>Takes salute at Republic Day parade , reminds citizens of duties
> PM Modi led Govt broke shackles, in 30 months J&K has changed
> Investment proposals worth Rs 48000 cr received
>11000 youth appointed in 1-year
> Zero tolerance to corruption,
> Power Transmission System has improved
>3-tier Panchayati Raj system put in place
>100% eligible population given Covid jabs
> Providing quality education a priority
> Peace prerequisite for a vibrant tourism sector
> Tribal community, women empowered
>25 lakh people assisted by Social Welfare Department
Jammu: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha hoisted the National Flag at the Union Territory level function on the occasion of the 73rd Republic Day, here at Maulana Azad Stadium this morning. During his speech he highlighted the achievements of the government during past 30 months.
The Lt Governor also inspected the parade and took the ceremonial salute. The Republic Day parade consisted of smart contingents from Army, BSF, CRPF, SSB, IRP (Women & Male), J&K Police, JKAP, UT Disaster Response Force, J&K Fire, and Emergency Services, J&K Forest Protection Force, Excise Department, Ex-Servicemen, NCC Boys and Girls, Bharat Scouts and Guides (Girls & Boys), besides several school contingents, Brass & Pipe Bands of Army, BSF, J&K Police, J&K Armed Police.
The colourful celebrations of the Republic Day filled with patriotic fervor and celebratory mood was aptly reflected by a host of impressive cultural items presented by various schools and departments on the occasion.
The J&K Police displayed the breathtaking Motorcycle Acrobatics, besides cultural pageantry based on the different themes activities were the main attractions of the programme. Scores of students from various schools presenting a cultural spectacle based on national integration and the glorious composite heritage of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir marked the day.
Earlier, the Lieutenant Governor laid wreath at Police Martyrs Memorial & Balidan Stambh and paid homage to the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the unity and integrity of our country.
While addressing the gathering Lieutenant Governor highlighted the achievements of the government during the past thirty months.
Reminds citizens of duties
He said, “Today is the day of introspection, an occasion when every citizen has to remind himself of his duty to protect and further nourish the ideals and achievements of the nation. I would like to pay homage and respect to the great men and freedom fighters of India, who sacrificed their lives for the country.”
“Today, I pay tribute to the Jawans and officers of Jammu and Kashmir Police, Army and other Central Security Forces, who continue to make supreme sacrifice for unity and integrity of the motherland. While saluting their valor and sacrifices, we should also take a pledge to eradicate terrorism and terror ecosystem perpetuated by the neighboring country.”
“In the long journey as a republic, the country has made decisive progress in various fields. The nation is ready to be the fulcrum of a world order that is more just, humane, industrious, mutually beneficial and empowering. As the world’s largest democracy, India’s comparative advantage is visible in its collective belief in peaceful co-existence and mutual understanding. It is a land of curiosity for intellectuals, travelers, historians and has kept alive traditional wisdom and knowledge,” the LG said.
PM Modi led Govt broke shackles
“The central government under the strong and able leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi took the bold and decisive step of breaking the shackles erected in the path of development of Jammu and Kashmir. After the historic transformative changes in August 2019, Jammu and Kashmir is poised to become the latest success story among Indian States/UTs and a model of Socio-Economic development for the country. The government is committed to build a strong Jammu and Kashmir and we will continue to march ahead with Mantra of 4 P’s — Peace, Progress, Prosperity and People first. We are determined to ensure every single citizen of UT enjoys prosperous and peaceful life.”
He said, “The ageless culture of Jammu and Kashmir is visible in the layers of history which has been a witness to co-existence of almost all major religions known to humankind. The hills of Harmukh, Amarnath, Toshmaidan and Pir Panjal and the streams of the Jhelum, Chenab and Tawi rivers, reflect the moral, intellectual and spiritual experiences of the country.”
“This sacred land of sages, sufis and mystics like Lalleshwari, Nund Rishi, Habba Khatoon gave a continuity to the legacy of Abhinav Gupta and Adi Shankaracharya in our ever-evolving thirst for wisdom. This land is forever indebted to the supreme sacrifice made by Shri Guru Tegh Bahadur. The beautiful couplets of Dhammapada, inspire the blossoming consciousness of this pious land while the words of Nund Rishi still hold the key to awaken the moral values in the new generation,” LG said.
