PAC revelations; exposes rot in the government: Ms Mehbooba

Srinagar, January 25, 2012: Pointing towards the latest revelation made by the public accounts committee of legislative Assembly regarding diversion of funds from one area to another, PDP President Ms Mehbooba Mufti said that it has further exposed the rot in the functioning of the present government.     

Addressing  the meetings of zone Batmaloo, Eidgah and Khanyar at PDP headquarters here today, Ms Mehbooba observed that PDP’s  statements regarding unutilisation and diversion of funds by the present regime has been proved true by none else than the government it self. The PDP president said that the Chairman of the PAC by appealing to chief minister has further made a mockery of the running of this coalition government.

PDP president said that this may be a tip of the iceberg as there may be much worse cases of non utilization and diversion of funds done by the government in order to serve their own interest  “It has been also reported in media that Government of India had released more than Rs 30 crore for solid waste management in 12 towns of Jammu and Kashmir during 2010-11 and 2011-12. Out of this amount Rs 15 crore were allocated to Srinagar and Jammu regions each. While more than 92 percent of funds have been shown utilized in seven towns of Jammu region, not a single penny has been spent in the Kashmir valley. This unutilisation and diversion of funds from places like Srinagar city and towns like Anantnag , Baramulla, Kupwara, sopore, Shopian etc is the result of incompetence of the present regime” Ms Mehbooba regretted. Earlier also Rs 50 crores meant for the development of the roads of Srinagar city under CRF were diverted for reasons best known to the government.  

She repeated that all major works of Srinagar, be it construction of flyover, water drainage system, widening of roads is at stand still,

Ms Mehbooba added that even in Chief Minister’s own constituency it has been reported that against Rs 1.43 crore approved plan for Ganderbal, Rs 34.55 lakh were released but the expenditure incurred has been zero. When a chief minister could not take care of funds for his own constituency what can be expected from the people around him.

According to its own admission by PAC, Ms Mehbooba said that beautification of heritage sites and religious places in old City Srinagar is awaiting execution of  work for the last two years now.

Mehbooba said that the people of Srinagar need to demand an account from their elected representatives and ministers as to how the funds meant for the over all development of the city have been diverted to other areas.

Ms Mufti sought the cooperation of the people of the Srinagar to strengthen the party which alone could bring in a change in the functioning of system so that people would get their due share of development.

Secretary Coordination Ab Hameed Kosheen, Vice District President Nisar Ahmed Mandoo, District secretary Ab Qayoom Bhat, Zonal presidents Imtiyaz Khan, Showkat Hafiz, and Ali Mohd Baba were also present and spoke on this occasion.