‘Ramban, Kishtwar, Kulgam, Pulwama will develop like Gurugram’
*UT got new identity abroad, Rs 17,000 cr worth MoUs signed in Dubai
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Jan 16: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today hit out at leadership of National Conference, People’s Democratic Party and some other political parties for alleging that Jammu and Kashmir is being sold after Rs 18,300 crore worth Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) were signed in December’s Real Estate Summit held in Jammu.
Without naming any political party or the leader, he charged them with keeping Jammu and Kashmir under developed for decades together and trying to keep it so.
“They tried to create a false narrative. I reject the charges. A particular group of leaders tried to create the narrative that Jammu and Kashmir is being sold. In fact, they don’t want Jammu and Kashmir to develop like other parts of the country,” Sinha said in his monthly ‘Awaam Ki Awaaz’ radio address today which is aired every third Sunday of the month.
Reiterating success of the first ever Real Estate Development Summit held in December last year here in which MoUs worth Rs 18,300 crore were signed, the Lieutenant Governor asserted that the summit will strengthen local business groups and generate employment opportunities in Jammu and Kashmir.
“For decades together, they kept Jammu and Kashmir under developed but their families and relatives stayed abroad. They don’t want the people of Jammu and Kashmir especially the youth to get similar facilities,” Sinha said.
Asserting that such leaders are trying to provoke the people of Jammu and Kashmir, he said the walls which come in the way of development of the Union Territory have to be broken. This is our New Year’s pledge, he added.
He asked: “Whether Jammu, Ramban, Kishtwar, Srinagar, Kulgam and Pulwama don’t have right to develop like Gurugram and Noida”? He said the Jammu and Kashmir Government wants to bring change in the lives of the people.
“In seventies, Gurugram was just a cluster of villages. Then came the Maruti Suzuki plant there and whole scenario was changed. Today Gurugram has the offices of 250 Multi National Companies,” the Lieutenant Governor pointed out.
He said the industrial houses are not just coming to the Union Territory for business purposes only but for complete integration of Jammu and Kashmir with India.
“They can do business in other parts of the country also but they are coming to Jammu and Kashmir as it is crown of India,” he added.
Sinha said Jammu and Kashmir got a new identity abroad when MoUs worth Rs 17,000 crore were signed in Dubai recently for investments in Jammu and Kashmir.
It may be mentioned here that former Chief Ministers and NC and PDP leaders Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti besides some other politicians had charged the Government with trying to sell Jammu and Kashmir land after the Government signed Rs 18,300 crore worth non-binding MoUs with Real Estate developers during a summit in Jammu last month.
The Lieutenant Governor said a similar summit will be held in Srinagar on 21st and 22nd of May.
The Lt Governor made special mention of success stories of young innovator, Tauseef Ali Malik who has converted the traditional bukhari into a portable room heater and has been awarded the National Innovation Foundation Award; and Masrat Farooq, a 27-year-old girl who is one of the youngest entrepreneurs in Srinagar.
“By successful cultivation of Saffron, Vishal Chandra Sharma of Kotedhara Panchayat of Rajouri has scripted history by bringing in new areas on the Saffron map of J&K”, he noted.
Referring to the suggestion of Sheikh Ashiq Ahmad from Srinagar, who shared a detailed roadmap for the promotion of cottage industry, the Lt Governor said that our weavers, craftsmen weave the fabric of the prosperity of the society and keep the traditions, customs alive with full dedication. He also enlisted a host of focused steps taken for the welfare of artisans and revival of their craft.
He also referred to the suggestion of Sumit Bhargav from Rajouri for mentioning names of contractors and Engineers on the roads.
On the suggestion of Gourav Sharma regarding strengthening the working model of the District Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the Lt Governor observed that the suggestion is in line with the government’s commitment to 3R- Respond, Rescue and Rehabilitate the animals in distress.
Commending the efforts of employees, especially the field staff of the Power Department, the Lt Governor said that despite heavy snowfall on the 8th of January, KPDCL repaired 500 feeders of 11KVs in just 7-8 hours, adding that, efforts are being made on a war footing to ensure better provision of electricity than the preceding years.
The Lt Governor underlined that people have an important role in stopping Corona. He urged everyone to follow COVID protocol properly amidst the increased risk of omicron variant.
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