| Dy CM becomes 'king' of Billawar | | Allocates Rs 5 cr for his constituency, gives 'peanuts' to other regions | | Akshay Azad
Early Times Report
Jammu, July 19: Continuing with the precedence set up by his predecessors, the Deputy Chief Minister has recently approved sanctioning of funds to his home constituency while depriving others of same largesse, thus raising a finger over his functioning.
Though Nirmal Singh, who was elected from Billawar constituency is deputy Chief Minister of entire state but he has been allocating huge funds to his home constituency, due to reasons best known to him.
The Housing and Urban Development Department (HUDD) is under Nirmal Singh and during a recent meeting of department held under his chairmanship, he approved sanctioning of funds to the tune of several Crores, for restoration of flood damage infrastructure and for preventive measures for water logging/submergence caused due to incessant rains.
According to the documents in possession of Early Times, the sanctioned funds included, Rs. 5 Crores for improvement/restoration of storm water drains of flood affected Municipal Committees including improvement works in Municipal Council Billawar.
Strangely, in the same meeting, Rs. 5 Crores was also sanctioned for improvement/restoration of storm water drains of flood affected MC of Anantnag, Pampore, Bijbehara, Pulwama, Sumbal, Hajan, Baramulla and Sopore.
"On one hand, Rs. 5 Crores was sanctioned for a single Municipal Council, while same amount was sanctioned for eight MC's which shows step motherly treatment given by Deputy CM to other constituency and undue favour to his home constituency", an official said, adding that though rains had caused damages in other MCs also, but same had found no mention in sanctioning of funds.
Though Jammu district is much bigger as compared to MC Billawar but an amount of Rs. 16.61 Crores was sanctioned for various works including restoration of flood damages/improvement of drainage network at Panama Chowk, restoration/improvement of drainage network of Regional Research Labouratory Jammu, Construction/improvement of drainage network in Krishna Nagar, Restoration of flood damages of various drainage networks in Jammu city ( Balance work).
An official pleading anonymity said that if same would be the attitude of Deputy CM, then he would also be targeted in near future as during the previous government's tenure several ministers were targeted for giving undue benefit to their respective constituencies.
Pertinently, when Harshdev Singh was Education Minister, he was blamed for giving undue benefit to his home constituency, while sanctioning of schools, upgradation of schools, besides, Abdul Rahim Rather was also targeted for sanctioning several Public Health Centers in his home constituency, depriving the more deserving ones of their due. |
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