Srinagar, Oct 5: Notwithstanding the government claims of “equitable development” of all the regions of JK, Srinagar gets least funds from District Plan even lesser than what the newly carved districts are given. This has been the precedence at least for the past three years while the revelation came to fore when state government Friday gave a written reply to question posed by MLC, Muhammad Ashraf Mir.
 The information provided by state government reveals that during 2011- 12, total outlay for Srinagar was fixed at Rs 55.8 crores, while other districts of the valley had been allotted more funds.
 A dissection of the reply reveals that even the newly carved out districts like Ganderbal, Bandipora, Samba and Kathua are getting more funds under district plan than Srinagar.
 Budgetary allocation of funds for Ganderbal is Rs 65 crores, Bandipora Rs 67 crores, Samba Rs 62 crores and Kathua Rs 91.2 crores  hinting that Srinagar gets Rs 10 crore to Rs 40 crores lesser than these districts.
 Winter capital Jammu in the same financial year was allocated Rs 99.8 crores under the District Plan, something double the amount Srinagar was given.
 Similarly in the year 2010- 11, Srinagar got Rs 45 crores under district plan. While other districts from the state got more amount than Srinagar district, the summer capital stood last in the funds allocation list.
 The financial scene remained almost the same for fiscal year 2009-10 as Srinagar was allocated meagre Rs 42 crores as compared to Rs 72 crores for Jammu district.
 Experts opine that if the district plans were allocated as per the population figures, Jammu would be entitled to mere 20 % more than what Srinagar was given.
 “But allocating a plan that is almost double to what has been given to Srinagar is brazen discrimination against this district,” experts said.
 “State government has always been discriminative against Srinagar and in that the Centre government has been supporting it. The recent allocation of annual district plan for Srinagar and Jammu prove it,” said a civil society member.
  “State government owes an explain to the people of Srinagar, as to why more plan funds have been  allocated to Jammu district  and other less populated districts in the state than Srinagar,” he added.

Name of District Funds for year 2009 – 10
( Rs in Crores)  Funds for year 2010-11
( Rs in Crores) Funds for year 2011-12
( Rs in Crores)
Srinagar  42.17 45.47 55.65
Jammu  72.92 92.65 99.94
Ganderbal  57.3  62.58 65.53
Budgam  72.3 85.78 97.99
Anantnag  80.95 98.33 113.33
Kulgam 62.32  71.28 81.81
Pulwama  52.64 63.68 72.84
Shopian  49.94 53.78 60.62
Baramulla  75.64 98.51 108.57
Bandipora 55.51 62.35 69.93
Kupwara  75.46 94.25 105.40
Samba  46.72 55.15 62.75
Kathua  71.64 84.63 91.26
Udhampur  63.55 82.48 89.73
Reasi  46.43 60.91 71.44
Doda  55.89 77.86 84.40
Kishtwar  44.70 59.16 67.13
Ramban  46.94 58.59 67.15
Rajouri  73.84 98.90 106.70
Poonch  63.55 82.67 91.97
Leh
Kargil 71.30
71.38 73.35
71.58 75.40
71.48
(Source Government reply)

Lastupdate on : Fri, 5 Oct 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 5 Oct 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 6 Oct 2012 00:00:00 IST