Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Oct 8: The catchphrase “Acche Din Aane Wale Hain”, which is generally linked with the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, today created flutter in an official function organized in connection with the laying of foundation stone for Pashmina Dehairing Plant in Leh and turned the same into a politicking ground.
The entire focus of the function was shifted from the basic subject to taking credit of Pashmina Project. While Union Textiles Minister, Santosh Kumar Gangwar and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member Parliament from Ladakh, Thupstan Chhewang claimed that only BJP is the sympathizer of Ladakh people, Congress MLA from Leh and Minister for Urban Development, Nawang Rigzin Jora and Chief Executive Councilor, Rigzin Spalbar said that whatever Congress did for the Leh people none else could do.
Till the launch of Pashmina Promotion Programme and laying of foundation stone of Pashmina Dehairing Plant at Skalzangling, everything was normal but when the dignitaries started addressing the gathering politics engulfed the function.
Member Parliament, Thupstan Chhewang, while addressing the gathering, remarked, “Acche Din Aane Wale Hain” for the nomads of Leh. “Prime Minister, Narendra Modi has not only announced Pashmina Promotion Programme with additional financial assistance of Rs 30 crore for improving quality and quantity of Pashmina wool as well as living standard of poor nomads of Ladakh region but has also given the practical shape to the same by getting the foundation stone laid within short span of time”, he added.
“Going by my experience in the last four months great improvement can be witnessed in Ladakh in all fields and I am sure that under Modi Government good time is surely going to come in Ladakh with improved economic condition and sustainable development”, the Member Parliament said.
This irked Congress MLA and Minister for Urban Development, Nawang Rigzin Jora, who while addressing the gathering said, “the first phase of the Dehairing Plant was gifted to the people of Ladakh by All India Congress Committee president and United Progress Alliance Chairperson, Sonia Gandhi in 2004”.
“It would not be fair for others to take credit of this entire project”, he remarked, adding “even Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council has worked tirelessly in improving the income and living standard of nomads of Changthang”. He further said that Government of India beyond party politics should give more attention and assistance to Ladakh bordering two hostile nations with limited resources.
Even Chief Executive Councilor, Rigzin Spalbar said, “the process of helping the nomads was started when Sonia Gandhi inaugurated the first phase of the project in 2004 and giving further push to the project foundation of second phase has been laid”. He, however, stressed on value addition, which he said was the key point raised in a national seminar held on June 12, 2000 organized with the intervention of LAHDC in developing Pashmina production. He also gave a detail of projects and funds sanctioned for Pashmina promotion in Ladakh since the inception of Hill Council.
In his address, Union Textiles Minister said, “the planning and paper work for the Pashmina Promotion was actually started in 2002 when BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Government was at Centre”, adding “the first phase, which was inaugurated by Sonia Gandhi was basically the outcome of that planning and now Narendra Modi led Government has initiated step to further help the nomads by laying the foundation stone of second phase”.
He said that Union Government has decided to include Kargil along with Leh in Pashmina Promotion, adding “we acknowledge the hardships faced by the people of Ladakh and admire the nomads of Changthang for their consistent hard work and sustained skill in Pashmina promotion”.
He announced that Pashmina Wool Testing Lab will be set up in Leh besides Disease Surveillance Centre, which would be of immense help for the nomads. He further announced that Ministry would help the nomads through Central Wool Development Board in value addition of Pashmina.
Under the Pashmina Promotion Programme, major provision has been made for establishment of latest technology imported Pashmina Dehairing Plant including other machineries like Scouring, Drying, and boiler along with construction of building for installation of these machineries.
The existing Dehairing Plant has Chinese machine and is not sufficient to de-hair Pashmina wool produced in Leh. The capacity of the proposed new imported plant would be 10 kilogram Pashmina per hour.
Chairman, Central Wool Development Board, Jaswant Singh Bishnoe, Sunaina Tomar, Joint Secretary Ministry of Textiles, Executive Councilors, Councilors and several other officers were present on the occasion.
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