Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 3: Member Legislative Assembly and Provincial President National Conference Devender Singh Rana today sought paradigm shift in developmental process and emphasised the need for devising separate plans for rural and urban pockets of the Jammu districts.
“While we believe in equal opportunities of progress and development for all the regions and their sub regions but priority has to be accorded to such of the areas which continue to be lagging behind in development”, Mr Rana said while participating in the Jammu District Development Board here today, presided over by the Chief Minister.
In this context, Mr Rana referred to the Nagrota Assembly Constituency and said that despite being close to the winter capital, development has remained a distant dream. He said the area has huge potential to grow as residential, commercial, tourism and economic hub as part of Greater Jammu.
“With all the positives, Nagrota is craving for getting transformed as Gurgaon or Noida in Delhi and emerge like Vashi did as Navi Mumbai. Nagrota has all the ingredients of becoming Nava Jammu. This can be vision of a humble legislator but transforming it into reality has to be a collective effort, irrespective of party affiliations. After all, Greater Jammu should be a mission for us all. I can just be a facilitator”, he maintained.
He touched each sector of development in detail and brought to the notice of the Board the gray areas that needed immediate Governmental attention. He expressed strong resentment over delay in rationalisation of toll tax being levied at Toll Plaza Ban by National Highway Authority of India through local contractors and sought intervention at the highest level to resolve the contentious issue.
Mr Rana also vouched for shifting of the site for construction of a modern abettor from Khanpur, keeping in view the public sentiment and promotion of Surinsar Lake as tourist destination. He stressed the need for upgradating and maintaining the approach road on regular basis so that tourists enjoy hassle free approach upto the lake.
Dwelling upon gray areas of Nagrota constituency, he said the Constituency has a very low road network and whatever laid is either Kucha or in a dilapidated condition. He sought upgradation and maintenance of the interior and main roads in a phased manner. “The other two major challenges are drinking water and power supply. Though river Tawi, Chenab, Jhajjar Nallah and Sardhan Nallah are flowing through the constituency, yet the people face acute water scarcity”, he added. He demanded uninterrupted power supply and fool-proof irrigational facilities during the summer months. He expressed dismay over vacancies in the Education Department and sought functioning of the schools optimally.
Mr Rana sought posting of a qualified doctor for manning ultrasound machine at the Public Health Centre at Dansal besides ensuring availability of medicines in the health institutions across the constituency. He sought immediate posting of staff to the 10-beded- Hospital, set up and funded by the Power Grid Corporation, as a Corporate Social Responsibility in Krishanpur besides setting up of Accidental Trauma Hospital in Manwal and Jhajjar Kotli on the National Highway. He also referred to the establishment of Degree College at Jandrah and said that despite assurance given by the Government that work on the construction of the building will be taken up in a week, no headway has been made so far.
The MLA Nagrota also sought adequate facilities for promotion of rural sports, especially Dangal, development of Jajjar Kotli Lake as tourism attraction, assured work to 15000 job card holders under MGNAREGA and incentives for rain harvesting under Water Shed and Haryali programmes.
Mr Rana also stressed the need for upgrading the old route from Jammu to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Ji Shrine, which passes through this constituency, saying this can give fillip to economic activity not in this particular area but entire Jammu city.
Mr Rana also espoused the cause of flood and rains hit people and said the compensation to the sufferers should be released on immediate basis. He also sought enhancement in the scale of rations, opening of more Anganwari centres and time bound completion of rural development works.
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