J&K's appeal: Help us upgrade hospitals

DELHI DARBAR

Nearly two decades of terrorism have hit Jammu and Kashmir so hard that it is being forced to build basic amenities like hospitals from the scratch.

Even a Congress government in the state cannot help but admit that whatever help the Centre is offering is too little.

"Jammu and Kashmir is definitely seeing a lot of development," Mangat Ram Sharma, minister of health, medical education, labour and employment told Business Standard.

But he has a complaint. "Health infrastructure is not sufficient. We have two or three primary hospitals at the block level but population in the Valley and Ladakh is so scattered that we are unable to reach out to people."

The upgrade of the only two medical colleges in the state, in Srinagar and Jammu, has been pending despite being approved by the central government last year.

"We have received only a small part of the promised central help of Rs 200 crore. Land issues too have slowed down the project," Sharma says.

"I believe the Centre will not hold back further funds as we plan to soon release the state's share of Rs 40 crore for the upgrade," he says.

Sharma hails Centre's offer of help for construction and development of government hospitals in eight districts but says the amount is too small. "We need huge investments here. The Centre has agreed to give Rs 65 crore for construction of the district hospitals. We will approach them for more funds as and when required," he says.

Money is not the only concern. The Valley is facing an acute shortage of doctors. "Most doctors want high salaries, which we cannot give. We are appealing to Kashmiri doctors who went abroad or to other states to return," Sharma says.

He, however, hails the package announced by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh two years ago. "It helped us take up many projects." Out of the Rs 24,000-crore package, Rs 17,000 crore has been set aside for various power projects. "The package revived many projects which were inaugurated during Indira Gandhi's time," Sharma remarks.

The Kargil and Leh projects will meet the power needs of other states in the region as well, he says.

Sharma, who was in the capital to attend the state labour ministers' conference last week, stressed the need for changes in labour laws to suit the changing industry norms.

"At the same time, violation of the laws should be effectively curbed. For this, stringent monetary punishments should be incorporated," the minister says.

The state is reorganising its labour department. The minister wants more technical skills imparted to unemployed youths. "We need more funds and ITIs to settle the state's two lakh unemployed youths."

In Delhi, Sharma recalls the promises made by the Centre when he was the state transport minster. The state still has not received the compensation promised by the home ministry for hundreds of state transport buses that were destroyed in terrorist activities.