Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 8: Accusing the BJP led Govt of doling out the most discriminatory treatment to Jammu region even after abrogation of Article 370, JKNPP chairman and former minister Harsh Dev Singh today said that never before was Jammu treated so shabbily by any previous dispensation in the erstwhile State of J&K as being done now under BJP regime.
“While there are no takers for the concerns of the educated youth of Jammu region, the common man, the civil society, the employees, the farmers and the industrial sector too, was bearing the brunt of highly apathetic approach of the present regime. The proposed Industrial Development Scheme for J&K announced recently turned into a damp squib when it emanated foul smell of discrimination doled out against industrial sector of Jammu region”, Harsh said.
He revealed that the new Industrial Development Scheme having been rolled out by the Govt with a huge fanfare, had administered another obnoxious doze of bias against Jammu region. He said that State Industrial Development Corporation (SIDCO) and Small Scale industries Development Corporation (SICOP) hold the key responsibilities to facilitate growth of industries and provide the allied facilities for their development in J&K.
“There are reports published in a section of media which are also doing rounds in the social sites that allocation of the Industrial areas under the jurisdiction of the said organizations viz-a-viz Jammu province and Kashmir valley is highly disproportionate and prejudiced. Out of 70 Industrial areas kept under the jurisdiction SIDCO and SICOP in J&K, 46 have been earmarked to be developed in Kashmir and on the other hand only 24 would be developed in Jammu region under the new IDS announced by the BJP government”, anguished Harsh Dev revealed.
Lambasting the highly discriminatory allocation of the Industrial Estates between the two regions, Singh pointed out that with nearly 66% of the Industrial areas falling into Kashmir’s kitty and meager 34% coming on to Jammu’s way, the lion’s share out of Rs 28,400 crore industrial package would be doled out to Valley while the paltry share of incentives would be kept at the disposal of Jammu based industrialists and entrepreneurs. Same would be the fate of employment ratio as well.
“How could you encourage new investment, substantial expansion, equitable, balanced and sustainable socio-economic development in J&K under such highly discriminatory provisions?” Harsh Dev asked BJP.
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