Mufti calls for mechanism to fully utilise Central funds

Tribune News Service

Jammu, November 27

Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today called for putting in place an institutional mechanism to fully utilise the development and relief package announced by the Centre for J&K.

He issued directions to expedite cash disbursement to the 2014 flood victims and for one-time settlement of families from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Chhamb displaced persons.

“Spending the funds under the development package will be a formidable task and a test of the efficacy of our administrative machinery,” Mufti said.

The Chief Minister said this while chairing a high-level meeting called to discuss the development package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Srinagar recently. The meeting was attended by Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh.

The Chief Minister ordered the constitution of a ministerial committee to make recommendations, for consideration of the Cabinet, on various components of the package so that an efficient system was established The committee will ensure that the funds are judiciously utilised for bringing about the transformation of the state on the development front.

Mufti ordered the committee to recommend modalities for speeding up the actual disbursement of cash relief in a transparent and time-bound manner.

The other members of the committee, scheduled to meet tomorrow, comprise Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Relief and Rehabilitation Syed Basharat Bukhari, Minister for Public Health Engineering Sukhnandan Kumar and Minister for Finance Haseeb Drabu.

Under the package, Rs1,200 crore has been allocated for those whose houses were completely or severely damaged in the 2014 floods. A total of Rs 2,000 crore is for permanent restoration of damaged infrastructure. Rs 2,000 crore has been given for the one-time settlement of families from PoK and Chhamb displaced persons.