“The co-existence of various religions has only enriched and diversified Jammu and Kashmir’s cultural heritage. The values and ideals make the Union Territory an example of immortal organic composite Indian culture,” he added.
In 30 months J&K has changed
“In the last thirty months, we are developing Jammu and Kashmir as the piece of Indian culture and ethos that has capability to provide opportunity to industries to compete, connect and collaborate with its readily available abundant resources. Despite challenges, efforts are underway for turning Jammu and Kashmir into a preferred destination for industrial investment and opportunities. We are fast moving towards becoming a powerful and self-reliant Union Territory by improving the standard of living of farmers, youth, women, laborers and every citizen of Jammu and Kashmir,” the LG said.
“Today, while addressing an energetic and confident Jammu and Kashmir, I would like to mention that previous efforts made for development of the region could not achieve the results they should have. The industrial revolution started just a year ago has achieved much more than what the Union Territory had clocked in the last 72 years,” he added.
Investment proposals worth Rs 48000 cr received
“After the implementation of new industrial scheme under the guidance of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, and Hon’ble Home Minister Shri Amit Shah, investment proposals worth Rs 48,000 crores have been received. The land use change policy which was a major impediment for the industrial development of the region has been simplified which is likely to attract more investment. However, the people are being misled on this issue too. I would like to assure the land owners and farmers that all these changes have been effected with the sole aim of empowering them. There is a section in the society which has always been misleading the people about imaginary issues like demographic change, and on this pretext the most hardworking and needy class of people had been deprived of alienating their own land, or even using it as per their wishes or requirements.”
“Jammu and Kashmir recently hosted the first ever historic Real Estate summit in December 2021, in which investment proposals worth Rs 18,300 crore were finalized. The administration is committed to promote local businesses in real estate sector. Similarly, Jammu and Kashmir was a major attraction in the recently concluded Dubai Expo. Global investors exhibited keen interest in investing in Jammu and Kashmir, and investment proposals worth Rs. 3000 crore were finalized in a short span of two days only. Efforts are being made to remove all impediments for promoting local industries for generating employment opportunities. In total, a target of investment proposal worth Rs 70,000 crores has been achieved within a year. We have taken significant steps towards ‘ease of doing business’ and all required or related services have been made available online through single window clearance system. For Jammu and Kashmir to take a lead in Industrial development on a large scale, the Jammu and Kashmir Private Industrial Estate Development Policy has been introduced, which incorporates mechanisms for Public-Private Partnership in the Industrial Sector. The process of simplifying the regulatory regime governing trade and business initiated by this government shall continue in a sustained manner. We have to further broaden and strengthen the long term economic policies which will determine the future economic growth and developmental journey of the citizens of Jammu and Kashmir,” LG said.
“Today we can be proud of the progress achieved by our towns and villages. A massive public outreach program was conducted across Jammu and Kashmir with as many as 73 Union Ministers and various Parliamentary Committees visiting all the districts for public interactions and gathering grass root level feedback on government policies. Interactions held with the representatives of Panchayati Raj Institutions, other important stake holders from trade, industry etc. over a period of two months are expected to improve governance and implementation of various developmental schemes and initiatives. On the directions of Hon’ble Prime Minister, all these Union Ministers are making efforts to implement the schemes concerning their ministries in Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
11000 youth appointed in 1-year
“In the last one and a half year, 11,000 appointments have been made in various government departments in a fair and transparent manner, which was unprecedented in the history of Jammu and Kashmir. For the first time, children from the disadvantaged and poor sections have secured jobs on the basis of merit, turning their dreams into reality. Bodh Raj from Ramban, whose father is a labourer, Fida Hussain from Gool, whose father sells vegetables and Tazeem Akhter from Poonch, who lost her father fifteen years back, have been able to secure jobs by their sheer efforts and after overcoming tremendous difficulties. Similar stories are pouring in from every corner of Jammu and Kashmir. Further, 20,323 additional posts at various levels have been identified and referred to the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board for recruitment. Besides, 1850 appointments have been made in J&K Bank at various levels in a fair and transparent manner. As many as 1,37,870 youths have been provided assistance in their entrepreneurial ventures under various self employment schemes and programmes,” he added.
