Jammu, December 5
The Council of Ministers headed by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed at a special meeting held here today, appreciated the success achieved by the Chief Minister in getting an additional financial assistance from the Centre to the tune of Rs 137 crore for various projects, including bridging the gap between the supply and demand in the power sector.

The Mufti presided over the meeting and briefed the ministers about his discussions with the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister, the Finance Minister and the Defence Minister.

He said the Centre had agreed to revive the PMT and the telephone industry in Srinagar and fund the project under which Udhampur would be linked with a railway line.

He said he had given an assurance to the Railways Minister that he would look into the delay in the rail project which was expected to be completed by 2007.

He said the Centre has agreed to release Rs 100 crore to bridge the gap in the current year’s annual plan.

He said the Union Government agreed to give Rs 10 crore for reconstructing and renovating houses of Kashmiri migrants at Khirbhawani and Mattan to start the process of encouraging displaced families to return to the valley.

Another Rs 11 crore would be released by the Centre for repairing houses in the Jammu border areas which had been damaged in shelling.

The ministers praised the Mufti for securing an assurance from the Centre that it would give counter guarantee for the Bhaglian and Sawalakot power projects in Jammu, the construction of which had been entrusted to private companies.