Pranab’s budget has Rs.8,000 crore for Kashmir’s development

NEW DELHI - Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee Monday said Rs.8,000 crore would be given as special developmental assistance to the troubled Jammu and Kashmir in the current fiscal. This is in addition to the special support of Rs.28,000 crore already earmarked by the central government.

“The governments special support to Jammu and Kashmir is anchored in the Rs.28,000 crore Prime Minister’s Reconstruction Plan. In addition, for the current year, about Rs.8,000 crore has been provided for the state’s development needs, Mukherjee said in his budget speech.

Mukherjee also said task forces to assess infrastructure needs in the Jammu and Ladakh regions of the state had recommended projects amounting to Rs.416 crore and Rs.497 crore, respectively.

I am providing Rs.100 crore for Ladakh and Rs.150 crore for Jammu for these identified projects in 2011-12, Mukherjee said.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during his visit to the state in November 2004, announced a reconstruction plan for Jammu and Kashmir involving an outlay of nearly Rs.28,000 crore.

The prime minister’s multi-crore plan is aimed at expanding economic infrastructure, expanding the provision of basic services, providing a thrust to employment and income generation and providing relief and rehabilitation to the dislocated and the families of victims of insurgency since 1989.

The government in October last year had also constituted two special task forces for Jammu and Ladakh regions to examine allocations for infrastructure. The task forces were given three months to submit their reports so that immediate developmental issues for the two regions can be addressed within 24 months.