“Properly channelizing the enormous potential of our youth and ensuring their participation in the process of governance, 4,500 youth clubs have been set up covering all Panchayats and urban local bodies in the Union Territory through which 63,000 youths have been connected. In order to nurture their sporting talents, playfields have been set up in 4000 panchayats. More than one and a half dozen job-oriented programs have been started through the dedicated initiative of Mission Youth along-with Skill Development Programmes aimed at their future and sustainable livelihood,” he said.
Zero tolerance to corruption
“The introduction of principles of financial prudence, transparency and zero tolerance to corruption have revolutionized the project implementation and enhanced financial inclusion and social equity. Several important reforms have been undertaken to ensure transparency and accountability in the administration. Today a fear-free, corruption-free system of governance has been established through a paperless, faceless procedural framework. No work is allotted without following tendering process; no bill is passed without geo tagging and physical verification. Project delay which was earlier considered a norm is now a thing of the past. Against 9229 projects completed in 2018 at a cost of Rs. 67,000 crores, around 21,943 projects have been completed at a cost of Rs. 63,000 crore only in the current year. This year, we are hopeful that three-times more projects will be completed,” the LG said.
“Every single penny of the government exchequer is now spent on welfare of the people. With the help of BEAMS Empowerment Portal, the common citizen of Jammu and Kashmir has access to monitor any project and expenditure being incurred in their respective area. Information of all 35,000 projects currently implemented is available on this portal. J&K has become the first Union Territory/State in the country to have District Good Governance Index for assessing the efficiency of public delivery system at district level. This index is expected to foster transparency and accountability in the basic unit of governance and fulfill the aspirations of citizens. Best practices are being identified in each district for replication in others,” he said.
Power Transmission System
“We are marching towards building a strong, prosperous and self-reliant society. Every effort is being made to meet the needs of the common citizens through people-centric policies. We have achieved many milestones in power generation, distribution and transmission sector to improve the power sector. This year we are going to add capacity of 3,015 MVA to our Power Transmission System as against the capacity addition of only 670 MVA last year. Likewise, in Power Distribution Sector, a capacity of 1286 MVA is being added this year as against the capacity addition of 690 MVA last year. In comparison to last year, the Kashmir Valley is getting 22 per cent more electricity supply owing to improved infrastructure. We have tried to provide adequate electricity to the entire Union Territory during the recent winters and are also hopeful to provide more electricity to Jammu Division during the forthcoming summer season,” he added.
Road Infrastructure
“Road infrastructure is extremely essential for the development of any region. Under the guidance of Hon’ble Prime Minister, an amount of rupees one lakh crore is being spent on road and tunnel infrastructure. Jammu and Kashmir, which once stood at 10th, 11th position in the implementation of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), has secured third rank in the country. Till the year 2018, on an average, 1500 to 1600 kms of road length used to be constructed each year; the same has now more than doubled to 3200 kilometers. Similarly, around 2200 to 2300 kilometers of road length used to be macadamized each year which also has more than doubled to 5137 kilometers. We will achieve the target of record 8000 km of road macadamization by the end of this financial year,” he said.
“The travel time between Srinagar and Jammu has reduced from 10 hours to 5 hours. International flights have started between Srinagar and Sharjah. Two new airport terminals are coming up at Jammu and Srinagar. Cargo facility has been provided at Jammu and Srinagar airports for the convenience of the farmers and businessmen. Kashmir will be connected to Kanyakumari through rail network by next year. Work on Light Metro Rail in Jammu and Srinagar city at an estimated cost of Rs 10,599 crore shall start this year. Last year, the Qazigund-Banihal tunnel was made operational for traffic. The work on Z-Morh Tunnel on Srinagar-Sonmarg Road is going on at a brisk pace, which has provided an opportunity to tourists to visit the beautiful place in winters as well. Work on Zojila Tunnel on Srinagar-Leh road has commenced at a cost of Rs 4509 crore, which will be completed by September 2026. With the construction of six-lane Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway, the travel time from Delhi to Vaishno Devi will be reduced to six hours only,” he added.
