‘Some Jammu traders stall devp, need to come out of old mindset’
*New Excise Policy yields Rs 300 cr revenue this FY
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, May 29: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today declared that no power in the world and no conspiracies can now stop Jammu and Kashmir from touching new heights of development saying the Government is committed to make the Union Territory “developed, modern and prosperous”.
Sinha also took a dig at a some traders of Ragunath Bazaar and Residency Road in heart of Jammu City for stalling development like Polo View Market and Jhelum Riverfront of Srinagar where G20 delegates were seen taking selfies and uploading videos saying they need to come out of an “old mindset” for development of Jammu city.
He also took some organizations to task for opposing most transparent manner of auction of liquor shops in J&K saying from grandfather to grandson they wanted to run the shops but Jammu and Kashmir administration was getting just Rs 10 crore revenue which has gone up to Rs 300 crore for this financial year. Click here to watch video
The Lieutenant Governor was addressing the gathering after inauguration of Jambu Zoo at Nagrota on outskirts of the City this morning. He announced free entry for all in the Zoo for one month.
“No power in this word and no conspiracies can now stop Jammu and Kashmir from touching the heights of development. We must dedicate ourselves to make Jammu and Kashmir “developed, modern and prosperous Union Territory,” he said.
Referring to recent successful conduct of G20 meeting in Srinagar, Sinha said today Jammu and Kashmir is being discussed not only in the country but entire world which is a proud moment for all 1.30 crore people of the UT. He said representatives of 27 countries who visited Kashmir will spread a word across the world which will bring major change in the lives of every citizen.
“The important thing about G20 meeting was that `Nation First’ thinking got strengthened and notwithstanding statements from some quarters the people especially youth participated in the event in large numbers which is praiseworthy,” he said.
He added that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi Jammu and Kashmir has been touching new heights of development and this will get further boost after G20 event.
Sinha said that during last three years (a reference towards August 5, 2019 decisions), development of Jammu and Kashmir has gone up 10 times.
“During 2018-19, 9229 works were completed which went up to 92,555 in last financial year which means development was up 10 times,” he added and said the development is equal in both rural and urban areas. Some works which were pending for last 10 to 20 years have also been completed, he said.
The Lieutenant Governor said the world saw G20 delegates taking selfies and uploading videos of Polo View Market and Jhelum Riverfront but it is unfortunate that a section of traders is not allowing development of Ragunath Bazaar and Residency Road on similar lines in Jammu.
“The projects for development of Ragunath Bazaar and Residency Road have been sanctioned. The funds have been given. But it is unfortunate that a section of traders is not allowing works to be undertaken in Ragunath Bazaar and a trader got stay (on works) in Residency Road,” he said, adding they need to come out of this old mindset.
“If we want to see ‘Viksit Jammu’ (developed Jammu), we need to change our thinking so that tourists from across the world also come here,” he asserted and said during development of infrastructure, people do face some problems but when it is completed, it looks beautiful and attracts tourists.
Taking some organizations to task which opposed new Excise Policy, Sinha said it had become a trend that from grandfather to grandson, a liquor shop was being run by the family while the administration was just getting Rs 10 crore revenue.
“Due to transparent bidding system, Jammu and Kashmir administration got Rs 300 crore revenue from excise for current financial year. And this amount will be used for development of the people,” he added.
The Lieutenant Governor said the GDP of Jammu and Kashmir will go up with development.
Listing development works in Jammu, Sinha said Tirupati Balaji temple will be opened on June 8 and efforts are also being made to open Tawi River front and lake by the end of this year. Beating the Retreat is bringing tourists to Suchetgarh International Border while Light and Sound Show at Bagh-e-Bahu is also attracting the people. Train is expected to connect Valley with rest of the country by the end of this year or start of new year. Highways and tunnels worth Rs 1.5 crore are under construction in Jammu and Kashmir.
Touted to be the largest in north India, the Jambu Zoo will house 27 famous species of animals including the Royal Bengal tiger and Asiatic lion.
An official handout said: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha inaugurated the Jambu Zoo at Nagrota, today.
He congratulated the people of Jammu Kashmir and all the stakeholder departments. He also acknowledged the hardwork of all the workers engaged in the construction of Jambu Zoo.
“This much awaited addition to the tourist destinations of J&K UT, spread over 70 ha area in the phase-1, was taken up under Languishing Project and it shall attract both local residents and tourists visiting Union Territory,” he said.
The scenic beauty around the first-of-its-kind full-fledged zoo in the UT will make it a unique tourist destination and has the potential to boost tourism in the region, he added.
At the inaugural event, the Lt Governor spoke on the developmental journey of J&K and highlighted the efforts to develop better facilities for the locals as well as for the visiting tourists and improving the quality of living for all.
“J&K UT is at a cusp in its development trajectory. We have broken fresh grounds to enable faster growth. We are now at a stage where we need to accelerate this growth, make it more inclusive and convert the UT’s potential into reality,” said the Lt Governor.
The Lt Governor reiterated the commitment of J&K Government to empower every section of the society, especially the youth in achieving the goals of sustainable and inclusive development.
“Our youth are the architects of New Jammu Kashmir and we are seeing steady rise in youth entrepreneurs, who are working with dedication to build a prosperous society and preserve our civilizational-cultural values and our commitment to peace,” he observed.
“Within just one year, more than 82,000 business units have been established, providing 2.85 lakh youth with direct employment opportunities. Under Mission Youth, we have extended handholding to 70,000 young boys and girls to become self-reliant,” Sinha said.
“Our cities are being transformed into smart cities and our villages are getting more integrated into the mainstream development. The basic infrastructure is being strengthened to realize the potential of every region,” he said.
Sinha called upon the people to cooperate in the Government’s endeavours to develop tourism and other infrastructure in the region, he said.
Bharat Bhushan, Chairperson DDC Jammu and Sh Jugal Kishore Sharma, Member Parliament also spoke on the occasion and expressed gratitude to the Lt Governor led UT Administration for dedicating the Jambu Zoo to the public and giving impetus to the development of the J&K UT.
Dr Arun Kumar Mehta, Chief Secretary called for exploring all the possibilities to make Jambu Zoo one of the finest in India.
Dheeraj Gupta, Principal Secretary, Forest Department and Sh. Suresh Kr. Gupta, PCCF / Chief Wildlife Warden, J&K, gave a detailed briefing on the key highlights of the Jambu Zoo.
Senior officials of civil administration and Police, PRIs and ULB members and people in large number were present.
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