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Situation getting closer to normalcy: Kansal

MAJID NABI. Dated: 9/13/2019 1:37:00 AM

‘Landlines restored, welfare schemes started’

SRINAGAR, Sep 12: The state administration today asserted that restrictions have been lifted from almost every area in Kashmir and that the situation is getting closer to normalcy with each passing day.
Addressing media persons on the day to day happenings at the makeshift media facilitation centre here, government spokesman Rohit Kansal said that landline phones have been fully restored across Kashmir while considerable number of mobile phones functions normally in north Kashmir’s Kupwara and Handwara districts.
He said out of total 187 law and order incidents reported since August 5, 165 incidents were reported from Srinagar alone. He said the incidents of violence which were high before August 16 witnessed consistent decline after this date.
“Restrictions have been lifted from nearly all areas. As far as Kashmir valley is concerned, landlines are fully functional and considerable mobile phones are functional in Kupwara and Handwara, traffic on the roads has increased manifold and the situation has remained peaceful by and large,” said Kansal
Kansal was accompanied by Director Information and Public Relations, Syed Sehrish Asgar, IGP Kashmir Swayam Prakash Pani and Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Baseer Ahmad Khan.
“Since August 5 we have had a total of 187 law and order incidents. 165 of them have been reported from Srinagar alone. We have had an increase till August 16 but after that there has been a consistent decline and I think as you could have seen from the removal of restrictions and increased traffic on the roads things are fast getting to normal,” he added.
He said due cognizance of reports regarding intimidation of shopkeepers by subversive elements has been taken by law enforcement agencies and that the action as per law will be taken against them.
Regarding thin attendance of students in schools which were opened recently by the administration up to high schools level, he said it’s unfortunate that attendance of students in schools is constantly low; however the government is making all efforts to make these schools fully functional.
He also said the parents are not compelled to send their children to schools if they do not feel the situation is conducive.
Regarding restoration of mobile phone service which continued to remain suspended in Kashmir Since August 5; government spokesman said all facilities will be restored once the situation gets normal on ground.
“Threat perceptions are there from across the border however we never ceased with this phenomenon, had we ceased, we would not have restored landlines in Kashmir. Rest all the facilities will be restored once this crucial phase passes off peacefully,” he said.
He also said that the incumbent Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Satyapal Malik has launched the first ever support price based procurement system for apples in the state which is a unique in nature.
“As you all are aware that the state produces around 20-22 lakh metric ton apples, nearly 75 percent of total production of the entire country. We have taken note of various concerns raised by apple farmers regarding rates being offered to them particularly of d-grade variety apples as well as issues of transport, the proposed support price base procurement scheme addresses all these concerns,” said he.
He said the apple of all varieties will be procured while rates have been fixed so as to incentivize people to sell at good prices but there is no compulsion to anybody to sell as the scheme is purely a support mechanism.
He said four collection centers have been initially indentified and these include Parimpora, Shopian, Sopore and Botengu which enables procurement literally at door step of the farmer.
“No farmer will now have to make any distress sale, particularly of D-grade apples. In fact our estimate is that sale of D-grade apple alone through this scheme could end up benefitting the farmers by almost Rs 8000 crore”, he added.
He said the payment times have been fixed through direct benefit transfer scheme and within 3 working days, “transportation is also the responsibility of the procurer so there are no issues for the farmer as far as transportation is concerned. The Divisional Commissioner and his team of DCs are constantly monitoring the procurement process”
Kansal said nearly 50 percent of farmers in the Kashmir valley are apple growers and the scheme will directly or indirectly touch more than 3 million farmers.
“This is just one of the many initiatives which are in the pipeline to provide welfare and assistance, the government has identified 85 schemes of different types cutting across departments and ministries which are the individual beneficiaries these schemes include pension scholarship, housing for rural and urban poor etc,” said Rohit Kansal.