Addresses first-ever ‘Real Estate Summit-2021’, says UT now attracted place to do business

It will create innumerable opportunities for economic growth: Union H&UA Minister

J&K now entering mainstream journey of PM’s New India: Jitendra

Jammu: Titans of India’s Real Estate Sector, including promoters in Residential, Retail & Commercial space, Entertainment Industry, Tourism & Hospitality, Logistics & Warehousing and Financing Institutions came together for the growth of J&K at the first-ever ‘Real Estate Summit-2021’.

In presence of Hardeep Singh Puri, Union Housing & Urban Affairs Minister; Manoj Sinha, Lieutenant Governor, J&K and Dr. Jitendra Singh; Union MoS, 39 MoUs worth Rs 18,300 Crore were signed today to foster growth and development in Jammu and Kashmir. It includes investments in the residential, commercial, infrastructure, and film sectors.

During his address, the Union Minister, Hardeep Singh Puri said that Real Estate, being the second largest employer in the country will create innumerable opportunities for economic growth in J&K.

The natural endowments in the UT of J&K and resilience of its people are second to none in the world which now need to be translated into economic development, prosperity and ease of living, said the Union Minister.

The Lt Governor, Manoj Sinha termed the event as a historic milestone in J&K’s Real Estate sector.

Last few years have seen tremendous change in terms of good governance, delivering development & transforming the infrastructure of the UT. Barriers to businesses in J&K have been removed. The UT of Jammu & Kashmir is now an attractive place to do business and invest, said the Lt Governor.

The Lt Governor announced that the next ‘Real Estate Summit’ will be organized in Srinagar on 21st and 22nd May 2022.

Development of local businesses is imperative in scripting the growth story of J&K. Besides national players in real estate, local developers of J&K will also be at the focus of this new dawn of development of real estate sector in the UT, he added.

The Lt Governor expressed his gratitude to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Union Minister for Housing & Urban Affairs, Hardeep Singh Puri for revolutionizing the real estate sector in J&K.

The multiplier effect of the first-ever Real Estate Summit in J&K will be felt across the entire UT in coming years, added the Lt Governor.

Highlighting the key features of the Model Tenancy Act which was adopted today by the government, the Lt Governor said that the Act has been prepared with the objective of balancing the interests and rights of both, the landlord and tenant, and to create an accountable and transparent ecosystem for renting the premises in an efficient manner.

Owning a house is the dream for everyone and we are making a committed effort to bring it into reality. The launch of many portals including RERA portal, Housing Portal, integrated auction portal will facilitate a transparent and accountable framework in Real Estate Sector. Such initiatives will help both Developers and Homebuyers as one-stop portal for all their needs, said the Lt Governor.

We have also launched three Housing Schemes today under which about 1000 EWS apartments (under PMAY) and another 150 MIG and HIG apartments are being launched. Many more would be launched in the coming months, added the Lt Governor.

The Lt Governor said that the regressive land laws were amended providing relief to many sectors from farming to industries, education, real estate, hospitals and IT. Several progressive policies and procedural reforms have been implemented on the ground.  The best single-window Clearance System and every possible support of the government will be ensured to facilitate the investors, he added.

Recently, we have made changes in the Land Use Policy so that the companies eager to set up industries do not face the problem of land, said the Lt Governor.

Despite being endowed with immense natural wealth, business opportunities and excellent human capital, the progress of the industries in J&K were stalled. Since, 5th August 2019, J&K is undergoing a massive transformation, and Industries from all over the country are seeing Jammu and Kashmir as their preferred destination for investments and business ventures, observed the Lt Governor.

Efforts of Prime Minister and Home Minister are yielding favorable results with the new Industrial Development Scheme attracting huge investments in J&K. Within a year, we have received the proposals for investment worth Rs 44,000 crore. By March 2022, we will be able to bring an investment of Rs 60,000 crore to Jammu and Kashmir, said the Lt Governor.

In Jammu and Kashmir alone, Rs 1 lakh crore is being spent on highways, tunnels, and related infrastructure, due to which the nature of urban infrastructure will be completely transformed within two-three years, added the Lt Governor.

Union MoS (I/c), Ministry of Science & Technology, Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Atomic Energy & Space, Dr Jitendra Singh, in his address, said that J&K is now entering the mainstream journey of PM Modi’s New India & the first-ever ‘Real Estate Summit’ today is one of the important links to connect it to mainstream India.

Speaking on the occasion, Durga Shanker Mishra, Secretary, Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA), said that a paradigm shift in terms of development has been witnessed in every sector in J&K. The real estate sector will create a plethora of opportunities for the people of the UT in terms of employment, investment etc, he added.

Dr. Arun Kumar Mehta, Chief Secretary, J&K, during his address, said “Good connectivity, clean air, robust infrastructure, and lowest crime rate makes J&K an ideal investment destination”.

Niranjan Hiranandani, Vice Chairman NAREDCO India noted that – Incentivization by the Central and the UT Government will go a long way in accelerating the real estate growth in Jammu & Kashmir.

Signing of MoUs will help in exploring new opportunities in untapped locations which hold huge potential for future real estate development in the UT, said Sh Rajan Bandelkar, President, NAREDCO.

In his welcome address, Dheeraj Gupta, Principal Secretary, HUDD, J&K highlighted the growth potential of real estate in J&K.

On the occasion, the Government of J&K signed an MoU on skilling with the National Real Estate Development Council (NAREDCO) under which NAREDCO will 10,000 thousand workers in various skills of the construction industry–electrical, plumbing, masonry, carpentry, and the likes.

