Salman Soz, son of Pradesh Congress Committee chief Saif-ud-Din Soz on Sunday targeted J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on the social networking site over the creation of new administrative units.
A late entrant in the world of politics, former banker, Salman Soz recently figured in the list of TV panelists approved by the Congress high command to strengthen the media team in the run-up to the lok Sabha polls. Sharing his observations on the famous social networking site Salman on late Sunday evening posted a comprehensive note claiming it took the Chief Minister only one day to review and approve the major recommendations and only a few minutes to take credit.
Salman Soz noted in his post, “Ganai Committee report took 1.5 years (on top of several years of work done by the Bloeria Committee) to come up with its report recommending new 220 or so administrative units (plus 700+ Patwar halqas)”. He said, “It took the Cabinet sub-committee only a few weeks to “consult” people of the State and come up with an additional “demand” of more than 400 administrative units plus 1000+ Patwar halqas. It then took the Chief Minister only one day to review and approve this major recommendation and only a few more minutes to take credit. What amazing speed. If only such speed were shown in improving our existing administration or fulfilling genuine demands such as 24/7 power, an education system that can prepare our youth for 21st century jobs, and a healthcare system that is focused on patient care rather than on whose name appears how often on foundation stones”.
Soz said, “I call on the Government to make public both the Mushtaq Ganai report and the report of the Cabinet sub-committee to see what criteria were used to create new units, what the true financial implication is and how we can measure the success of this policy decision. Otherwise, people will be justified in terming this as an election year move with far reaching consequences for our already underdeveloped and poor State. I say this with utmost humility and I hope the people of J&K are paying attention.”
According to the report of the Cabinet sub-committee, the implementation of CSC recommendations would have financial implications of Rs1510.22 crores including Rs255.51 crores as revenue (recurring per annum) expenditure and Rs1,254.71 crores as capital (non recurring) expenditure. The sub divisions (46) would entail an expenditure of Rs143.52 crores, tehsils (135) Rs507.60 crores, CD blocks (177) Rs500.91 crores and niabats (301) Rs358.19 crores. The new units would require 10,521 staff members including 358 gazetted officers and 10,163 non-gazetted officials.