India is known for its uniqueness in diversity, with different topology, language, climate, population and needs. Some having totally plain areas, some having totally hilly areas, some landlocked and some locked by borders with different countries. Our own Jammu and Kashmir is unique to have all these challenges within one UT itself as such have typical sets of problems not faced by any other UT/State. Both LOC and IB with Pakistan/China, even river water shared via Indus Water Treaty, terrorism , virtually no industrialisation and so many other factors which only person residing here in UT can realise, too many difficulties in getting the things moving. 70 years of troubled Kashmir has definitely dragged Jammu and Kashmir far behind the other neighboring states like Punjab, Himachal and Haryana. No big industrial house has any project in J&K, even if some have shown interests and pledged to invest heavily but UT Administration has not been able to provide land due to absence of demarcated land or legal issues of land. Resource crunch to the extent of even for salaries of UT Government employees we have to depend on Central grant. Factually Jammu and Kashmir is too big, so despite more than one lakh budget for two consecutive years, substantial increase expected this year also, direct supervision of GoI through Centrally Sponsored Schemes and Prime Minister Development Projects but still year after year surrender of grants due to non utilisation and not much progress on certain projects due to disputes and other administrative issues, practically proving that needs of Jammu and Kashmir are a bit different from others as such need of NITI Ayog type body in Jammu and Kashmir itself. The whole purpose is get tailor made things for J&K, projections, problems, solutions, approvals and implementation all under one platform for coordination with Central NITI Ayog. Purpose is to create and utilise local pool of talent of experts for better development of J&K. GoI’s Nitiyog is itself modified version of 65 year old Planning Commission with clear cut defined aim for better coordination with states, focus on villages, intent to develop local industry, planning for best future, interaction with international stake holders for best results, planning and drafting policies in the interest of Nation. Aim is to have next fifteen year vision, seven year strategy and three year action agenda, NITI Ayog is right now working to draft all these. As obvious all these concepts are not easy to visualise, plan and implement on ground, even minutest details have to be taken care to avoid hurdles in development. Jammu and Kashmir have already seen so much of these experiments for decades now as such it is time to introspect what went wrong and why. To expedite things, on spot decisions have to be taken for course correction and as such need of NITI Ayog type commission in Jammu and Kashmir also. On pattern of NITI Ayog, intelligentsia from different field like entrepreneurs, industrialists, prominent personalities will be part of the proposed body well versed with local problems, advantages and disadvantages, acting like independent think tank to guide and put forward vision document for holistic development of Jammu and Kashmir.
Proposal has gone, interactions are on and positive outcome will definitely be there. GoI and LG Administration are very well aware of bottle necks faced by Jammu and Kashmir, as delegations after delegations of Chamber, industrialists, future investors, public, local politicians and all stakeholders have analysed the local problems, loopholes in the schemes for Jammu and Kashmir and way outs to remove all these shortcomings. The proposed body will look after all these issues and suggestions, act like a bridge between UT and GoI.
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