Nirmala, Mehbooba chair Ex Council meet of JIM
Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Nov 12: Defence Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman today urged misguided youth to shun violence and said that there are lots of good opportunities for them to live a better life.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of meeting of Executive Council of Jawahar Institute of Mountaineering & Winter Sports, Pahalgam, the Defence Minister appealed youth who are joining militancy in Kashmir to think over the efforts which State and Centre is making for them and shun violence.
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“I request the misguided youth there are good opportunities for them and they can go ahead through jobs and skill. For your family, health and education, Chief Minister and Centre Government are also making their efforts, you also think over it and it is better to live with others in co-existence and it is good for all”, Nirmala said.
The Defence Minister said that situation in Kashmir is better. “I feel, common people are thinking of living in harmony. The situation is good”, she said.
Nirmala said that Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has lot of developmental plans for the State and Centre is doing everything to help her in these efforts. I met Chief Minister, she is doing lot of things by which there will be growth of the Industry and Tourism and children will get good schools and in colleges they will get skill training. Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti has lot of plans and we at the Centre are doing everything to help her in her efforts”, she said.
The Defence Minister said that Centre wants economic development and progress in Jammu and Kashmir. “We want economic development of Kashmir, there should be good investment and industries should come here by which there will be progress and forward movement. We all should work together for it”, she said.
On the statement of National Conference president and former Chief Minister of the State, Dr Farooq Abdullah in which he had said that Pakistan occupied Kashmir belongs to Pakistan, Nirmala said that don’t read much into his statement. “He is a senior leader and he has said something and it has not much meaning”, she said.
The Defence Minister refused to comment on ‘Operation All Out’ that has been launched by the security forces in Kashmir in this summer to eliminate militants. “I will not comment on Operation All Out”, she said.
Nirmala and Mehbooba had a meeting in Pahalgam today where she had to attend the meeting of Executive Council of Jawahar Institute of Mountaineering & Winter Sports.
Chief Minister brought several issues pertaining to Defence into her notice. She strongly pressed for speeding up the cases of revision and payment of rent in respect of the land owners of High Ground Anantnag whose land is being used by the Army. She also sought intervention of the Defence Minister for the return of certain pockets of land in the State which are no longer required for operational purposes by the Army.
“Nirmala Sitharaman assured Mehbooba Mufti to look into the issue of revision and payment of rent to the land owners of High Ground Anantnag. She regretted the delay and inconvenience caused all these years to these land owners who have not been paid rent and said that it was only during her first meeting with the Chief Minister recently that her attention was drawn towards this by her”, an official statement said.
A deputation of land owners of High Ground Anantnag also met the Defence Minister on the occasion and apprised her of their problem. The Defence Minister assured the deputation that she would try to fast track their case of rent payment and revision and ensure that they are released their due amount forthwith.
Earlier, Minister for Defence, Nirmala Sitharaman, chairing the 8th meeting of 3rd Executive Council of Jawahar Institute of Mountaineering (JIM) and Winter Sports along with Chief Minister, directed the institute management to work in tandem with the local Tourism and Education Departments for popularising Mountaineering and adventure sports among students. She announced a grant of Rs. 10 crore for meeting the expenses of the institute.
The meeting also decided to launch courses in Paragliding and White Water Rafting with 20 students in each course. Besides the Executive Council also gave nod to the change in funding pattern of the institute.
Chief Minister during the meeting stressed the need for popularising adventure sports and mountaineering among the school children so that they can understand and explore the State in a better way.
Mehbooba impressed upon the management of the mountaineering school to undertake visits to schools and colleges and create interest in mountaineering among the students.
“Being citizens of a hilly State our youth ought to be trained in mountaineering for which your institute has a greater responsibility,” she told the management of the adventure school.
The Executive Council meeting of the institute was held after a gap of 10 years. Last time such a meeting was held in 2007.
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