MHA reviews Amarnath preparation, mulls to open Vaishno Devi for locals

Jr HM, Jitendra, Murmu discuss development works

JAMMU: The annual Amarnath Yatra in the Himalayas likely to begin from July 21 will be conducted in a staggered manner and not more than 500 pilgrims will be allowed to visit the sacred cave shrine of Lord Shiva daily due to the coronavirus pandemic, even as the government is contemplating to allow locals for Mata Vaishno Devi shrine.
The issue of pilgrimages to the Amarnath and Vaishnodevi shrines, both located in Jammu and Kashmir, was discussed at a high-level meeting attended by Union ministers G Kishan Reddy and Jitendra Singh and senior officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Jammu and Kashmir administration.
The meeting was also attended through video conference by Lieutenant Governor G C Murmu, Chief Secretary B V R Subrahmanyam, divisional commissioners of Kashmir and Jammu, and other senior officers.
"This year's pilgrimage will be conducted in a staggered manner and not more than 500 pilgrims will be allowed to visit the shrine daily due to the COVID-19 situation," an official privy to the discussion said.
Over 9,000 people have been tested COVID-19 positive in the Union Territory and around 145 people succumbed to the virus so far.
“The route through Pahalgam is yet to be cleared as it is full of snow and the pilgrimage may be allowed only through the Baltal route this year. However, a final decision on the pilgrimage to the shrine in Himalayas will be taken later next week,” the official said.
The authorities are particularly concerned over the COVID-19 pandemic as the symptoms for the virus and high- altitude sickness are almost same.
The doctors in the Union Territory and the armed forces are already stressed and hence, allowing a large number of pilgrims to go for the Amarnath pilgrimage will be an additional burden on medical staff and infrastructure, another official said.
In case of Vaishnodevi shrine, the visit to the temple has been suspended till July 31 and authorities are contemplating allowing it first for local people.
“Later, depending on the coronavirus situation, people from outside the state will be allowed,” the official said.
The meeting also reviewed the ongoing development works in Jammu and Kashmir.
These include implementation of centrally sponsored schemes, progress in achieving targets under the Prime Minister's Development Package 2015, issues raised during the outreach carried out by the union ministers in January this year, and issues related to implementation of J&K Reorganisation Act.
An official release from Raj Bhawan said that the Union Minister expressed satisfaction and appreciated the efforts of the UT administration in speeding up the execution of various projects under PMDP, CSSs and other development programmes.
While reviewing the Border Area Development Programme, the Union Minister desired that the infrastructural gaps in border villages should be filled up within next two years in order to ease the difficulties faced by the border residents.
The Union Minister also desired that action must be initiated in case of all the demands put forth by the public before the Union Ministers during the Outreach programme held by them in January, 2020 and the MHA be updated about the progress.
The Minister was informed that 17 projects under PMDP have been completed or substantially completed whereas work on 31 more projects is moving fast.
Under Health sector, it was informed that the work on AIIMS Samba has begun while the work on AIIMS Awantipora is likely to start from August, 2020. Moreover, MBBS course classes have already started in 4 newly established Medical Colleges at Anantnag, Baramulla, Rajouri and Kathua, while as in GMC Doda, the classes would begin from this year. The Government of India has also released 1st instalment of funds for two more Medical Colleges at Handwara and Udhampur.
A detailed presentation was also given on Special Initiative to ensure 100% coverage of eligible beneficiaries under Flagship Schemes being implemented in J&K UT. The efforts of the UT administration for the special drive to cover all eligible beneficiaries under 55 schemes of the Central government were lauded. The UT has ensured 100% coverage of beneficiaries under 32 schemes and was committed to achieving the universal coverage under other schemes of the Central Government as well.
It was informed that J&K being a leader in universalization of Health Insurance, over 11 lakh Golden Cards have been generated and 3.5 lakh families have at least one Ayushman Bharat Golden Card under Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna. Efforts for coverage of students under 14 scholarship schemes for students and saturation of Kisan Credit Cards were also praised by the Union Minister.
The meeting was also informed that the UT has launched Kisan Pakhwada with the aim of doubling rural credit and saturation under KCC; besides enhancing agricultural productivity for small and marginal farmers through technological interventions. Efforts are on to ensure area specific crop insurance for different crops and fruits, it was informed.
The Ministers of the Union Government also lauded the efforts of UT administration in effective and result oriented implementation of the Centrally Sponsored schemes under which Rs 6414 crore were spent in the UT during 2019-20.
The Lieutenant Governor informed the MHA that the UT administration is in the process of developing a web portal for comprehensive monitoring of Centrally Sponsored Schemes under implementation in J&K, which would be launched shortly. He assured the Union Minister that all the issues requiring attention would be sorted out on priority. He also briefed the Minister about the roadmap for accelerated recruitment and implementation of reservation rules in the UT.
On Outreach Programme held by Union Ministers in various Districts of the UT, it was given out that a total number of 1066 demands were made by the public during the Programme, out of which action has been initiated on 440 demands, whereas 626 such demands are under consideration of the UT Government, at various levels which would be expedite to take them forward.