STATE TIMES NEWS
Jammu: Lt Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday said the planned G20 preparatory meeting in Srinagar will be held in a secure and peaceful atmosphere as the backbone of terrorism has been broken and the era of outside interference, an apparent reference to Pakistan, is over.
He also asserted the Union Territory will witness investment of over Rs 70,000 crore in coming years and said the figures tabled in the parliament on the subject are being corrected.
The LG reviewed the administration’s preparations for the G20 meeting and “to chalk out our plan to ensure that J&K is showcased in its right perspective.”
“We have requested the Central government for another such event for Jammu but the permission is yet to be granted,” the Lt governor told reporters here.
After the meeting, attended by senior officers, he said, “I am hopeful that the event will be held like in other parts of the country. We will not lag behind in the preparations and we all together will make an attempt to ensure that J&K is presented before the world in the best way.”
No salaries to those sitting at home, message to protesting KP employees
Jammu: Lt Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday asserted all necessary measures have been taken for the safety of minority community employees including Kashmiri Pandits serving in the Valley, and sent out a “loud and clear” message to those protesting for transfer — no salary for sitting at home.
Sinha made the remark amid the ongoing protest by migrant Kashmiri Pandit employees and Jammu-based reserved category employees who left the Valley for Jammu in May following the targeted killings of their two colleagues — Rahul Bhat and Rajni Bhalla. The protesting employees have been seeking relocation outside Kashmir.
“They are on a strike and I was in constant touch with them and made sincere efforts to address all their long-pending issues. Almost all of them were transferred to district headquarters in consultation with district commissioners, superintendents of police and other government functionaries,” the Lt Governor told reporters here.
He, however, said some people are placed at tehsil headquarters, and some in villages close to the city as those posted in the rural development department cannot be transferred to the city.
“Minority employees will not be deployed alone in any office and it was decided that two to three more people will be stationed along with them. We have appointed officers in every district and one in Raj Bhavan to look after their grievances. They are listening to them and are looking for necessary steps to address their issues,” he said.
Sinha said all deserving employees have been promoted, fulfilling their long-pending demand. “The list for promotion from non-gazetted to gazetted posts was forwarded to the Public Service Commission which informed that they were appointed in 2015, while they have already cleared the list of general category employees till 2014 and their list is in pipeline,” he said.
Sinha said there is only one genuine issue of concern which is of their accommodation.
“Earlier, there were some issues related to land but it was cleared and tenders floated to complete the project for their accommodation at secured places. As many as 1,200 of them will be provided accommodation by April, and 1,800 more flats will be given during the next financial year,” he said.
He said their security is the priority of the administration.
“We have cleared their (protesting employees’) salaries till August 31, but it cannot be done that they will be paid their salaries by sitting at their homes. This is a loud and clear message to them and they should listen and understand it,” he said.
He said the J & K administration has full sympathy with them and is ready to provide them security or any other assistance.
Referring to the protesting reserved category employees who are also camping in Jammu and demanding their relocation, he said, “They should also keep in mind that they are Kashmir division employees and cannot be transferred to Jammu.”
However, he said the chief secretary has framed a committee to look into their demand. “And I assure them that if there is any chance, we will frame a policy accordingly.”
Sinha said his administration solicits maximum public participation and wants that “our institutions and students become part of it. The development which has taken place will be showcased.”
On the terror threat over the event, he said there is nothing to worry as “we have heard a lot about (threats) to the annual Amarnath yatra. But the yatra proved a success and witnessed its highest footfall.
“There is no need to have any concern on the security front. The backbone of those creating problems (terrorists) have already been broken. The meeting will take place in a secure and peaceful atmosphere,” he said.
Announces 3 new schemes
Jammu: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday announced three new schemes — Holistic Development of Agriculture and Allied Sectors, Aspirational Towns, and Aspirational Panchayat — which will help the Union territory touch new heights of progress.
Announcing the new schemes at a press conference here, Sinha said, “Jammu and Kashmir is determined to move forward to touch new heights of success and will become a role model for the whole country in the coming years.”
The projects have been approved recently by the administrative council, chaired by the lieutenant governor.
Sinha said the holistic development of agriculture and allied sectors, having an outlay of Rs 5,013 crore over the next five years, shall transform the agriculture economy of the Union Territory putting it on a new trajectory of growth, doubling the output of the sectors, boosting exports and making the sectors sustainable and commercially viable.
“This will herald a new phase of farmer prosperity and rural livelihood security in J&K,” he said. In July, the Union territory administration constituted an apex committee for holistic development of agriculture and allied sectors and the committee came with a comprehensive plan in the form of 29 projects covering all the sectors in a record time of five months.
“The unique thing about these projects is that they not only have been prepared by some of the finest brains in the country but their formulation was undertaken in a consultative mode as well ensuring that the opinion of all stakeholders including our
List of sector wise approved projects
farmers are taken,” Sinha said.