“The administrative efficiency in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is reflective of the nationalist fervor today. All schools, Anganwadi centers and hospitals have been connected with piped water connections. Apart from this, piped water is also being supplied to 1612 Gram Panchayat buildings. The Hon’ble Prime Minister’s dream of “Har Ghar Nal Se Jal” (providing tap water to every household) will be fulfilled soon,” the LG said.
3-tier Panchayati Raj system put in place
“The three-tier Panchayati Raj system put in place has ensured people’s participation in socio-economic and developmental efforts. The new leadership at District, Block and Panchayat level is ensuring formulation and implementation of policies, keeping in mind the priorities of common people. However, it has to be borne in mind that this dispensation is entirely new to this Union Territory and it will take some time to stabilize. Special attention is being paid to make grass-root democratic institutions self-reliant, competent and autonomous and for synergizing their developmental efforts. All 78 Urban Local Bodies in the Union Territory have been declared Open Defecation Free (ODF). Door to door garbage collection has been started. Integrated Solid Waste Management Project was started in all urban local bodies at a cost of Rs. 1400 crore. Under Pradhan Mantri Shahari Awas Yojana, 12,200 houses have been constructed and handed over to the beneficiaries, whereas construction work of another 32,501 houses is in progress. Similarly, sincere efforts have been made to improve the standard of living in rural areas by constructing 67,567 houses. Keeping in mind the clean and better transport system, serious efforts are being made to run 200 electric buses in Jammu and Srinagar cities. The proposal for an inter-modal station at Katra has been approved with a helipad, rail and bus station, autorickshaw and taxi stand, and private vehicles for pilgrims/passengers will be provided at this single hub. The work on the beautification of Tawi River Front on the lines of Sabarmati River Front will start from the first week of February for which tendering process has been completed and the work is slated to be completed in two phases in one and a half year,” he said.
100% vaccination of eligible population
“Today Jammu and Kashmir has emerged as a model for the entire country in the management of the COVID-19 pandemic. With 100% vaccination of the eligible population, we have crossed the 20 million vaccine dose mark. In the 15-17 age group, the Union Territory has achieved remarkable 63% target of the vaccination and four districts of Anantnag, Ganderbal, Shopian and Poonch have achieved 100% target in this age group. Today, on this occasion, I express my heartfelt gratitude to all the doctors, nurses and healthcare workers who are engaged in selfless service to humanity. The health care infrastructure has undergone revolutionary changes since 2014. With establishment of 2 AIIMS, 2 Cancer Institutes, 7 new Medical Colleges, 10 New Nursing Colleges and 150 District and Sub-district Hospitals and thousands of Health and Wellness Centers, Jammu and Kashmir now is placed amongst the leaders in availability of health care infrastructure. In this financial year alone, Rs.401 crores have been spent on other health schemes and projects. The number of MBBS seats in Jammu and Kashmir has gone up to 1100 from 500, taking us way ahead of the national average of 8.23 MBBS seats available per lakh population. On this day, I would like to pay sincere tribute to the people who untimely lost their lives to the pandemic despite the availability of all possible health care facilities. To take care of their families, the government has started Saksham Yojana, through which special monthly pension is being provided to their next of kins. In addition to this, special educational scholarships are being extended to the children orphaned due to pandemic. I reiterate my commitment to support the dependents of such families,” he added.
Providing quality education a priority
“Providing quality education to children is the top priority of the government. Modern labs are being set up in schools as per the recommendation of the New Education Policy. Further, work on as many as 20 projects of higher learning has also commenced. 687 Atal Tinkering Labs are being set up in Higher Secondary Schools. 5 lakh scholarships are being provided to enhance basic education facilities for the poor. Skill Centers have been established in 92 Degree Colleges of the Union Territory. An innovative initiative, LG Scholarship has been started, under which talented youth are being provided with an opportunity to become part of developmental policy-making,” he said.
