J&K recorded 36 percent decline in violence in 2012: Abdullah

There was a 36 percent decline in militancy-related violence in Jammu and Kashmir during 2012 as compared to 2011 and 54 security forces' bunkers were removed from public places here in 2012, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said Wednesday.

Abdullah was speaking at a meeting of various departments under his charge.

"Under the amnesty scheme devised for youth involved in stone-pelting, orders to withdraw 196 cases involving 1,432 persons have been issued by the government. Eighty-six percent of 184,330 cases received during last three years for passports have been cleared till March 14. The Draft Jammu and Kashmir Police Bill 2013 was uploaded on the website of the department in January for inviting suggestions from the public," the official brief said.

The consultative committee was told that the government has plans for harnessing an 9,000 MW of electricity during the 12th and 13th Five Year Plans. By 2016, another 450 MW will be put into the system through Stage II of the Baglihar power generation project. Thirteen projects of 712 MW have been awarded and approved for allotment in 2012-13.

"The state government provides subsidy to people on electricity in Jammu and Kashmir, which is the cheapest in the country after Sikkim," Abdullah added.

--Indo-Asian News Service

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