J&K's financial burden goes up

The creation of eight districts in Jammu and Kashmir will have major financial implications for the state.

"It will take some time to work out the costs but it will be very expensive," Deputy Chief Minister Muzaffar Hussain Baig told Business Standard.

The Jammu and Kashmir government, last week, announced that recommendations of the Wazir Commission would be implemented and decided to create eight revenue districts and 13 tehsils in the state.

It also announced the establishment of the finance commission to ensure equal distribution of resources to all the three regions of the state--Kashmir, Jammu and Ladakh.

The Wazir Commission was set up in 1976 and had recommended creation of four districts in the state, three in Jammu region and one in Kashmir valley. However, the recommendations were not implemented and in 2002 they became a part of the Congress-Peoples Democratic Party coalition government's Common Minimum Programme.

"It is an unprecedented decision. It will strengthen the concept of local self-governance," Baig said. He pointed out that there was no political point to be scored from this decision. "It will actually put at rest the regional tension in the state," he added.

Sources revealed that the central government had prepared an approach paper for the 11th five -year plan, which recommends smaller districts.

Meanwhile, the creation of the new districts has been received with jubilation as well as protests in the state.

The townships of Bandipore, Shopian, Kulgam and Ganderbal in Kashmir valley were in a festive mood soon after people came to know about the government decision. They took to streets, beating drums and bursting fire crackers.

However, according to some reports, at certain places people took to streets and protested as their respective areas had been left out.

North Kashmir Sangrama Constituency Legislator Shoaib Lone has threatened to go on hunger strike in protest as his constituency was not considered for tehsil status.