Excelsior Correspondent
UDHAMPUR, Jan 5: While conducting a whirlwind tour of district Udhampur and attending meetings at Londna, Malhar, Balian, Ramnagar, Manwal, Majalta and other areas of Udhampur, J&K BJP spokesperson and former MLA Ranbir Singh Pathania called for an out of box approach to ensure that development percolates upto every area and pocket equitably.
“Last man in the last row requires to be taken on board while distributing welfare projects, fund allocations and developmental bounties. areas which have borne the brunt of maladministration, misgovernance and lesser allocation of funds should get the feel of equitable development with a view to push them at par with the developed areas,” he said.
Pathania supported the argument with statistical reports which said that in matters of irrigation more than 90 percent area of the Udhampur is unirrigated. “In matter of agriculture production and horticulture promotion also, Udhampur is lagging behind. Fact remains that areas of Panchari, Dudu, Basantgarh, Moungri, Latti, Garh Samna Banj, Chorepanjian, Upper reaches of Ramnagar they have immense horticulture potential. The potential in certain areas of Kashmir has been utilised but these areas have been discriminated as yet,’ he added.
He called for promoting high density walnut, apple varieties in these areas. Similarly, he added, the vegetable production of Chenani also needs to be brought at par and marketing cooperatives need to be set up whereby the vegetable production could be increased and fetching farmers proper selling prices. He also called for an out of box approach in promoting and projecting ‘kaladi’ production which is a brand of Udhampur.
Pathania also called for immediate start of work on Thial to Chountra Mata road and missing gap on Manwal to Pinger road. He called for connecting Khaned to Macchedi, Malhar road and utilizing tourism potential of the beautiful areas of Panchari, Moungri, Dudu Basantgarh, Upper reaches of Ramnagar, Udhampur.
He said that the Krimchi temples, Devi Bani temple at Manwal, Chountra Mata and Sri Pingla Mata shrines, Narsingh temples of Ramnagar and Jansal besides Mansar, Surinsar, Sri Bagge Vali Mata, Marada Mata constitute viable tourism axis. He called for projection and popularization of these shrines.
Those who were present included Mool Raj, DDC Ramnagar-I; Pinky Devi, DDC Marothi; Kuldeep Sharma, Mohinder Singh, Raj Gopal, Atul Sharma, Mohan Lal Sharma Mandal Pardhan, Capt Gopal Singh Mankotia, Kartar Chand, Nikku Shah, Raj Kumari, and others.