Mufti meets Jaitley, calls for expediting rehab package

Tribune News Service

Jammu, March 28

Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed met Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley at New Delhi today and sought expediting reconstruction package post 2014 floods in the state.

This was the first meeting Mufti had with Jaitley after assuming the charge as Chief Minister on March 1. Minister for Finance Dr Haseeb A Drabu was also present. The Chief Minister discussed with Jaitley the support required for relief and rehabilitation post the devastating September 2014 floods. He highlighted the need for reconstruction package for the state which had already been submitted to the Centre.

He emphasised the need to speed-track financing of the rehabilitation package, which needed to be started within the next month.

The Union Finance Minister assured the Chief Minister of full support and said the Centre would find ways to fund the immediate restoration of livelihood and reconstruction in the short term.

Jaitley also suggested that the state government should identify projects in roads and other public-interest sectors which could be financed within the current budgetary allocation.

In view of the upcoming tourist season, the Chief Minister pointed out the urgency for restoring the existing tourism infrastructure which had been damaged in the floods.

”This underlines the need for quick distribution of the package which has been with the Union Government for the last six months,” Sayeed added.

Meanwhile, Sayeed called on President Pranab Mukherjee at the Rashtrapati Bhavan and Vice- President Mohammed Hamid Ansari. The President complimented Mufti on assuming the charge of the Chief Minister of the state.

During the meeting, the Chief Minister apprised the President about the prevailing peace and development scenario in the state.

Earlier, the CM also called on Vice-President Mohammad Hamid Ansari.

During their meeting which lasted for 45 minutes, he discussed with the Vice-President various matters related to development and security situation in the state.