Opening up of Kargil imperative for holistic development: CM
Excelsior Correspondent
KARGIL, May 23: Union Home Minister P Chidambaram today assured Jammu and Kashmir that all necessary steps would be taken to accommodate development needs of the State.
“Union Government would take all necessary steps to accommodate the development needs of the State particularly Leh and Kargil districts”, he announced after inaugurating the workshop ‘Jashn-e-Kashmir’, a mega project to impart training to youth of the State in the folk Culture and Art of the State, along with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
“Government recognizes that many of the concerns of the people of Kargil are due to its isolation and lack of connectivity. Each and every memorandum reach to me is directly or indirectly related to connectivity”, the Home Minister said.
Terming the demands regarding Zojila Tunnel, Air Service, Kargil-Shardu Road and improvement in BSNL connectivity as legitimate, he assured that Government will follow all these issues carefully and find appropriate solution to these problems.
Pointing towards the demand regarding vacation of Kurbathang Plateau from Army to pave the way for expansion of Kargil town, Mr P Chidambaran said, “we are all thankful to Army which is defending and protecting us. But ultimately all we do must serve the interest of the people and if the ultimate interest of the people of Kargil lies in vacating Kurbathang Pleateu, Army will be persuaded to vacate the land”.
He said that State’s Cultural diversity is rich and its nurturing among the young generation needs focussed attention. He said Jashn-e-Kashmir project would prove a boost in this direction.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah highlighted the preservation of Cultural heritage of the State and making young generation aware of the rich ethos, history, amity in diversity and pluralistic characteristic prevailing in the State since ages.
Mr Abdullah stressed on taking all measures to preserve the novelty of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh’s Cultural heritage and said that steps aimed at nurturing and popularising it is the need of hour.
“We have to make effective endeavours to make the younger generation aware of the richness of our Culture and history,” he said, adding that introduction of this ethos of the State to the outside world is all the more required. He said the State Government would be equal partner in the efforts of the Central Government in popularising Jammu and Kashmir’s Culture, Art and Folk in the country.
On Zojila Tunnel, Mr Abdullah underlined its significance for opening up of Ladakh area for the holistic development, economic welfare and employment creation besides making the area easy accessible. He demanded its early launch by the Central Government along with the installation of Srinagar-Leh Transmission Line and 4-laning of National Highway.
“These are projects having far reaching impact on our economy and welfare,’ he asserted.
The Chief Minister referred to the rich potential of Ladakh for harnessing wind and solar energy and urged upon the Union Government to help in the sector both in the fields of generation and gridding of the energy so generated.
Mr Abdullah also talked about the need for improving the telephone system and early completion of civil airport at Kargil. “Possibilities of launching flights of smaller aircrafts needed to be explored till the completion of the envisaged airport”, he said and underlined the urgency of such flights especially during winter months when Kargil remains cut-off from the Kashmir valley.
Students from 10 schools of Kargil, Zanskar, Bothkharbo, Wakha, Drass, Hardass and around are taking part in the Jashan-e-Kashmir workshop. The trainees after completion workshop will take part in competition at Jammu, Leh, Kargil and Srinagar.
Similar workshops will be organised to select the final team for the grand Cultural show likely to be organised at Delhi, Ajmeer and Mumbai.
Ministry of Culture, in collaboration with Jammu and Kashmir has taken up this project to encourage the folk Culture and art of Jammu and Kashmir and popularise it within the country.
Identifying Kashmir, Ladakh and Jammu as Cultural hub, Dogri, Kud, Gojri, folk-forms from Jammu, Rouff, Band-Pather, Marriage Dance from Kashmiri Singing and Music from the Valley and Jabro, Ali Yato, Chapskiyan, Charsis, Mindok, Balti Dance and singing, Sheena and Purgi have been selected from Ladakh for nurturing and imparting necessary training to the local students.
All the trainees will be paid honorarium and the winners of best art-forms will be travelling to Delhi in September 2012 where two day Jashn-e-Kashmir will be organized and later the students will perform at Ajmer and Mumbai.
The function was also addressed by the Union Minister of State for Home, Dr Jatinder Singh, Jammu and Kashmir Minister for Tourism, Nawnag Rigzin Jora, Minister for CAPD, Qamar Ali Akhoon, Minister of State for Home, Nasir Aslam Wani and Chief Executive Councillor, Kachoo Ahmed Ali. Member Parliament, Ghulam Hassan Khan, MLA Feroz Ahmed, Principal Secretary Home, B R Sharma, ADGP K Rajindera and Deputy Commissioner Kargil were present on the occasion.
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