Pranab meets Azad before Pak visit

New Delhi, Jan 4: Ahead of the External Affairs Minister's Pakistan visit, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad today called on Mr Pranab Mukherjee and discussed Kashmir specific Confidence Building Measures (CBMs).

The meeting deliberated upon opening up of additional cross-border passenger travel routes, including Kargil-Skardu, Jammu-Sialkot and Jhanger-Mirpur (Nowshera) links.

Besides, the need for early start of trans-LOC trade through Srinagar-Muzaffarabad route, the proposed visit of Jammu and Kashmir Chambers of Commerce and Industries team to Pakistan and pilgrim tourism to shrines of Kashmiri Pandits and Sikhs in POK were also discussed.

Mr Mukherjee is visiting Pakistan for two-days from January 13, to invite Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf for SAARC summit.

The External Affairs Minister will also meet his Pakistani counterpart Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri where several issues, including Kashmir, are expected to be discussed.

Mr Azad also called on Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram and discussed revenue deficit of Rs 1,700 crore in Jammu and Kashmir's power budget.

The Chief Minister briefed Mr Chidambaram about the power situation in the state. He urged the Finance Minister to announce the Central grant of Rs 1,000 crore each for two consecutive years to overcome the deficit.

''Power consumes half of the State Plan, three-fourths of the reconstruction plan and contributes less than 10 per cent of the revenue. The power deficit in financial terms was much larger than the overall fiscal deficit,'' he said.

Mr Azad put the transmission and distribution losses at 47 per cent besides 44 per cent loss on each unit purchased and sold due to the difference in purchase and sale prices.

However, he emphasized that as a part of understanding with the Finance Ministry and the Planning Commission, the Jammu and Kashmir Government was committed to bring in large-scale reforms in electricity generation, transmission, distribution, regulation and revenue collection.

''Over one lakh electronic meters have been installed in the state and the pace of further metering is quite brisk,'' he added.

The Chief Minister assured the Finance Minister that over the next three years the power situation through reforms would be improved.

Mr Chidambaram assured the Chief Minister that the issues raised will be considered.

UNI