STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Renewing its commitment to strive for working towards the just and broader cause of Jammu with focus on preserving and promoting its glorious cultural ethos besides highlighting the matters of immense public importance, Jammu Citizens Forum on Monday resolved to endeavour proactively for seeking resolution of pressing issues at appropriate fora.
To realize these objectives, its Chairman Raj Daluja said, a need has been felt to broad base and expand the Jammu Citizens Forum by engaging the persons of repute with huge experience in diverse fields like the administration, the civil society, the trade and commerce, the art and culture etc to play a healthy role in seeking governmental interventions wherever necessary for improving various utility services, easing the lives of people and providing feedback on the initiatives being taken on the developmental front.
Raj Daluja gave an overview of the activities undertaken by the Forum since its inception, regretting that the Covid pandemic, however, had an adverse impact on its functioning. He expressed his gratitude to the larger civil society on responding positively to the initiative and said their valuable contribution will be guiding force for the Forum to pursue its pro-people and pro-Jammu initiatives.
“The Forum can be an effective voice of the people and a platform to highlight their aspirations and developmental priorities”, former Director General of Police and Ex-Chief Vigilance Commissioner Kuldeep Khoda said, adding that the purpose has to be public welfare and upgradaton of the utility services. Jammu has its peculiar needs, being the most thronged destination in north India due to traditional and pilgrim tourism, and it has been craving for development, he observed.
The former DGP hoped that the Forum will play a key role in finding solution to the burning problems of the Jammu region in general and the City in particular. It has to be constructive and not confrontational representative body, he added.
In his elaborate observations on the issues pertaining to development of Jammu and various services available to the people, former Secretary to Government and Ex-Member of Public Service Commission K.B Jandial said that the Jammu Citizens Forum can work in tandem with the various other organizations active in this regard. He said the Forum has to be public centric with a mission to seek best available service for the people especially in health and the various other essential services.
K. B Jandial said that the Forum can also benefit from the experience of the former services officers, engineers and doctors in getting various utility services streamlined and those at the helm accountable to the people. If need be, suggestions from professionals in respective fields can be sought to suggest the measures for strengthening infrastructural facilities, he added.
Former Director Tourism Ajay Khajuria said that Jammu Citizens Forum can provide mentorship to the various other non-governmental organizations, devoted to Jammu cause and its progress and development.
Brigadier (Retd) Sukhdev Singh called for making different wings of the administration responsive to public needs.
Former Commissioner, Jammu Municipal Corporation Soujanya Kumar Sharma conducted the proceedings of the Forum.
Prominent among those present on the occasion included Suresh Sharma, former judge and ex- PSC member, Brig (retd) M.K Choudhary, Ashok Gupta (IPS) Retd IGP, Rakesh Gupta ex President CCI, Daya Sagar, renowned Columnist, Dr S K Bali, ex-HoD Nephrology GMC Jammu, Prem Gupta IPS Retd IGP, Vijay Gupta, senior journalist, Kamal Gupta, President, Private Schools Association, Rajesh Choudhary, Social Activist and Senior RSS leader, Kamal Mahindru, former Commissioner Provident Fund, Mubarkh Singh, Ex-DC Samba, Kishore Gupta, former Chief Engineer, Vinod Sharma, former VC JDA, Raman Samnotra, Dr Dushyant Choudhary, Rotary Club, Sidharth Daluja, Gautam Daluja and others.