The Jammu & Kashmir Minister for Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs and Information & Public Relations, Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali called on the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh here today and discussed wide range of issues related to development as well as some of the immediate problems faced by the border districts.

Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali gave Dr Jitendra Singh an update about the progress of various Central schemes and projects in his Ministry as well as in other sectors in general. He said that with the support of Union Government, the development activity has received an impetus and as the situation gradually returns to normalcy, the benefits of development will be realized in full measure. He also gave a resume of the various flagship programmes including the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana. He also requested for initiating the work on Rajouri-Poonch railway line. He also made a plea for increasing the employment opportunities for the people of the region.

Dr Jitendra Singh said that he would put forward the issues raised by him before the concerned Ministries, like Ministry of Railways and Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, however, he suggested that the State Government should get into a more active mode and try to fast-track the works which have already been approved and for which even the funds have been sanctioned by the Central Government.

Dr Jitendra Singh said that the Union Government is liberal in offering all kinds of support, both financial and otherwise, to the states of Jammu & Kashmir and Northeast, but it is up to the respective State Governments to make the best use of this patronage.

Emphasizing the need to fast-track construction of roads sanctioned through Central Roads Fund (CRF) by the Government of India and rural electrification under "Deen Dayal Upadhyay Gram Jyoti Yojana" (DDUGJY), Dr Jitendra Singh said that J&K Government should expedite work to achieve the fixed timelines and targets set to be achieved by 2019.

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KSD/NK/PK/KM

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