Mehbooba meets PM, discusses Handwara probe with Parrikar

Mehbooba, who is on her maiden visit after assuming post of Chief Minister, met Parrikar and Union Minister for Urban Development Venkaiah Naidu separately.

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In Mehbooba’s meeting with Parrikar, she sought a time bound probe saying it will will act as a deterrent against such incidents in future. (AP photo)

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar Wednesday met visiting J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and assured her of a “detailed, time-bound probe’’ to fix responsibility for the Handwara firing incident.

During the meeting, the CM called for a swift probe to give exemplary punishment to those responsible for killings during the protests. While pointing out that such incidents had the potential of adversely impacting the state government’s efforts to consolidate peace dividends, she urged the Parrikar to announce adequate compensation for the families of the victims.

Apart from Parrikar, she also met PM Narendra Modi and his other Cabinet colleagues to discuss a host of issues. In her first meeting with the PM after taking over as chief minister on April 4, she requested him to favourably consider the inclusion of Srinagar and Jammu in the “Smart Cities Mission’’.

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Mehbooba is also learnt to have sought an additional allocation of 4.30 lakh MTs of foodgrain, which is over and above what the state is supposed to get under the National Food Security Act. She also asked for continuation of the special dispensation of 50 per cent quota for state service officers in promotion to All India Services for another five years. The PM, according to sources, assured her of full support.

Spending a busy day in the capital, she also met Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and sought a “separate window’’ for the PM’s development package to accelerate the flow of resources to the state. Apart from requesting an early release of Rs 880 crore this month for interest subvention, she also demanded Rs 2,000 crore, approved by NITI Aayog, for damaged infrastructure and another Rs 2,000 crore for disbursement of compensation among those displaced in Jammu.

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