Kathua: Finally taking a call on the influx of foreign nationals in the winter capital, Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Saturday called for a thorough probe into the “antecedents” of Rohingya Muslims and Bangladeshi settlers in Jammu and Kashmir.
Various socio-political organizations have opened a front against the Rohingya and Bangladeshi settlers in Jammu.
“There is a need for a probe into the antecedents of these settlers in Jammu and Kashmir,” he told reporters here after a function.
The Union Minister of State in the PMO also pointed towards the habitations of Bangladeshis and migrants from Myanmar in Jammu and said there was a need to inquire the reason behind their stay here.
“Why some people, who have vested interests, have not objected to their stay in Jammu while continuously raising questions on the issuance of identity cards to West Pakistani refugees,” Singh said, adding, “I think, they want a demographic change in the state by supporting these foreigners staying here.”
Addressing a public meeting, the Union minister said all the major road projects for Kathua, Udhampur districts and the erstwhile Doda district have been cleared to receive Central funds under the Central Road Fund (CRF), Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) and Union Ministry of Defence/Border Road Organisation (BRO) fund.
He also laid foundation stones for road projects under PMGSY in Kathua and Hiranagar Assembly segments.
Singh claimed that for the first time, the overall average construction of roads had increased to over 113 kms per day and out of a total Central funds of Rs 3,600 crore sanctioned for road projects under PMGSY in Jammu and Kashmir, over half of the amount was earmarked only for the Lok Sabha constituency of Kathua-Udhampur-Doda.
Referring to some of the mega projects brought in the constituency, he claimed that most of the major promises made by the BJP in the run-up to the 2014 Parliamentary election were being honoured with the “landmark” Keedhiyan-Gadhiyal bridge and north India’s “first ever” bio-tech park in Kathua, the river Devika cleansing project, the radio station for Udhampur and the initiation of the proposal for the Chandragala tunnel on the Basohli-Bhaderwah road stretch.In the last two-and-a-half years, a record amount of over Rs 850 crore had been sanctioned by the Centre for construction of roads and bridges in Kathua district, Singh said, adding that this was not only possibly the “record” amount sanctioned for Kathua roads in several decades, but was also possibly the highest amount for any single district in Jammu and Kashmir.
He added that under PMGSY, Kathua district received Rs 405.66 crore, Udhampur Rs 350 crore, the erstwhile Doda district Rs 600 crore and Reasi district Rs 160 crore.
In addition, he said Kathua got Rs 150 crore for the Keedhiyan-Gadhiyal bridge and under the CRF, Rs 45.54 crore was sanctioned for the Juthana bridge, Rs 40.52 crore for the Halti road upgradation and Rs 43.30 crore for the Lakhanpur-Thien road