“As a result of planned reforms in agriculture and horticulture, Jammu and Kashmir has been ranked among the top five states of the country in terms of farm income. While two lakh metric tonnes of storage capacity was developed in the last one decade, we have added additional capacity of one lakh metric tonnes in just 18 months. In the last two years, 7 lakh people have been provided employment opportunities in agriculture and allied sectors. Under PM Kisan Samman Nidhi, Rs 1706 crore have been directly transferred to the bank accounts of the farmers of Jammu and Kashmir. Financial assistance is being provided to about 12 lakh farmers through Kisan Credit Cards. Last year, 2140 dairy units were established and we are fast moving towards becoming a milk surplus Union Territory by addressing the milk deficit in just one year. We are taking every policy decision to empower the farmers and strengthen agriculture and allied activities. A historic initiative “Aapki Zameen, Aapki Nigrani” has been launched in which the scanned data of Jamabandi, Girdawari, Mutation and Musavi of all 20 districts of the UT have been made available to the common citizens. Taking another step towards empowerment of land owners, land passbooks have been issued in three languages,” he said.
Peace prerequisite for a vibrant tourism sector
“Peace in Jammu and Kashmir is a prerequisite for a vibrant tourism sector, which of late has set new employment and revenue generation records. Between August and November 2021, about 52 lakh tourists visited Jammu and Kashmir. Keeping in view the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations of 75 years of independence, 75 off-beat tourist destinations are being developed in the Union Territory. Culture is a way of life and it is reflected in the elevated intellectual and spiritual experiences of the land. In order to celebrate rich cultural heritage of the Union Territory, a week-long iconic festival was held in October last year. Well-known personalities from music and literature participated in the event hosted under Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav,” LG said.
Tribal community empowered
“Before 2021 the governments did not pay any attention to the poor tribal community. Today, when we are trying to give physical shape to their hopes and aspirations, a tiny section is trying hard to provoke and mislead them. For the first time in the history of Jammu and Kashmir, they have been vested with forest rights in accordance with the principles of social justice and harmony. An integrated plan has been formulated for the future generation of this deprived community by ensuring their rights on the forest products. 100 smart schools are being built for the tribal children. Transit accommodation for tribal families on eight migratory routes and tribal community centers are being set up at eight important places. The construction work of 29 Cluster Model Villages has also commenced. 17 milk villages are also being developed for the economic prosperity of the tribals. In order to enhance health care facilities for the community, 10 mobile health care units have been established. The government is spending Rs 7 crore for their transportation during migration. For sustainable livelihood of the tribal community, 750 mini sheep farms have been set up in one year and we have fixed a target of setting up another 750 sheep farms this year. The remuneration of teaching staff of Migratory Schools has been enhanced from Rs.4,000 to Rs. 10,000. Today, the tribal youth are being provided financial assistance for independent ventures along-with skill training. In the last 6 months, 5200 youths of tribal community have been assisted and at present 500 others are being trained in various disciplines. I am apprised of some unpleasant incidents reported against members of the tribal community in respect of which appropriate action shall be taken by the administration, and it will also be ensured that such incidents do not reoccur in future. However, some people are trying to draw political mileage out of these unfortunate incidents too. I also assure my Pahari brothers and sisters that I shall undertake honest steps for the preservation of their culture and holistic development.”
“Our brothers and sisters living in the border areas play a crucial role in national security. We cannot successfully meet the external challenge until every village on the border is prosperous. Considering this work as paramount, we have taken requisite steps in the direction of fulfilling the aspirations of these areas which have been ignored for decades. Special arrangements for public services delivery in these areas are being ensured through dedicated administrative mechanism,” he added.
Women empowerment
“Women empowerment holds the key not only to development of individual families but the entire society. As many as 4.5 lakh women have been made financially independent through Self Help Groups initiative. To strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem for women, training and financial assistance is being provided through programs like Hausla, Umeed, Saath, Digipay Sakhi, Krishi Sakhi. For the first time, 15% reservation in favour of women in non-gazetted police jobs has been provided and we are determined and committed to increase it further in future. In the recently released National Good Governance rankings of Economic Empowerment of Women, Jammu and Kashmir has improved its score from 30.2% in 2019 to 56.3% in the current year. Similarly, significant improvements have been achieved in basic parameters like housing for all, availability of electricity, immunization and health insurance.”
