BJP today demanded a mechanism to account for utilisation of central funds given to Jammu and Kashmir government for development of the state.
BJP National Executive member and state party spokesperson Jitendra Singh demanded that the government must come out with precise details to prove its claim that central funds were being allocated equitably among the three regions of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh.
"There is a popular perception that central funds are being callously swindled or misused by the powers-that-be on the pretext of militancy which has, ironically, according to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, declined, which is why he is demanding revocation of AFSPA," Singh said here.
"There ought to be a mechanism in place to account for the utilisation by the state government of this liberal financial assistance flowing into J&K from the Centre every year," Singh said.
He was reacting to the plan size for the state which was finalised after a meeting between the Chief Minister and Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia recently.
Singh said although the approved plan size per se for the state was Rs 7,300 crore for 2013-14, there was an additional Rs 3,500 crore expected to flow in for various centrally- sponsored schemes.
Besides, Rs 710 crore would be available from the central plan for Prime Minister Gram Sadak Yojana projects and Rs 600 crore for PMRP (state sector) ventures.
Hence, the total plan assistance from the Centre to the state is expected to be about 12,110 crore during the current fiscal, he said.
Singh said the NC-led coalition government should explain to the people of the state as to where this huge amount was going every year even as the current inflation rate in the state stood at 8.64 per cent, which was higher than the All India rate of 8.33 per cent.
"What is more, during the first seven months of 2012-2013, J&K recorded an inflation of 11.63 per cent as compared to All India figure of 9.9 per cent for the same period," he said.
Singh also pointed out that the Gross State Domestic Product growth rate of the state during 11th Five Year Plan was only 6 per cent, which was lower than the national average of 8 per cent.
