Wani, Saroori calls upon Jai Ram Ramesh

Stress for release of 710 crores PMGSY compensation, Additional IAY’s, revision of stage II and sanction of 10th phase projects.

New Delhi, 19 January: - Minister for PWD (R&B) Abdul Majid Wani and Senior Congress leader and MLA Inderwal, Ghulam Mohammad Saroori on Sunday met with Union Minister for Rural Development Jai Ram Ramesh to discuss various issues on development front and problem face under PMGSY in Jammu and Kashmir.

Congress leaders informed Mr. Ramesh that J&K Government had already submitted detail project reports of those unconnected villages/habitation with a low population of 250 souls enabling the Centre to sanction for the better road communication.

The leaders requested Minister for early release of Rs. 710 crores as announced by Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh's in Srinagar last year, the Union Cabinet had also given nod to a grant of Rs 710 crore for land acquisition for expansion and upgradation of rural roads network in Jammu and Kashmir.

Congress leader demanded for early release of an annual grant of Rs. 10 Lakh to be given for each panchayats in Jammu and Kashmir as announced by Vice President AICC Rahul Gandhi in the month of November last year.

Saroori demanded sanction of additional Indira Awas Yojana (IAY) 3,145 & 1,423 for district Kishtwar and Doda in which every panchayat of twin district will get additional 50 IAY cases each, as state government had already submitted the proposal enabling the centre to sanction.

Wani, Saroori stressed for sanctioning of Stage II, 119 road projects with new 2012 rates as on these projects department has invited tender for more than 10 times but no one comes to do work on these projects because of very low rates. They demanded revision of rates on these projects for Improvement Shingling/ Metling /  Premixing beside stressed for sanctioning of phase 10th projects for Jammu and Kashmir State.

The Congress leaders said the situation in the state would change only once the 73rd and 74th constitutional amendments were incorporated into the J&K Panchayat Raj Act. The 73rd Amendment deals with empowering panchayati raj institutions.

The Minister gave patient hearing and assured that he will sanction additional IAY’s, special grant for panchayats, revision of stage II projects and projects of 10th phase on priority in strengthening core networks in all the areas of Jammu and Kashmir.

About PMGSY 710 crores payment Mr. Ramesh said compensation will be a special one-time dispensation for Jammu and Kashmir to meet the cost of land acquisition covering compensatory afforestation, forest land, trees, private land and structures for completion of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) programmes.

Jai Ram Ramesh said that the Union Cabinet, at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, decided that Rs 710 crores -- at 2013-14 prices -- would be released in two tranches to the state government under the PMGSY.

He said the Congress will take the battle to extend the 73rd amendments to J&K to its logical conclusion.

“I will keep exerting pressure on the state government to extending the 73rd amendments to J&K,” said Jai Ram Ramesh in a meeting with Wani and Saroori.