‘Seeks special budgetary provisions for connectivity in UT’
SRINAGAR: A parliamentary panel has recommended to the Centre that it must place special focus on the maintenance of roads in the Jammu & Kashmir region.
In its report, the department-related parliamentary standing committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture has recommended to the Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways to ensure sufficient budgetary provisions for road connectivity in Jammu & Kashmir Union Territory.
“The Committee is of the considered view that the Ministry must place special focus on the maintenance of roads in the Jammu and Kashmir region, since the region needs good connectivity throughout the year, from both economic as well as strategic viewpoint. A well-connected, well maintained road network would spur economic activities and further the tourism prospects of the region. The Committee, therefore, recommends the Ministry to ensure sufficient budgetary provisions for this purpose and in case any shortage is felt in this regard, the same may be communicated to the Ministry of Finance at the Revised Estimates (2021-22) stage,” reads the report, a copy of which is in possession of news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO).
The report was tabled in both Houses of the Parliament on Tuesday.
The panel headed by MP T.G Venkatesh made the recommendation after its recent visit to Kashmir where it interacted with different stakeholders on issues related to road, travel & hospitality sectors. It also heard the officials of Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, National Highways Authority of India AI and Government of Jammu & Kashmir on ‘role of highways in nation building’ with reference to the status of national highways/ state Highways in Jammu and Kashmir.