Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Aug 24: Ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti today asked people to become active stakeholders in shaping up a politically stable Jammu and Kashmir.
“Peace and political stability are imperative for economic prosperity and not only the Government, but people also have a critical role to play and a great responsibility to discharge to pull the State out of the morass and shape up a politically stable and economically vibrant Jammu and Kashmir,” Mehbooba said.
Addressing a PDP workers convention in Budgam district of central Kashmir, Mehbooba, who is also Member of the Lok Sabha, said the people of the state need to become active stakeholders in governance to ensure accountability.
“We reiterate our resolve to accomplish the unfinished agenda of dignified political peace and sustainable economic prosperity for the people of the state,” she said.
Accusing the previous NC-Congress regime of reversing the process of political reconciliation bringing the developmental process in the State to a halt, Mehbooba said while not a single new initiative was taken by the NC-led Government on political, economic and developmental fronts in the State, it instead put all the major initiatives taken after 2002 on the back-burner and pushed the State into an administrative and financial mess.
“Today we have to not only clear the muck left behind by the previous non-performing regime, but have to make a beginning from almost zero to revive and rejuvenate the political, economic and developmental process in the State,” she said.
Mehbooba further added that around Rs 9,000 crore liabilities have been created by the previous regime without having done anything substantial on the ground.
“All this money seems to have been pocketed by the politico-contractor nexus that was rampant during that regime,” she alleged.
Mehbooba said the present Government led by her father, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, has started putting the things back on track and it will take some time to clear the mess and let the new initiatives leave their imprint on the ground.
“Immediately after the present Government took over in March this year, several initiatives in power, road communication, education, PHE, public distribution, rural development and other sectors to break the developmental inertia and revivify the institutions of governance.
“Given the rot and inertia that has crept into the system over the past few years, the Government shall have to take some tough decisions in the larger public interest,” the PDP president said adding the results will be there for the people to see after some time.
Mehbooba said Budgam is a symbol of amity and brotherhood, but despite being one of the closest districts of the summer capital, it continues to face massive developmental deficit and economic deprivation.
She assured the people of Budgam that the Government would address the developmental concerns of the area on priority including improving road connectivity, upgradation of educational infrastructure, augmentation of drinking water facilities and development of tourism infrastructure at Doodpathri and Yousmarg.
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