‘PM to visit all 3 JK regions in Feb’

New Delhi, Jan 27: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will undertake a visit to Jammu and Kashmir on February 3, amid questions over whether the Assembly elections in the centrally-ruled state will be held with the Lok Sabha polls due by May this year.

During the one-day visit, his fifth since becoming the Prime Minister in 2014, Modi will travel to all the three regions of the state–Ladakh, Kashmir and Jammu, quoting sources news agency ANI reported.

He will lay foundation stones for a host of projects during the trip.

The significant projects include laying of foundation stones for the AIIMS–one each in Srinagar and Jammu, ANI reported.

In Ladakh, the Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone for the work to expand Kushak Bakula Rinpoche Airport in Leh.

He will also inaugurate the Srinagar-Kargil-Leh transmission line.

He will also address public meetings.

The Prime Minister’s visit will take place at a time when there are questions as to when the Assembly elections will be held in the state which doesn’t have an elected government since June last year.

The Governor’s rule was imposed in the state on June 19 last year after the PDP-BJP coalition government led by Mehbooba Mufti collapsed.

Governor Satya Pal Malik placed the Assembly under suspended animation on June 19 and subsequently dissolved it on November 22, when efforts were being made by different political formations to cobble up a majority in the 87-member House.

On one hand, PDP, National Conference and Congress had joined hands to form the government; on the other, People’s Conference led by Sajad Lone also staked a claim to form the government, insisting that he had the requisite support.
Amid criticism, the Governor had justified the dissolution of the House, contending that there were apprehensions of horse trading.

Recently, in Parliament, Opposition parties had slammed the imposition of central rule in the state and questioned when Assembly elections would be held.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh, in his reply, said the central government was ready to hold Assembly elections in the state whenever the Election Commission wants.

He had said the Centre will make available the required strength of security forces and other resources whenever the polls are held.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister Sunday said the NDA government was committed to strengthening initiatives for ensuring universal healthcare and the “pathpbreaking” Ayushman Bharat scheme is being implemented to holistically address health issues.

Addressing the gathering after laying the foundation stone for Rs 1,264 crore AIIMS at Thoppur in Tamil Nadu, he outlined the welfare initiatives taken by the Centre on the health care front.

The AIIMS reflects the vision of “Ek Bharat Shreshta Bharat,” he said.

AIIMS in New Delhi had cultivated a brand name for itself in healthcare and with the AIIMS in Madurai to come up “we can say that this brand of health care has been taken to all corners of country from Kanyakumari to Kashmir to Madurai, from Guwahati to Gujarat,” he said.

Expressing confidence that the proposed AIIMS will benefit the entire Tamil Nadu, he said “the NDA government is giving great priority to health sector so that everyone is healthy and healthcare is affordable.” Through the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana, the government has supported up gradation of government medical colleges across the country, he said.

The Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana and other similar plans are making safe pregnancy a mass movement, he said. Besides in Delhi, there are six other functional AIIMS at Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Jodhpur, Patna, Raipur and Rishikesh. The Centre has also proposed to set up 14 news AIIMS across the country.

Admn reviews arrangements

Jammu, Jan 27: Principal Secretary Planning, Development & Monitoring, Rohit Kansal reviewed the arrangements for the upcoming visit of the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi to Jammu and Kashmir at a high-level meeting in Jammu Saturday evening.

At the 3-hour long marathon meeting which was also joined by Chief Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam towards the conclusion, Kansal took detailed stock of the arrangements being made for the series of functions to be organized at Jammu, Srinagar and Leh including installation of stage, drinking water, power supply, seating arrangements, medical facilities, sanitation, Hi-end vehicles, traffic management, parking, programme schedule and other arrangements being put in place for the VVIP visit.

Kansal stressed upon the officers to make sure that all necessary arrangements are made well in time. He called for close coordination among different agencies for the smooth conduct of Prime Minister’s visit to the State.

Pertinently, Prime Minister is scheduled to visit Jammu, Srinagar and Leh on 3 February 2019 to lay foundation stones and inaugurate various development projects.

Prime Minister had last visited the State on 19 May 2018 to lay foundation of Zojilla Tunnel project.

Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Sanjeev Verma, Commissioner Secretary PWD (R&B), Khurshid Ahmad Shah, Secretary Tourism, Rigzian Sampheal, DC Jammu, Ramesh Kumar, DC Samba, Sushma Chauhan, Director Hospitality & Protocol, Hashmat Ali Khan, Chief Engineer R&B Jammu, Sudhir Kumar and other concerned officers including SSP Traffic and Additional SP Samba attended the meeting.