New Delhi, Feb 28: Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee Monday said ` 8,000 crore would be given as special developmental assistance to the troubled Jammu and Kashmir in the current fiscal. This is in addition to the special support of ` 28,000 crore already earmarked by the central government under the Prime Minister’s Reconstruction Plan (PMRP).
 “The government's special support to Jammu and Kashmir is anchored in the ` 28,000 crore PMRP. In addition, for the current year, about ` 8,000 crore has been provided for the state's development needs,” Mukherjee said in his budget speech in the Lok Sabha.
 Mukherjee also said the task forces to assess infrastructure needs in the Jammu and Ladakh regions of the state had recommended projects amounting to ` 416 crore and ` 497 crore, respectively.
 “I am providing ` 100 crore for Ladakh and ` 150 crore for Jammu for these identified projects in 2011-12,” Mukherjee said.
 Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during his visit to the state in November 2004, announced a reconstruction plan for Jammu and Kashmir involving an outlay of nearly ` 28,000 crore.
 The prime minister's multi-crore plan is aimed at expanding economic infrastructure, expanding the provision of basic services, providing a thrust to employment and income generation and providing relief and rehabilitation to the dislocated families and victims of violence.
 The government in October last year had also constituted, besides the panel of interlocutors, two special task forces for Jammu and Ladakh regions to examine allocations for infrastructure. The task forces were given three months to submit their reports so that immediate developmental issues for the two regions can be addressed within 24 months.

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