Is Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti readying to take over reins of power from her father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and become the next chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir?
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The chief minister, when asked about it at a press conference in Jammu on Friday, said, “Modiji is not under any pressure to talk about Pakistan”. Lok Sabha MPs from Srinagar and Baramulla constituencies, Tariq Karra and Muzaffar Baig respectively, have openely castigated the party for entering into an alliance with BJP for power.
14th FC Award has assured complete financial devolution and every state has got its share in Central funds. “He is not under pressure to say that”, Mufti said.
He said when he formed government with BJP, there were apprehensions and concerned.
In order to meet the huge challenge of maintaining the quality of fruit in highly-competitive global markets, Kashmir government has started a trial of a USA patented technology which offers dramatic results in firmness and doubles fruit shelf-life in a non-controlled room temperature environment.
Prof. Nazir Mir, a Kashmir-born scientist working in Rutgers University, New Jersey, US, who has done pioneering research in 1-MCP, also attended the meeting.
He said there is no option but reconciliation with Pakistan as prolonged confrontation with Islamabad adversely hampers development of the state.
Underlining that “there is no option except reconciliation” with Pakistan, he said, “I have been insisting on that. It is not necessary that the PM will accept everything like this as of now”. “I am not a dictator”.
“It (reconciliation with Pakistan) is there”.
He said if there is friendship with Pakistan, “we will be bestowed with peace here (in the state). But he is the Prime Minister of the country”.
“It is a democratic process”, Mufti told reporters in Jammu in response to a question on the possibility of his daughter becoming chief minister.
“I will try that no firing takes place on the border with Pakistan”, Mufti said while answering a question regarding allotting five marla plots to the border residents.
He also said Rs.1,178 crore has been earmarked in Modi’s package for flood management programme in Jammu and Kashmir. “It will also enhance intake capacity at different transit accommodations set in Kashmir”.
“That is not an issue as of now”, he added.
He said the Prime Minister is totally focused on development of JK and he has lived up to his promise of supporting its transformation as a model state.
He thanked the Centre for prioritising widening of road stretches from Udhampur to Chenani and from Chenani to Ramban, Ramban to Banihal and Banihal to Srinagar which will enable the people to complete Srinagar-Jammu journey in only four hours.
“Roads will be better, tunnels will be made”.
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As per available figures, out of the total 16.5 lakh MT apples produced in the state, only 35 per cent are high-quality that can be exported.
