India taking Kashmir on the road to progress
New Delhi committed to full fledged development of the restive region
G(If there is paradise on earth, it is here, it is here in Kashmir) These words of Amir Khusrau, famous Sufi poet and scholar of 13th Century, epitomise the sheer beauty of Jammu and Kashmir, not only its mountains, round the year pleasant weather, valleys, flowers, rivers and lakes but also intrinsic beauty of unity in diversity in the valley where people of all faiths and beliefs coexisted for centuries with harmony and peace.
August 5, 2020 marked the first anniversary of the decision of the Government of India to reorganise the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories, namely Jammu & Kashmir and Laddakh with a purpose to deliver socioeconomic justice and put the state on fast track of development so that the benefits could reach up to the grass root level. The government has ensured that a number of laws which were in vogue in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir are modified/amended in a way to adapt modern time challenges. These laws also ensured equal rights to women, and laws to ensure social, economic and political rights of women, children and disadvantaged category.
Now the residents of Jammu and Kashmir enjoy Right to Free and Compulsory Education Act, Protection of Women from Domestic Violence, Protection of Human Rights Act, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) and so on. In direction to the integration, phase one of the programme “One Nation, One Ration Card” has already been implemented in the state.
Focus on grass roots
To ensure democracy at grass root level, elections to Block Development Councils were held for the first time in Oct 2019 with a massive voter turnout. Over Rs150 million (Dh7.35 million) has been transferred to Panchayats to strengthen local development and address needs. Government officials spent two days in “Back to Village Programme” a unique initiative in itself, to understand the requirements at grass root level.
The government is committed to connect Kashmir with rest of India and Udhampur-SrinagarBaramulla rail link project will be completed by year 2022. World’s tallest bridge on Chenab river, ‘Chenab Bridge’ at 359 metres high, is one of finest engineering marvels in the world today and expected to be completed by next year and will pave the way for direct rail link to Srinagar from rest of the country. Apart from this, the 8.45km QazigundBanihal twin tube tunnel is in its completion phase and will be operational by next year. These steps will pave the way for faster economic development and integration with the rest of the country.
The government has already approved mega plans to convert Srinagar and Jammu into Smart Cities, and projects for upgrading the infrastructure and providing efficient public transport system in both cities including flyovers, rapid transit system (metro) are in pipeline. Over 500 languishing projects have been completed in the last one year.
The government is also ensuring electricity in every home and clean energy to every kitchen through its flagship schemes Ujala, Saubhagya and Ujjawala in the region.
Kashmir is known for its world famous apples and its saffron. In the last one year, Kashmiri saffron has been given a Geographical Indication (GI) tag and an International Kashmiri Saffron Trading Centre is being established in Pampore to facilitate collection, processing and e-auction of saffron. The government is also facilitating selling and marketing of Kashmiri apples in different places through NAFED in which thousands of farmers are getting benefited.
More jobs for youth
The government is also committed to generate more employment and reservation has been introduced in government jobs for local youths. In the last one year, 10,000 posts have been advertised and 25,000 more government posts are in pipeline, including setting up of 50 educational institutions. Also, two news AIIMS in Vijaipur in Jammu and Avantipora in Srinagar have been announced to strengthen the health care infrastructure.
We can go on to describe the steps taken by the government for the full fledged development of the region, fruits of which are already evident in terms in declining incidents of terrorism related incidents in the last one year. The government is determined to bring peace and prosperity in the region so that we all can say again ... Hami asto, hamin asto, hami ast.