100 DAYS OF BJP-PDP COALITION Govt to go tough against corrupt elements: Dy CM

 STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Completing 100 days in power, the Jammu and Kashmir Government on Monday admitted that “some controversial issues” had “impacted” its governance but claimed that it had addressed all the issues successfully.
Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh reiterated the government’s resolve to eradicate corruption and enforce accountability in the working of administration at all levels.
Interacting with the media, Dr. Singh said that the government is committed to strengthen the core infrastructure like roads, power and tourism across the state so that people get a feel of change emerging on the ground.
Asserting that PDP-BJP coalition was for total eradication of corruption in the state, he said in coming days the people of the state will see that this government is going to go tough against the corrupt elements in the system.
Minister of State for Information, Education and Culture Priya Sethi, MLA Sat Sharma MLCs Ramesh Arora and Charanjeet Singh Khalsa also attended the interaction.Highlighting the major achievements of the present Government, Dr. Singh said that various initiatives have been taken to project Jammu as an independent tourist destination.
The Deputy Chief Minister informed that Government is keen to give major fillip to the tourism in the region by expediting ongoing tourism projects and introducing a range of attractive activities at the potential places. He said work on the development of Mubarak Mandi Heritage complex, Artificial Tawi Lake, Sanasar Golf Course and development of Mantalai as an International Yoga Centre would be expedited to make these a reality at the earliest . He said that introduction of water sports and other adventure activities at potential places like Ranjit Sagar dam will be among many initiatives to boost tourism in the region.
Dy CM said that government is also considering amnesty scheme for electricity consumers who have huge power tariff arrears adding that quality power will be supplied to the consumers in coming days as modernization project for power infrastructure has already been taken up.
On the issue of AIIMS for Jammu, the Deputy Chief Minister said that the matter has already been taken up with the union government. He said a decision in this regard is expected to be taken soon.
Listing other projects, Dr Singh said that the government has decided to construct Multi-level parking at Panjtirthi, underground Parking, Shopping Arcades and Play Ground on Terrace with ultra Modern Joggers Track, Development of Hari Singh Park at Exhibition ground , new housing colonies and removal of encroachments for the development of Jammu.
“The 100 days of our rule was setting the stage right for ensuring good governance. There were some controversial issues which impacted the governance, but we resolved all the issues and these 100 days, I can firmly say, were successful,” Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh said.
He did not elaborate on the “controversial issues” but the state has lately seen increase in separatist activities and repeated incidents of Pakistani flags being hoisted, for which the government has come under attack.
Singh, who belongs to BJP and hails from Jammu, highlighted the work done by his government and attacked the previous National Conference dispensation of Omar Abdullah, saying it had left behind a “mess”.
“We have got this mess. And we have honestly tried to correct this mess,” he said, adding “We have started setting this platform for good governance”.
He alleged that the previous government had created a mess with the budget and “now we are trying to correct it”.
Claiming that the state has no money, Singh said, “It is June now, but our treasuries are empty.” He said that next year, in January, “we expect the funds to come from the Centre as the talks are on.”
Castigating the previous Omar Abdullah government, he said, “The utilization certificates, which had been sought by the central government, have not been given so far – in MGNREGA, SSA (Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan) and other sectors”.
“In SSA, salaries have not been given for last 8-9 months, they have created mess. Same is the case with Rehbar-e-Taleem (ReT) as no provision has been made for the future,” he said.
The Deputy CM said the previous government created administrative units but did not keep provisions of funds for them. New schools were declared but no funds were kept for them.
On the coming together of PDP and BJP, he said, “It was a well thought out decision” by the central BJP leadership led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to form the government after two-month-long dialogue with PDP.
“It was not a coalition of ideologies but coalition based on a common agenda of development,” he said.
The Jammu and Kashmir Government, which is under attack over raising of Pakistani flags and pro-Khalistan slogans in Jammu and Kashmir, today said the anti-national activities had been going on earlier also but the new dispensation is taking tough action to curb these.
“I want to put the facts straight. So far as the anti- national activities are concerned, they (separatists and some sections of Sikhs) are doing it since long,” Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh told reporters here.
Referring to the violence witnessed in Jammu last week, Nirmal Singh said, “when this flared up, our priority was to cool down the tempers… We never wanted those elements, who wanted to vitiate the atmosphere and trying to divide the state on the same lines that used to happen in past, to succeed. That was our strategy.”
He added, “We succeeded in that and we assure you that action will be taken against those involved and law will take its own course”.
“We will never allow this to happen again. We cannot do it. It was taking an ugly turn, so our priority was to cool down the tempers,” he added.