A coffee table book capturing the true essence of the new J&K was also released.

The Real Estate Summit- 2021 is organized by the Department of Housing & Urban Development Department, Government of Jammu and Kashmir in collaboration with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India.

Chander Mohan Gupta, Mayor JMC; Junaid Azim Mattu, Mayor SMC; Surendra Kumar Bagde, Additional Secretary, MoHUA, Advisors to Lt Governor, Administrative Secretaries, Divisional Commissioners, senior officers,  investors and real estate developers from across the country attended the summit at Convention Centre.

Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday said there is no need to set up a panel to review the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in the Union Territory.

Sinha was asked if Jammu and Kashmir feels the need to set up a panel to review or repeal the AFSPA as is beng done in Nagaland.

“Do not be concerned about it. I am looking into it. I do not feel any such need (to set up panel to review it),” Sinha told a press conference here.

The Centre on Sunday constituted a high-level committee, headed by a secretary-rank officer, to examine the possibility of lifting the controversial Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act in Nagaland, apparently to soothe the rising tension in the northeastern state following the killing of 14 civilians.

Vivek Joshi, who is Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India, will head the five-member committee while Additional Secretary in the Union Home Ministry Piyush Goyal will be the member secretary of the panel. Other members of the committee are chief secretary and DGP of Nagaland and DGP of the Assam Rifles, a government official privy to the development had said.

LG Sinha outright rejected apprehensions among some political leaders in Jammu and Kashmir about demographic change in the union territory. “I outright reject it. I will not react to statements of leaders,” Sinha said while replying to another question.

In bid to address such apprehension, the LG said, a large chunk of local youth have been given employment in hydro power, tunnel and road projects in J&K.

He said it is an attempt to incite people. “We will take people on board,” he said. (Agencies)

Mandi (Himachal Pradesh): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said the Centre is working towards tackling the problem of single-use plastic and the country has already achieved the target set for 2030 of making 40 per cent of its installed electricity capacity from non-fossil energy.

Addressing a massive public meeting at the Paddal ground in this Himachal Pradesh town, known as Chotti Kashi, on the completion of the four years of the BJP government led by Jai Ram Thakur, the Prime Minister said that the government is also alert about the damage caused to the mountains due to plastic.

“Along with the nationwide campaign against single-use plastic, our government is also working on plastic waste management.”

Urging the tourists, he said it is also their responsibility not to litter the hills and rivers with plastic.

After inaugurating and laying the foundation stones of four mega hydropower projects of Rs 11,000 crore, Modi said these projects are a part of the climate-friendly new India and aim at conserving the environment.

Highlighting the country’s efforts towards conserving the environment along with building developmental infrastructure, the Prime Minister said this step was being recognised even globally.

“From solar power to hydropower, from wind power to green hydrogen, the country is working continuously to make full use of every resource of renewable energy,” Modi said.

“India has achieved the target which was set for 2030, of making 40 per cent of its installed electricity capacity from non-fossil energy this year itself. The whole world is praising India for how our country is accelerating development while saving the environment. Our country is working continuously to make full use of every resource of renewable energy.”

Modi laid the foundation of the Rs 7,000-crore Renukaji dam project along with other hydro projects. The Renukaji dam in Sirmaur district, which was laying pending for three decades, will substantially add to the water supply of the national capital. Six states — Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and Delhi — were brought together by the Centre for making the project possible.

Before launching the projects, Modi, whose visit to the state in the Jai Ram Thakur government was fourth, also attended the second ground-breaking ceremony of Himachal Pradesh’s Global Investors’ Meet that is expected to give a boost to investments through 287 projects of Rs 28,197 crore.

The first groundbreaking ceremony was held in the state capital on December 27, 2019, in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Repeatedly enumerating the benefits of the ‘double engine government’, meaning the same party government both in the Centre and the state, the Prime Minister, who was donning a Himachali cap and shawl, said the development and transformation of Himachal Pradesh under the BJP has not stopped. “In these four years, for two years we fought strongly against corona and also didn’t allow development projects to stop.”

“Several developmental projects have come up in the state, and infrastructure has improved drastically under the Jai Ram Thakur government.”

Trying to build rapport with the people, Modi, who started his half an hour speech in a local dialect and said he was blessed to be in ‘Chotti Kashi’, congratulated the state government for completing four years. “Four years have seen the state transform rapidly under the leadership of Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur.”

He said his government has decided that the age of marriage for daughters and sons should be the same. “With this move, the daughters will get full time to study and make a career,” said Modi, who got a loud applause from the women audience.

The Prime Minister, who thanked the audience for gathering despite the harsh winter, said Himachal Pradesh had set an example through organic and natural farming as the state. He said the state has an immense potential in pharmaceuticals, besides food processing and agriculture and these must be developed.

“The work done by our government in the last seven years to increase the security of the country, the decisions taken for the soldiers, ex-servicemen, have benefited the people of Himachal as well.”

Indirectly slamming the previous Congress governments, Modi said, “There are two development models in the state. One is ‘Sabka saath, sabka vikas and sabka vishwas’. The other model is ‘Khud ka swarth, parivaar ka swarth’. The Himachal government is working on the first model.”

Interestingly, local Congress Member of Parliament Pratibha Singh was conspicuous by her absence from Modi’s programmes.

Earlier, Chief Minister Thakur said the state government has reformed in every sector and benefited its citizens.

He thanked the Prime Minister for his special attention and love for the state. (IANS)