, like that in the Sheikh's case. As the ultimate fate of the 1975 Kashmir Accord showed, tactical advantage gained through unfair bargain- ing was bound to prove counter- productive.
The Kashmir Accord was con- cluded within less than three years of the famous Shimla Accord between India and Pakistan that bound the two countries to a bilateral approach in resolving mutual disputes including the one over Kashmir. This co-relation between the two Accords (of 1972 and 1975) underlines the inherent linkage between normalisation of Indo- Pak relationship and resolving the internal dimension of the Kashmir problem.
Whether Nirupama Rao, Indian foreign secretary, and her Pakistani counterpart, Salman Bashir, scheduled to meet in New Delhi today, hold `talks' (as India would like to call it) or resume their stalled `dialogue' (as Pakistan would want) Kashmir issue and Kashmir-related issues are bound to figure prominently otherwise the exercise would be without substance. The meeting between Kashmiri separatist leaders with Pakistan foreign secretary on the eve of latter's diplomatic engagement with his Indian counterpart is how it ought to be. Leaving aside the bigger issue of a final settlement, even the process of confidence building measures in which both the countries have invested a lot in the recent past can be sus- tained only through mutual good- will. Kashmir and its people have vital stakes involved in this part of the bargain.
Again, going back to the 1975 analogy, Pakistan had been side- lined while Kashmir Accord was concluded with the Sheikh. The impact of this omission was almost instant. Kashmir Valley observed total hartal called by the late ZA Bhutto to symbolise `rejection' of the Kashmir Accord.
To demarcate the typical nuances of their peculiar approach, the very same Kashmiris who had `rejected' the Accord (on Bhutto's call) gave a hero's welcome to Sher-e- Kashmir as he travelled to the Valley by road from Jammu.
Failure to appreciate this deli- cate nuance in the Kashmiri psy- che lies at the heart of India's troubles. It has by now become a blind spot.
Over-simplifying the prevailing uneasy ground situation in Kashmir by dubbing it as an act of `paid stone throwers' is myopic.
Emotional alienation across the Valley needs to be recognised for what it really is. Otherwise the end-result would be no different from the comparable past.
Those who were witness to the events of that historic day of Feb 25, 1975 would remember about an hour long suspense-filled delay in the Sheikh's swearing in at Jammu Raj Bhavan by the then Governor LK Jha. While the invited gathering waited for the Sheikh to turn up, Mir Qasim and a few others were engaged in virtually rescuing the Accord itself. The Sheikh, lodged in the Canal Road state Guest House, had been badly disturbed by New Delhi's one-sided official inter- pretation of the Accord through official mass media. He was having second thoughts on being sworn in. He foresaw deeper intrigue into it until Mir Qasim reassured him.
Earlier also, New Delhi had abruptly done an about-turn on another key issue. Till the time the Sheikh came to attend the special session of the Congress Legislature Party at the Banquet Hall of the chief minister's resi- dence on Feb 24 he was supposed to be elected as the CLP leader.
But, again some mysterious eleventh hour intervention changed the agenda. The CLP was only to extend its support to the Sheikh and not elect him as its leader. The aftermath of the difference between the two propositions was to unfold soon after. Mental reservations at the top even or settled issues played havoc. Today it is degenerated into solid mental blocks on either side. Over-simplifying the prob- lem demeans the dialogue itself and obfuscates the reality. The lessons of the February 25, 1975 are starkly evident for all con- cerned. Otherwise, the moral defence of India's presence in Kashmir would continue to suffer from its inherent weakness, notwithstanding over-militarisa- tion of the territory.
Time ripe for Pakistan to extend hand of friendship to India: Omar JAMMU,
"It is universal fact that friends can be replaced but neighbors can not be changed, and same holds true with respect to countries like India and Pakistan.
Therefore, it is in the best interest of Pakistan as a good neighbors to extend hand of friendship, at this very juncture, when Indo Pak talks are scheduled, so that both the countries are able to reap the fruits of amicable co-existence". , observed Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, while addressing to a mammoth gathering in Kunjwani Jammu on the occasion of laying of foundation stone of Rs. 34 crore Kunjwani- Satwari Road.
The Chief Minister said that world is aware of the reality that situation is not conducive in Pakistan. Pakistan has to play a positive role for creating a peaceful atmosphere. He said the firing inci- dents at borders have adverse affect the people who were living on bor- ders and, as a good neighbor, Pakistan has to play vital role in turning these borders as abode of peace and tranquility.
