Vikram Singh
The abrogation of Article 370 has brought the Dogra populace to an interesting juncture. We are clearly at the crossroads now, and the road we take will define the extent of our prosperity andintegration with the country. Liberalization is the keyword here. History bears testimony that no country or state has grown into an economic power without opening its borders. Hyderabad would not have become an IT Hub, and Gurugram wouldn’t have a thriving startup ecosystem if it had not opened its doors to outsiders. Mumbai is a melting pot but also boasts of the highest tax collection in the country.
Economic progress is the most significant deciding factor today, and Jammu should be at the forefront of economic development in India. We need to embrace the private sector; they will be the future job providers. As per the government statistics, every 6th person in Jammu is unemployed, which is alarming. This has only worsened after the pandemic. It will be myopic on our part if we don’t think about the livelihoods of our youth and future generations.The global business community, with their renewed interest in Jammu, augurs well for the local economy. We must give a red-carpet welcome to the Corporates and offer them better infrastructures in the form of technology parks, warehouses, and special economic zones.Hosting a Jammu Business Conclave and inviting all the states and private sector could open up new opportunities.
Technology is unimaginably impacting our lives; life without a smartphone is hard to imagine today. Why should we restrict its influence to social media only? Commerce is a two-lane road. Not allowing Tech-based businesses to get a foothold does sound a bit hypocritical.Competition only gets the better of us. Let us not deny our locals a convenience of an OLA ride or the bargains ofhyperlocal businesses? A vibrant Gig -economy will certainly help in improving the unemployment situation.These businesses will employ the locals and inspire them to create future unicorns, thereby propelling our startup ecosystem.
The only way to reverse the brain drain is to develop world-class colleges and universities, which should be on top of our priority. We have to be cognizant of our growing student population, and the scale of such institutions that we create has to be an essential consideration. World over the diasporas has helped in turning their colleges into world-class institutions.Colleges and Universities can reach out to their alumni and involve them in draft policies and decision-making, bringing international expertise to our education system.A CXO network of alumni can help in creating a robust startup ecosystem with R&D centers, and Startup Incubators focused on Innovation can build a successful breed of entrepreneurs who will be future job creators
Jammu has always lagged when it comes to her share of tourism. Instead of sulking about being shortchanged,we should get our act together and formulate a comprehensive tourism policy. It is about time that we brag about our share of the Himalayas; it has done wonders for states like Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. For starters, we can promote the meadows of Udhampur, lakes and glaciers in Doda among the trekker community, bringing prosperity to the region besides generating revenue for the exchequer.Bhadarwah, with her unparalleled beauty, can be a formidable candidate for a Skiing festival. Tourism can be an ample job-creating opportunity for the locals and also bring us on an international pedestal.
A smart city with a regular power outage is not that smart after all. We seem to have accepted power shortage as a norm. The obvious choice is to reject the status quo and work towards turning around the situation. Himachal Pradesh generates surplus power; we can take some cues from them. We have an abundance of Sun and solar capacity that can very well take care of our energy needs. A war footing effort on solar penetration will surely change the dismal power situation. Global warming is a reality, and we must look at renewable as a viable energy alternative. It is our time to be responsible for the environment.
Complacency breeds mediocracy, kills our true potential and is an impediment to growth. There is no denying that Jammu is full of bright minds who are raring to go, and all we need is a little transformation of thoughts and take charge of our destiny. We are ready to leapfrog, and no matter how confusing our choices may be, our pragmatic approach will lead us to the road to progress.
History keeps us connected to the core, but if we keep suffering from historical nostalgia, we will never be able to sculpt a beautiful future.Let us leverage on our strengths and work together to build a progressive, prosperous and a vibrant Jammu. Time is of the essence.
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