NEW DELHI: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Thursday met Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh here and decided to fast track projects under the Rs 80, 060 crore Prime Minister’s Development Package (PMDP).
Singh also asked for a report from Mehbooba on the status of rehabilitation of Kashmiri pandits and the delay in providing employment to them, sources said.
Under the PMDP, the Centre has earmarked Rs 500 crore for the rehabilitation of the Kashmiri pandits.
“It was decided to accelerate the development projects relating to additional jobs to Kashmiri Migrants, transit accommodations, transfer of cash relief/honorarium through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mode and providing employment to youth of J&K,” the Union Home Ministry said in a statement.
The meeting was also attended by the Minister of State for Home Hansraj Gangaram Ahir, Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba, Chief Secretary of J&K and other senior officials from Union Home Ministry and State Government.
Singh sought a report on report on rehabilitation of the Kashmiri Pandits including the number of jobs provided to them till so far. Delay in providing jobs to pandits who returned to the Valley after two decades was noted during a recent review meeting held by the Ministry,” a senior Home Ministry official said.
In her brief to Singh, Mehbooba said the State Government has identified land and construction was going on for permanent accommodations for the Kashmiri migrants, the sources said.
The meeting between Singh and Mehbooba comes three days after the Centre announced the appointment of former Intelligence Bureau Director Dineshwar Sharma as the Representative for initiating a dialogue with stakeholders of Jammu and Kashmir to usher in lasting peace in the State. Mehbooba thanked the Minister for initiating the dialogue process for the State which can help in reconciliation.
“It was decided to fast track the projects under PMDP by making encumbrance free land available for the Infrastructure projects including Road, Power, and Health etc. Under the Prime Ministers’ Development Package for Jammu and Kashmir (Rs 80,068 Crores) for 63 major Development projects pertaining to 15 Central Government Ministries, an amount of Rs 62,599 crores (approx. 78 per cent) has been sanctioned and an amount of Rs 22,042 crore (approx. 28%) has been released,” the statement further said.
Special emphasis will be given for development of border areas (0-10 km) while selecting projects under the Border Area Development Program (BADP). It was also decided that to ensure safety of these people in Border areas, construction of Bunkers along the border will be expedited, the statement added.