25 lakh people assisted by Social Welfare Department
He said, “Efforts are being made to reach out to the poor, disabled, senior citizens and the last man in the queue. Last year, about 25 lakh people were assisted by the Social Welfare Department. Nine lakh people are being provided various types of pensions. Ladli Beti scheme has covered one lakh beneficiaries through DBT mode with money directly credited to the accounts of eligible beneficiaries. The neighboring country is trying to push the youth of Jammu and Kashmir into the quagmire of drug-addition. However, the government is committed to secure addiction-free Jammu and Kashmir. The Departments of Health, Social Welfare and Mission Youth are working in synergy to channelize the youth’s energy on the right, productive path and I am confident that the new generation will fulfill their obligations towards the nation with excellence and confidence while upholding highest values enshrined in our constitution.”
LG said, “We are committed to provide justice to the citizens who were forced to leave their homes due to onset of terrorism in 90s. So far, 7312 applications have been received through Kashmir Migrant Portal launched last year for addressing their grievances, out of which 4826 cases have been resolved.”
“We are developing modern sports infrastructure in Jammu and Kashmir. Arif Khan from Gulmarg has qualified as the only Indian athlete in the Beijing Winter Olympics, which is a matter of pride for the entire country. The government provided all possible support in terms of training and funding to him and is committed to supporting all sports persons who have the talent and will to compete at international level. A new recruitment policy has been introduced for outstanding sportspersons in government jobs. This historic step will surely inspire future players, secure their future and streamline the process which was in a mess since 2014. Just two days ago, a national level sports policy was approved to promote sports and nurture sporting talent in the Union Territory,” he added.
Awam Ki Awaaz and LG Meet
“We are envisioning a Jammu and Kashmir where every citizen has the opportunity to participate in the policies of governance as an empowered stake holder. Participative policy making in government is being ensured through special initiatives like Awam Ki Awaaz and LG Meet, which also have inbuilt on spot grievance redressal mechanism. 150 services have been added to the feedback system for enhancing administrative efficiency. The linking of 150 services with online public Feedback, besides linking EMPOWERMENT with similar system and DGGI (District Good Governance Index) reflects our resolve for Citizen Centric Governance and People First Policy. We hope to provide Governance that is able to fulfill expectations of its people.”
“In connection with the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations being held across the country, the government took a historic decision of paying tribute to eminent/literary personalities, scholars and martyrs who made significant contributions in the process of nation building, by naming government infrastructure like schools, colleges, roads and bridges after them. This process shall now be a continuous one for inspiring the future generations. Today, we all need to introspect what we have achieved in these 75 years and what our resolution for next 25 years should be. We need to have a clear vision as to where we want to see our country and Jammu and Kashmir in 2047, when we celebrate the centenary of independence. We also need to realize that this is the opportune moment to chart our future odyssey. We are resolved to provide a system of governance based on the principles of transparency, accountability and public participation through the medium of administrative initiatives such as District Good Governance Index, Empowerment Portal and online public feedback system covering 150 services.”
“On this auspicious occasion of Republic Day, people affected by the Covid-19 pandemic are in my thoughts and prayers. Every citizen has a very important role in building healthy and prosperous Jammu and Kashmir. We must follow Covid Appropriate Behavior and fight the pandemic with the spirit of a big joint family. Today let us take a pledge to fulfill the dreams of those great men who sacrificed everything for the freedom and progress of the country. Let us work for the welfare of the entire humanity with the spirit of social equity where everyone gets the opportunity for prosperity and well being. We should also ensure optimal utilization of all available resources. We need to march forward to serve the downtrodden sections of the society with the resolution of Hon’ble Prime Minister’s “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas Aur Sabka Prayas”. On this auspicious occasion, I once again urge the youth to be a part of this great journey of development on this beautiful land of peaceful coexistence, enlightenment, salvation and make invaluable contribution in enormous intellectual capital of the Union Territory. Youths have huge responsibility on their shoulders to restore the old glories and inject life into existing system through use of inclusive approaches, digital interventions for a quality life and prosperous society.”
“On this auspicious occasion, let’s take a pledge to build Ek Bharat-Shreshtha Bharat.”
