 "Rs 25,000 cr industrial investment in offing in Jammu and Kashmir: LG")
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Friday said that Rs 25,000 crore industrial investment is in the offing and the union territory is going to secure this huge investment after the announcement of a historic industrial policy soon.
The LG admitted absence of governance and inaccessibility of officers have long marred villages and said that the 'back to village' is an attempt to bridge this gap.
Rs 25,000 crore industrial investment is in the offing and J&K is going to secure this huge investment after announcement of a historic Industrial soon, Sinha said during his visit to the border Panchayat of Pallanwala in Jammu district.
"My objective is maximum utilization of industries, manufacturing, services sector, village industries, handicraft, tourism and technology to create more jobs in rural areas of Jammu & Kashmir because I believe there is vast yet untapped talent pool in our villages waiting for an opportunity," the Lt Governor affirmed.
He called for 100 per cent saturation in four different employment related schemes of the government, besides all social security schemes including scholarships and pensions etc.
"With this ambitious Back to Village initiative of the Government, Rural-Urban divide will be minimized," Sinha added.
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"I am not here to make new promises, but for optimum implementation and utilization of funds. Let the public and the government meet and discuss their priority projects and begin a new era of rapid development. I believe in action-based implementation", said the Lt Governor.
Sinha said that the absence of governance and inaccessibility of officers have long marred our villages. "Back to Village is an attempt to bridge this gap and during the past one month, officers and the public have displayed bilateral enthusiasm in it. It is the duty of the officers to take up the responsibility and help eliminate the lacunae. Dialogue along with public's feedback is the bedrock equitable, inclusive development and transparent governance", he added.
He advised the officers to examine the crucial growth drivers in that particular region during their visits to villages.
"Since we need to bring equity, growth and inclusion in our villages and also sustain it, we must focus on basic services, infrastructure facilities to kick start a growth process which increases citizen participation while fixing the accountability from top to the bottom", the Lt Governor maintained.
"Development is not possible without 'funds, functions and functionaries' and we have enough of them. With dedication, all of these could be implemented on ground for the betterment of the public," he added.
Being an agriculture-oriented region, it would be ensured that all nine farmers-oriented schemes of the government reach the workforce here, said the Lt Governor.
Expressing his resolve of doubling farmers' income in the coming two years, the Lt Governor said that the same could not be achieved without sincere efforts in implementation of government's schemes on ground.
Highlighting the problems faced by farmers with small holdings, the Lt Governor observed that they could be eliminated with infusion of new technology at the block level.
The LG observed that two aspiring entrepreneurs from each panchayat are being identified, provided handholding and monetary assistance to start their business venture.
"Even if 8500 such youths are supported," said the Lt Governor, "and if they each provide livelihood to at least five others, we could have at least 40,000 jobs under the initiative".
Speaking on the New Education Policy, he laid stress on evolution of a students-teachers' feedback system. "To enable youngsters to participate in the mainstream economy, it is crucial that all governmental schemes of education sector are implemented properly on ground", said the Lt Governor.