By IANS,
Srinagar : Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Wednesday said a peaceful 2011 had catapulted the state’s development to a new level and the government would continue efforts to enable the people reap the dividends of peace.
“My initiative regarding the gradual revocation of laws like AFSPA (Armed Forces Special Powers Act) in the areas where the role of army has ended due to the restoration of peace, relates to the commitments made to people,” Abdullah said.
The chief minister was addressing a function after the launch of comprehensive management action plan for preservation and conservation of Asia’s largest fresh water lake – Wular Lake – near north Kashmir’s Bandipore town.
While slamming the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the chief minister said: “The party is politicking on the issue of the AFSPA by speaking in different languages in Srinagar, Jammu and New Delhi.”
“While the party favours AFSPA revocation in the valley, it keeps mum in Jammu, and at New Delhi it says that the AFSPA should be removed only after army permits to do so,” he said, adding that the double-speak was aimed at deceiving people.
He said the 13th Finance Commission had granted Rs.120 crore for the lake project and the central government approved the funding in a phased manner with an initial allocation of Rs.30 crore for the year 2011-12.