He said he is confident that a new revolution in the agriculture and allied sectors is on the anvil.
“The agricultural output which stands at Rs 37,600 crore shall increase by over Rs 28,142 crore to reach more than Rs 65,700 crore per year, with a resultant increment in sectoral growth rate to 11 per cent,” he said.
Sinha said the interventions shall create employment opportunities for over 2.8 lakh youths and establish around 19,000 enterprises.
On the Aspirational Panchayat Development Programme, Sinha said Jammu and Kashmir is going to select the most backward 285 panchayats — one panchayat in each block — for their holistic development.
“An array of key parameters for the preparation of Panchayat Development Index to rate the various panchayats of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir on socio-economic indicators concerning the lives of the people residing in the rural areas has already been identified,” he said.
He said a total of 100 measurable indicators have been identified across nine sectors, which shall give insight of existing status and incremental progress over a period of time.
He said an additional financial assistance of Rs 10 lakh shall be provided to the selected panchayats under the scheme for its further development.
Under the Aspirational Towns Development Programme, he said the Urban Reform Incentive Fund (URIF) will incentivise reforms in municipalities.
“Jammu and Kashmir Municipal Development Index-2022 is a tool to assess the development of urban local bodies across the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir against the normative development benchmarks.
“While J&K MDI will act as a guide to evidence-based policy making, catalyse action to achieve broader developmental outcomes, including sustainable development goals, assess and compare the outcomes achieved by municipal bodies, give citizens an insight into the functioning of local bodies and build a dialogue between the stakeholders, URIF will provide necessary financial incentive to municipalities to undertake reforms in their journey of becoming aspirational towns,” he said.
Defends new land laws
Jammu: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday threw his weight behind the Union Territory’s new land laws, saying some people were trying to mislead the public about the changes.
The new land laws are in line with those in other parts of the country, he said.
“The rule of law is in place in the country and the rule of law will be ensured in Jammu and Kashmir as well.
“A large number of changes were made in the land laws in Jammu and Kashmir to benefit the public as the older ones were regressive,” Sinha said at a press conference here.
Asked about the outrage in Kashmir over a government directive to land leaseholders to return possession of properties, Sinha said the new laws would hardly affect 400 to 500 people. It will have no impact on the poorman, shopkeepers or families.
“It is true that a property worth over Rs 100 crore was taken on lease at Rs 5 under the previous laws. There is a Supreme Court ruling, which is now the law in the country.
“I will honour the Supreme Court and so the whole country and every citizen has to do the same,” he said, adding “We came out with the new laws based on the Supreme Court ruling”.
Sinha also said, “Some people are trying to mislead the public (on the issue).”
His remark was an apparent reference to the opposition by almost all regional parties — the National Conference, People’s Democratic Party, People’s Conference and the Apni Party — that have termed the new laws an attempt to settle outsiders in Kashmir following the abrogation of Article 370.
On Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya’s letter to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, requesting him to ensure Covid protocols during his ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra, Sinha said, “We have no intention of stopping anyone’s yatra.”
The yatra is scheduled to enter Jammu and Kashmir next month.
“Many things were stopped during Covid. A decision (to allow or disallow the yatra) will be taken depending on how the situation is next month,” Sinha said.
The Lieutenant Governor said there was freedom for political and democratic activities in the Union Territory but not anti-nationalism.
“If any activity against the country is going to take place, it will be stopped,” he said.
Asked whether his administration planned to waive Kisan Credit Card loans because of losses suffered by farmers due to the inclement weather, he said the time for waivers had gone.
“Farmers’ incomes in Jammu and Kashmir over the past two years have increased manifold. Today, our farmers are placed third in the economy chart after Punjab and Haryana.
“Our farmers will have the highest income in the country in the next five years,” he said.
He also downplayed the reported threat given by terror groups to disrupt any move to open two agriculture centres of excellence by Israel in the twin capital cities of Srinagar and Jammu.
“Who will stay in J&K and who will not, which office will open or not is a decision which will be taken by the J&K administration and central government. The interference at the behest of someone else (Pakistan) is not going to happen anymore. Those days are gone,” he said.
Replying to a question about action against mainstream leaders allegedly involved with the terror ecosystem, he said such things are not discussed openly.
However, he just said police officers and intelligence agencies are keeping a record of who is part of the terror ecosystem. “Appropriate action will be taken against anyone who is part of the ecosystem, irrespective of his field or profession.”
On investments in the UT, he said,
“I can name 13 or 14 persons who have invested Rs 100 crore, Rs 200 crore and Rs 900 crore in J&K. When the prime minister visited here he laid the foundation of over Rs 38,000-crore investment at a groundbreaking ceremony.
“You be assured and I am saying with full responsibility that over Rs 70,000 crore investment will be made in Jammu and Kashmir in the coming years,” Sinha said.
