Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Sept 15: A delegation comprising Abdul Rahim Rather, Nasir Aslam Sogami and Firoz Khan-all former Ministers met Governor Satya Pal Malik at the Raj Bhavan here today.
The delegation apprised Governor about various issues relating to the equitable development, peace and stability, and aspirations of the youth and shared some of its concerns relating to the upcoming elections to Panchayats and Urban Local Bodies.
Governor urged the delegation members to continue their sustained endeavours for the public welfare.
Durga Shankar Mishra, Union Secretary Housing and Urban Affairs also met Governor and discussed various programmes underway in the State under the ‘Swachh Bharat Mission’ and to the date status of many Centrally Sponsored Schemes launched for strengthening basic facilities in the Urban areas of the State.
They also discussed about the challenges in the field of Solid and Liquid Waste management and its crucial importance in making urban areas clean.
Parvez Ahmed, Chairman Jammu and Kashmir Bank also met Governor.
The Chairman made a detailed presentation about the initiatives of the bank like strengthening of the balance sheet, transparency in functioning and professionalization of the Board of the bank. He apprised Governor of the various prospective areas identified by the bank to enhance productive lending of Rs. 11000 Cr in J&K over a period of next 3-4 years which shall be driven by sectors like housing, agriculture, horticulture, SME, Gold Loans etc. chairman requested Governor to take up the matter of bringing the horticulture sector within the ambit of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojna to protect the farmers in the horticulture sector which too at times is affected by the vagaries of unseasonal climate.
Governor assured support to the initiatives of the J&K Bank for raising the standard of living of the people of the State and urged the Chairman to lead the bank in playing a catalytic role in the development of the economy of the State besides being at the forefront of driving financial inclusion and digitization to facilitate the common people across all regions.
Abdul Latief U Zaman Deva, Chairman, Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission also called on Governor and briefed him, about the continuing improvements being made by the Commission by progressively enhancing the use of technology in the conduct of exams and interviews and bringing all processes online to ensure greater transparency and efficiency.
Governor emphasized the crucial importance of the Commission maintaining unimpeachable standards in the selection of candidates strictly on merit basis and time- bound clearance of promotion and various other cases pending with the Commission.
Sonam Wangchuk, an engineer, innovator and education reformist, hailing from Ladakh and Gitanjali, Founding CEO Himalayan Institute of Advanced Learning (HIAL) also met Governor.
Prof. Talat Ahmed, Vice Chancellor, University of Kashmir was present on the occasion.
Wangchuk shared with Governor his efforts to reform the education system and bring it in sync with local realities by pursuing practical, environmental, social and traditional knowledge, values and skills and about his endeavours in this direction through launching Students’ Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL) which was founded in 1988. He informed Governor about his another initiative of establishing the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives with an aim for sustainable development in mountainous region of Ladakh, efforts for which are ongoing since 2015.
Wangchuk apprised Governor that the SECMOL and HIAL are in dialogue with the Kashmir University for a collaboration to promote locally contextual higher education in the high Himalayas and requested Governor’s participation during the launch of Kashmir University-HIAL partnership at the University’s Satellite Campus in Taru and in the celebration of 30 years of SECMOL at its Alternative School Campus in Phey.
Governor congratulated Wangchuk for being conferred with this year’s prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award and lauded his various innovative contributions in improving the lives of people in the remote mountainous region of Ladakh with innovative techniques like Ice Stupa for creating artificial glaciers and launch of Operation New Hope in 1994 under SECMOL which is a collaboration between government, village communities and the civil society to bring about reform in the Government school system. Governor described Sonam as an inspiring icon for the youth of the State.
Follow our WhatsApp channel