State Times News
NEW DELHI: Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, who is here on her maiden visit after taking over the reins of the State, on Tuesday dismissed the possibility of shifting National Institute of Technology (NIT) out of the Valley.
The 56-year-old Mehbooba, who assumed charge of the PDP-BJP government on April 4, called on Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh here, a meeting she described as a “courtesy call”.
Emerging from the 45-minute meeting with Singh, Mehbooba said, “It is a courtesy call on the Home Minister after I took over as the Chief Minister”.
During the meeting, the two sides are believed to have discussed the present turmoil in the State due to clashes between outstation students and police besides law and order situation arising out of militancy.
Sources in the ministry said the Home Minister told Mehbooba that normalcy should be restored at the earliest.
As she was leaving the North Block, journalists asked her questions about the unrest at the NIT and the demand by outstation students to shift the campus to Jammu.
“Let me make it clear that it is an issue within the institute and please do not give it a colour of local versus outsiders. The Human Resources Development Ministry is looking into the grievances of the outstation students and I am hopeful that it will be resolved soon.
During her meeting with Rajnath Singh, the Chief Minister discussed the proposals of the State government presently under the consideration of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) which include continuation of modernization of Police Force Scheme, revised ex gratia scheme which includes loss to livestock due to cross border firing and exemption of security-related expenditure on account of deployment charges.
In order to broaden the scope of cross-LoC trade and travel, described by late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed as the biggest CBM between India and Pakistan, the Chief Minister proposed opening of additional routes and crossing points across the Line of Control. These routes include Kargil-Skardu, Jammu-Sialkot, Turtuk-Khapulu, Chhamb Jourian-Mirpur, Gurez-Astoor-Gilgit, Titwal-Chilhas, Jhangar (Nowshera)-Mirpur and Kotli.
In her meeting with Nitin Gadkari, Mehbooba sought higher allocation under CRF (Central Road Fund) for the State.
The Union Transport Minister assured Mehbooba Mufti that once UCs (Utilization Certificates) for Rs.848 crore are received, an amount of Rs. 350 crore will be further released under CRF. So far, UCs amounting to Rs.801 crore have been sent by the R&B Department, the meeting was informed.
The Chief Minister also highlighted the urgent need to declare Mughal Road as an alternate National Highway, keeping in view the critical condition of certain portions of Jammu-Srinagar National Highway. She also highlighted the need for construction of a tunnel to make Mughal Road an all-weather road. For providing alternate connectivity to Chenab Valley, the Chief Minister requested construction of a National Highway from Lakhanpur to Doda via Ranjit Sagar Dam, which will provide a huge fillip to the tourism potential of the region.
She was informed that except Qazitur-Tangdhar Road for which certain clarifications have been sought from the Public Works Department, bids have been received in case of Baramulla-Gulmarg and Poonch-Uri Roads and the work on the projects will be allotted shortly.
On upgradation of Batote-Kishtwar-Sinthan-Khanabal Road under Bharat Mala, it was given out that the bids will be reviewed by the Road Transport Ministry by May 10 and the work will be allotted 15 days thereafter. In the meantime, the Chief Minister was informed that Rs.90 crore will be released to the State government for basic maintenance of the road.
