Rs 100 crore Central aid for J&K villages

Jammu and Kashmir was poised to lift an "all-time high" Rs 100 crore Central assistance for rural development, Finance Minister Muzaffar Hussain Beigh said yesterday.

"We are poised to reach the top slot by lifting a Rs 100 crore Central assistance for the rural sector," the minister said.

In November, we received Rs 86 crore, while the state had got only Rs 47 crore last year. It was decided to release the amount after assessing the performance of the state government in the rural sector, he said.

For the first time, the state government has sought release of second instalment of the central assistance fund after spending the first instalment during the current year.

Of the 37 special rural development projects worth Rs 153 crore, sent to the Centre for clearance this year, 11 projects worth Rs 45 crore have been sanctioned.

Beigh stressed the need of launching a massive awareness campaign to highlight the various schemes run by the rural development department.