| JAMMU: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha Wednesday called upon people to take a pledge to eradicate terrorism and the terror ecosystem perpetuated by Pakistan.Addressing the Republic Day parade at the M A Stadium here, Sinha said, “I pay tribute to the jawans and officers of Jammu and Kashmir Police, Army and other Central Security Forces, who continue to make supreme sacrifice for the unity and the integrity of the motherland.””While saluting their valour and sacrifices, we should also take a pledge to eradicate terrorism and the terror ecosystem perpetuated by the neighbouring country,” he added.In apparent reference to the abrogation of Article 370 that guaranteed special status to the erstwhile state, he said, “The central government under the strong and able leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi took the bold and decisive step of breaking the shackles erected in the path of development of Jammu and Kashmir. After the historic transformative changes in August 2019, Jammu and Kashmir is poised to become the latest success story among Indian states and a model of socio-economic development for the country.”Reiterating the government’s commitment to build a strong Jammu and Kashmir, the L-G said, “We will continue to march ahead with the mantra of the four Ps – Peace, Progress, Prosperity and People first. We are determined to ensure every single citizen of the UT enjoys a prosperous and peaceful life. Despite challenges, efforts are underway for turning Jammu and Kashmir into a preferred destination for industrial investment and opportunities,” he said.He further said, “J&K is fast moving towards becoming a powerful and self-reliant Union Territory by improving the standard of living of farmers, youth, women, labourers and every citizen of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said, adding the industrial revolution, which started just a year ago, has achieved much more than what the UT had clocked in the last 72 years.After the implementation of the new industrial scheme under the guidance of Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, investment proposals worth Rs 48,000 crores have been received, Sinha said while referring to the Industrial Estate Development Policy which incorporates mechanisms for public-private partnership in the industrial sector.While speaking about the three-tier panchayati raj system, which has been put in place to ensure people’s participation in socio-economic and developmental efforts, the L-G said, “The new leadership at the district, block and panchayat levels is ensuring formulation and implementation of policies, keeping in mind the priorities of the common people. Special attention is being paid to make grassroot democratic institutions self-reliant, competent and autonomous and for synergising their developmental efforts.”Referring to the vesting of forest rights with the tribal community for the first time in the history of Jammu and Kashmir, he said an integrated plan has been formulated for the future generations of the deprived community by ensuring their rights on forest products.Smart schools, transit accommodations, cluster model villages, milk villages are being developed for economic prosperity of the tribals, Sinha said, adding, “I am apprised of some unpleasant incidents reported against members of the tribal community in respect of which appropriate action shall be taken by the administration, and it will also be ensured that such incidents do not reoccur in future.”Giving details of the reforms made in the last 30 months in the UT, he said the land use change policy, a major impediment for the industrial development of the region, has been simplified and is likely to attract more investments. However, the people are being misled on this issue too, he said. |
Sinha assured the “land owners and farmers that all these changes have been effected with the sole aim of empowering them. There is a section in the society which has always been misleading the people about imaginary issues like demographic change and on this pretext, the most hardworking and needy class of people had been deprived of and alienated from their own land or stopped from even using it as per their wishes or requirements”.
He also reiterated the administration’s commitment to promoting local businesses in the real estate sector, while referring to the finalisation of investment proposals worth Rs 18,000 crore in the first ever Real Estate Summit held last month and Rs 3,000 crore in only two days during the recently-concluded Dubai Expo.
Pointing out that in total, a target of investment proposal worth Rs 70,000 crore has been achieved within a year, Sinha said he also referred to massive public outreach programmes conducted across the UT with 73 Union ministers and various parliamentary committees visiting all the districts for public interactions and gathering grassroot-level feedback on government policies.
The LG also talked about efforts to generate employment, including appointment of 11,000 youths in various departments in a fair and transparent manner besides setting up 4,500 youth clubs to channelise the potential among the youths and ensuring their participation in the process of governance.
The L-G also highlighted several important reforms undertaken to ensure transparency and accountability in the administration establishing a fear-free, and corruption-free system of governance besides introducing principles of financial prudence which have revolutionised the project implementation and enhanced financial inclusion and social equity.
“Every single penny of the government exchequer is now spent on welfare of the people. No work is being allotted without following the tendering process and no bill is being passed without geo-tagging and physical verification,” apart from the BEAMS Empowerment Portal which has enabled the access of the common man to monitor any project and expenditure being incurred in their area.
“Against 9,229 projects completed in 2018 at a cost of Rs 67,000 crore, around 21,943 projects have been completed at a cost of Rs 63,000 crore only in the current year,” he said.
He also highlighted the milestones achieved in power generation, the distribution and transmission sector, besides Rs one lakh crore being spent on roads and tunnels in the UT reducing travel time between Srinagar and Jammu from 10 hours to five hours among others.
The LG urged the youth to be a part of the journey of development and make invaluable contributions to the intellectual capital of the Union Territory.
