KL NEWS NETWORK
SRINAGAR
The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce & Industry in a Meeting held in Srinagar Monday expressed strong objections at the attempt by the Union Government to pass its regular expenditures and projects as “some kind” of Rehabilitation Package for the State.
While deliberating upon the details of the proposed assistance to the State, the inclusion of Zoji La Tunnel project costing more than Rs nine thousand Crore or the building of tunnels on Manali-Leh sector, the Chamber dismissed the package as a “weak exercise” in which regular plan schemes and pending projects of the Government are being projected as Special Rehabilitation. “The package holds no hope for the flood hit population and appears to be a mere financial jugglery of figures,” a KCCI statement issued here said.
The amount of Rs 800 Crore as interest subvention would not benefit anybody. “The downgrading of AIIMS for Kashmir to a ‘AIIMS-like’ institution only further confirms that the AIIMS like institution was granted at the cost of Kashmir’s proposed AIIMS,” the statement added.
The KCCI demanded that the Rs 44000 Crore proposal sent by Omar Abdullah led NC-Congress coalition should be considered for the rehabilitation. “The economic package proposal which was sent by Omar led government should be considered as it had Rs 8640 Cr interest subvention for trading community while Rs 19241 Cr was kept for their rehabilitation,” KCCI president, Mushtaq Ahmad Wani said. “Instead the union government is giving Rs 800 Cr as interest subvention for trading fraternity while there is nothing for our rehabilitation.”
