By Mubashir Bukhari
Srinagar, Mar 26: Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba and top officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs on Monday reached Srinagar for the two-day high-level review of security, Prime Minister’s Development Package (PMDP) and situation along the Line of Control.
Top army, CRPF, police officials attended the day-one of the meeting held at SKICC Srinagar.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), as per reports, has asked entire State administration of Jammu and Kashmir to be prepared for listing their priorities including requirements from the Centre and review of progress on developmental works especially those under the PMDP during the two-day stay of the Home Secretary.
As per reports, the progress on the issues of Kashmiri Pandit migrants including their rehabilitation package, problems of West Pakistani refugees and issues of border dwellers, who were facing the brunt of Pakistan shelling and firing are among the issues being discussed during these days.
As far as PMDP is concerned, Government of India, until November 2017, has released Rs 23,275 crores out of the Rs 80,000-crore Package announced by PM Narendra Modi for Jammu and Kashmir in November 2015.
Of it, the state government has spent Rs 19,887 crore, the official documents accessed by The Kashmir Monitor revealed.
The Union Home Secretary, as per reports, is also going to review the security situation within the Kashmir region, which tends to become volatile in summer season.
“We have seen how infiltration attempts escalate during the summer pushing the militant activities in the hinterland. It has the potential of badly affecting yet another year of tourist season, which was lost in 2016 in the incidents aftermath of Burhan Wani killing and 2017 due to violent incidents after Srinagar Lok Sabha by-poll,” sources said.
Gauba, sourced added, is likely to review the steps required to keep militancy under check and control the street protests.
Reports said that he will also take review of annual Amarnath pilgrimage which will begin from June 28.
The reports said the same was keeping in view the incident of last year in which the militants had succeeded in targeting a bus of the yatris killing some of them and injuring others.
Home Ministry, as per reports, was mulling deployment of additional paramilitary forces in Kashmir well in advance to ensure fool-proof security arrangements for the annual pilgrimage.
Gauba’s visit is taking place at a time when militancy related incidents have witnessed a surge and a number of youths have joined different militant outfits in the recent past.
The latest among the youths who joined the militant outfit was Junaid Khan, son of Mohammad Ashraf Sehrai, who replaced Syed Ali Shah Geelani as chairman of Tehreek-e-Hurriyat, a constituent of Hurriyat Conference (G)
