After mooting Davos type economic summit in Kashmir and wooing Bollywood to do ‘Ghar Vapsi’, Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayed reiterating once again that Prime Minister Narendra Modi to inaugurate the proposed Davos-type economic summit is a clear line of reviving the militancy ravaged State economy. This Mufti said was part of his dream to turn the State into the world’s number one tourism-cum-business destination. A wishful thinking no doubt but the vision and desire to place the State on the economic map is what is needed to address the growing issues of unemployment, a sluggish trade and overall bleak economic scenario. The most of the economic activities from infrastructure development to basic needs of the people one has to look towards Govt for assistance. Developing trade and tourism cannot be possible unless and until they have to be people intensive with their participation at every stage; here private participation plays a major role. Mufti, when mooted this idea of economic uplift of the people, must be having a model akin to Gujarat developed during Modi’s chiefministership. Gujarat from time immemorial had developed trade links with outer world and Gujaratis have been ruling roost in the world trade from years together. As far as Jammu and Kashmir is concerned the State may not have the advantage what Gujarat carried in its journey of development. As far as infrastructure development is concerned J and K has not much and whatever is visible today is of recent origin that too in patches. A holistic development of the State never took place so the disparities are seen on the surface. As far as attracting investment is concerned Govt will have to assure of uninterrupted returns for the investors. The State has geographical disadvantages and the advantage it carries is in the tourism industry and traditional crafts which has much more ground to develop. Given the right impetus these too can work wonders and can work as biggest money earner for the State with addressing the employment problems, thus bringing in more and more people into the development fold.
