Srinagar: Hitting out at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in its backyard, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said his government has provided the "real" healing touch to the people of the state as against the opposition`s "fake" touch.
"It is NC-Congress coalition government which framed and implemented the rehabilitation policy making way for these persons (militants) to return and live a peaceful life. This is the real healing touch", Omar said addressing a rally yesterday at Kilim in Devsar constituency of south Kashmir.
South Kashmir is a PDP stronghold where it has swept the local assembly and parliamentary elections in the past.
The PDP-led state government, which was in coalition with the Congress from 2002 to 2008, had coined the term "healing touch" for its policies.
Omar asked the people to make a distinction between the "real" healing touch and the "fake" healing touch, making reference to the PDP policies.
"The rehabilitation policy, passports to relatives of militants, reduction in the footprints of security forces, removal of bunkers, focusing attention on political issues, zero tolerance against rights violations, people-centric Standing Operating Procedures (SOP) and many other steps taken during the last three years itself differentiate the real healing touch from the fake one propagated by PDP during their time", Omar said.
He said that the PDP despite raising the slogan of healing touch opposed the rehabilitation policy aimed at providing an opportunity to the militants who had crossed the Line of Control in the legislature when it was in power.
"This also distinguishes mere slogans from solid actions", he said.
The Chief Minister was in Kilim to lay the foundation of a degree college building there.
"We are not like Pen and Ink-pot Party (PDP`s election symbol) to starve the areas which were represented by the National Conference during the period when this party was in power", the chief minister said.
Omar said his government has spent more than Rs 30 crore on development during the last three years and another Rs 11.50 crores have been earmarked for the current year for Devsar constituency, which is represented by a PDP legislator.
Omar also said his government has taken "historic measures" to empower the people and fight corruption in the state that no previous government has ever done.
"We have enacted the Public Service Guarantee Act (PSGA) to make service delivery time bound and impose fine on erring officials on this count", he said.
Stating 50 services of six departments of Transport, Revenue, Power, CAPD, Housing and PHE have been brought under the ambit of the PSGA, he said, Home and other departments will also be brought under the purview of this Act.
The chief minister appreciated the "people`s wisdom" to contribute for the restoration of peace in the state and extending support to the government to carry forward development on the fast track.
He said the "ever increasing" tourist flow to the state due to peaceful conditions has opened avenues of economic activities and jobs for youth.
PTI
