Governor heads for Delhi today to ‘tackle’ financial crisis
To meet Rajnath, Jaitley, seek plan funding, flood relief package
With Jammu and Kashmir facing the worst-ever financial crisis and liabilities swelling to Rs 2700 crore, the Governor NN Vohra is headed for New Delhi on Friday to tide over the ‘critical’ situation. He is also scheduled to discuss the rehabilitation of flood victims and seek the clearance of Rs 44,000 crore related relief package from the Centre.
Sources told Greater Kashmir that Vohra will meet the Finance Minister ArunJaitley and Home Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi on Friday afternoon to discuss the plan funding and also get the flood rehabilitation package cleared.
Vohra visit to Delhi comes in the backdrop of his separate communications to Jaitley and Rajnath on the grave financial crisis in the state and delay in rehabilitation of the flood victims.
On Wednesday, Vohra wrote a letter to Rajnath arguing that “early sanction of the State Government claim is critical for clearing the liabilities which have accumulated on account of temporary restoration of the public infrastructure”, post floods. He urged the Home Minister to “urgently clear” the State Government’s request for funds under the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) and special financial package of Rs 44,000 crore for rehabilitation of the flood victims.
Earlier, Vohra shot a communication to the Finance Minister on “grave financial crisis” in the state. “The Governor’s letter to the Finance Minister brings up the severe difficulties faced in funding the Annual Plan (2014-15) and the virtual breakdown of the State’s financial balance,” a Raj Bhavan spokesman said on January 21.
In October 2014, the then government led by Omar had submitted a proposal of Rs 44000 crore to Government of India for providing financial assistance to the flood victims. The latter however raised “queries” on the proposal and sought complete details from the State. Though there has been no forward movement on the proposal, the State Government sanctioned Rs 75000 for fully damaged houses and Rs 3800 for partially damaged structures as interim relief under the State Disaster Response Fund.