He said that Pakistan has always promised that they will not allow their land to be used for any abnor- mal activity and it is expected that they will prove their determination and fulfill their promises.
The Chief Minister, while reiter- ating his own determination and strong commitment of the Coalition Government, to make Jammu and Kashmir State as a model State, so that all the regions of the State, whether it is Kashmir, Jammu or Ladakh, have equal opportunities to prosper and progress. He comple- menting Roads & Buildings Department for starting today's ambitious project of widening Kunjwani- Satawri road costing Rs.
34 crore. He further said that he would like that the work under mega widening of national highway to be expedited. He also complemented Raman Bhalla for his effective role in the development of his Constituency.
The Chief Minister said that the recently approved project for con- structing artificial lake in Jammu, with an estimated cost of Rs.25 crore, was the basic desire of his grand father Sher-I Kashmir Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, who was desirous that like Dal lake, Jammu people should have also a lake so that it adds beauty of this important winter capital of our State.
The Chief Minister said that it is unfortunate that since the present government took over, some forces have been trying their best to divert the attention of people from the basic developmental activities.
They tried to misuse innocent senti- ment of people in the name of region, religion and caste by fomenting trouble through this exploitation but I want to convey them a message a today that National Conference and Congress shall face and defeat all such forces with our strong ideology which is based on secularism and mutual brotherhood, we do not believe in playing religious or regional politics and our workers belong to all reli- gions, regions and castes, therefore, we do not represent one community or one region. Our goal is to usher Jammu and Kashmir State towards new era of progress and develop- ment", he maintained.
Omar said that he is grateful to Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson, Sonia Gandhi for giving unprecedented Plan funds to the state for current financial year.
Deputy Chief Minister, Tara Chand, Minister for Revenue & Rehabilitation, Raman Bhalla, Minister for R&B, G.M. Saroori, Advisor to Chief Minister, Mubark Gul, MLC, T.S. Wazir, and other senior officers of the State Government were present on the occasion.
Therefore, it is in the best interest of Pakistan as a good neighbors to extend hand of friendship, at this very juncture, when Indo Pak talks are scheduled, so that both the countries are able to reap the fruits of amicable co-existence". , observed Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, while addressing to a mammoth gathering in Kunjwani Jammu on the occasion of laying of foundation stone of Rs. 34 crore Kunjwani- Satwari Road.
The Chief Minister said that world is aware of the reality that situation is not conducive in Pakistan. Pakistan has to play a positive role for creating a peaceful atmosphere. He said the firing inci- dents at borders have adverse affect the people who were living on bor- ders and, as a good neighbor, Pakistan has to play vital role in turning these borders as abode of peace and tranquility.
He said that Pakistan has always promised that they will not allow their land to be used for any abnor- mal activity and it is expected that they will prove their determination and fulfill their promises.
The Chief Minister, while reiter- ating his own determination and strong commitment of the Coalition Government, to make Jammu and Kashmir State as a model State, so that all the regions of the State, whether it is Kashmir, Jammu or Ladakh, have equal opportunities to prosper and progress. He comple- menting Roads & Buildings Department for starting today's ambitious project of widening Kunjwani- Satawri road costing Rs.
34 crore. He further said that he would like that the work under mega widening of national highway to be expedited. He also complemented Raman Bhalla for his effective role in the development of his Constituency.
The Chief Minister said that the recently approved project for con- structing artificial lake in Jammu, with an estimated cost of Rs.25 crore, was the basic desire of his grand father Sher-I Kashmir Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, who was desirous that like Dal lake, Jammu people should have also a lake so that it adds beauty of this important winter capital of our State.
The Chief Minister said that it is unfortunate that since the present government took over, some forces have been trying their best to divert the attention of people from the basic developmental activities.
They tried to misuse innocent senti- ment of people in the name of region, religion and caste by fomenting trouble through this exploitation but I want to convey them a message a today that National Conference and Congress shall face and defeat all such forces with our strong ideology which is based on secularism and mutual brotherhood, we do not believe in playing religious or regional politics and our workers belong to all reli- gions, regions and castes, therefore, we do not represent one community or one region. Our goal is to usher Jammu and Kashmir State towards new era of progress and develop- ment", he maintained.
Omar said that he is grateful to Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson, Sonia Gandhi for giving unprecedented Plan funds to the state for current financial year.
Deputy Chief Minister, Tara Chand, Minister for Revenue & Rehabilitation, Raman Bhalla, Minister for R&B, G.M. Saroori, Advisor to Chief Minister, Mubark Gul, MLC, T.S. Wazir, and other senior officers of the State Government were present on the occasion.
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