Sagar defends diversion of funds from Kashmir to Jammu

PDP, CPI (M) stage walkout over diversion of Rs 30 Cr CRF

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

JAMMU, Mar 26: Senior National Conference (NC) leader and Minister incharge Rural Development, Law and Parliamentary Affairs, Ali Mohammad Sagar, today found himself in the eye of a storm over diversion of Central Road Fund allocation worth Rs 30 Cr from Kashmir valley to Jammu division. Valley-based opposition parties, including PDP and CPI (M), staged a walkout from Legislative Assembly over the controversial decision of Public Works Department, currently functioning under Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, but Sagar asserted in defence that diversion had become a necessity to protect flow of the central funds to Jammu & Kashmir.

With the beginning of Zero Hour, leader of the principal opposition party, PDP, Mehbooba Mufti sought Speaker’s attention to a recent Government order whereby CRF funds to the tune of Rs 30 Cr have been diverted from Srinagar to Jammu. She questioned shifting of funds from R&B Department Kashmir to R&B Department Jammu and called it “grave injustice to the people of Kashmir”. Today’s Greater Kashmir had carried a story on diversion of the CRF allocation and claimed that same were being utilized for development of Jammu.

Amid heated exchanges with Mehbooba, Sagar asserted that the NC-led coalition government had a strong commitment to development in Kashmir, particularly the capital city of Srinagar. He argued that the funds had been diverted earlier this month “only to protect further flow of the central funds”. He claimed that the funds had not been utilized due to disturbance in the Valley in 2010-11 and allowing the same to lapse would have meant stoppage of further allocations from the Union government.

Not satisfied with Sagar’s reply, all the members from PDP, PDF and CPI (M) shouted slogans and staged a walkout in protest. They were also joined in the protest by CPI (M) leader, Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, who questioned Sagar’s assumption that the funds would have remained unspent and thus rendered the state of Jammu & Kashmir disqualified in seeking further allocations. He assured the House that Kashmir division would be duly compensated with the additionalities during 2011-12. Sagar asserted that the funds could not be utilized in full due to street turmoil in the Valley in 2011.

While the House remained disrupted, both Mehbooba as well as Sagar held separate press conferences to assert against each other. Sagar said that an amount of Rs 132 Cr had been received from the Centre under Central Road Fund during last year the current financial year’s allocation would be of an order of Rs 140 Cr. Keeping the money unutilized, he said, would have disqualified J&K from seeking further CRF allocations. He charged PDP and BJP with playing politics over development of the state.

Later, at a news conference, Sagar admitted that CRF was not lapsable at the end of a particular financial year. He maintained that failure in providing utilization certificates to the Centre would have stopped further allocations from New Delhi.

Sagar strongly dispelled the impression of ‘injustice to Kashmir and injustice to Jammu’ while asserting that some political parties, like PDP and BJP, had been generating mistrust over regional and religious divisions. When he was asked about a member’s dissent on recommendations of State Finance Commission, Sagar asserted that the real document would be tabled in nthe Legistaure in a few days and that would automatically set the records right.

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