Preps on, urban local body, panchayat polls soon: Omar
Jammu, Feb. 10 -- Chief minister Omar Abdullah on Monday assured early elections to the urban local bodies and Panchayats but flagged the vacant post of state election commissioner (SEC).
Speaking during the question hour at legislative assembly here, Omar said, the government is making necessary arrangements to hold elections to urban local bodies and panchayats in the Union territory at the earliest but the post of SEC is presently vacant.
In a written reply to a question by Congress MLA Tariq Hameed Karra in the legislative assembly, the CM said the superintendence, direction and control of preparation of electoral rolls and conduct of elections under the J&K Panchayati Raj Act, J&K Municipal Act and J&K Municipal Corporation Act, 2000, rests with the SEC.
"The commission (SEC) is making necessary arrangements for holding panchayat and urban local bodies elections at the earliest. However, the position of state election commissioner is lying vacant at present," he said, adding that the report submitted by the Jammu and Kashmir Local Bodies Dedicated Backward Classes Commission for determining the quota of reserved seats is under examination, and further steps will be taken accordingly.
Stormy scenes were witnessed in J&K assembly here on Monday after PDP MLA Waheed-ur-Rehman Para accused the NC government in state of putting entire Jammu and Kashmir on sale in the name of special assistance to states for capital investment (SASCI). Para squarely called it a "debt-trap".
During his recent budget speech, CM Omar had expressed his gratitude Centre for extending the SASCI scheme to J&K.
Speaking during general discussion on budget, Para accused NC the government of playing into the hands of BJP and stated that after 50 years when J&K won't be able to pay back debts, the region's resources will go to big business tycoons.
"Discuss SASCI scheme.this is the most dangerous scheme you (NC) are doing after abrogation of Article 370. You (NC) got the mandate to preserve and reclaim J&K but you are putting entire J&K on sale. Who will repay the loan after 50 years and why this loan is being given to you," said Para.
He further said, "this is neither a loan by NABARD nor RBI but a loan from the market.. It's a loan by Adani and Ambani. I request the house to first read SASCI. You are mortgaging J&K without consulting anyone."
The PDP MLA asked why would J&K get 50,000 crore loan repayable after 50 years. "The CM and NC MLAs are boasting about bringing SASCI to the UT. This is not a welfare scheme but a debt trap through which you are mortgaging J&K to industrialists," Para said.
While the ruckus was going on, BJP members staged a walkout, accusing the chair of not affording time to the party members to speak on the budget. NC MLA Mubarak Gul was in the chair at the time of discussion.
Some BJP members also tried to storm the well.
The house was adjourned for half-an-hour before the schedule end of the first sitting....
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