PM lifts ban on recruitment in J&K

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced that the ban on recruitment in the central government services would not apply to Jammu and Kashmir and went another step in knitting the alienated state back into the Indian consciousness.

Development was the theme of the Prime Minister's speech in Jammu on the second day of his visit to the state and the tone suggested that the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government had realised that "nothing succeeds like success".

Because the economic development was a winning slogan in the Lok Sabha elections, Singh promised developmental projects that would generate employment, especially in the power sector, and offered a comprehensive plan for the economic development of the state.

The plan includes a thrust on women's education, religious tour-ism, government and security jobs for youth and a Tirupati-like status for the Vaishno Devi shrine.

"It is an unconditional invitation. Come forward to contribute to the development of the state," he said. The Centre, he said would work shoulder to shoulder with the state government for development.

Warning those who want to pursue their political ends through terrorism, the Prime Minister said: "We will never bow before terrorism. There should be no doubt on this count. Terrorism will not succeed".

Asking the youth, who had deviated from their path, to rejoin the mainstream, he said efforts would be made to ensure that jobless youth were given employment in security forces.

Maintaining that the Nehru-Gandhi family had always stood for all round development of the J&K, Singh said Congress chief Sonia Gandhi had been mindful about the welfare of the people of the state.

Gandhi's message to the people was to begin a "new chapter" for the state and create an atmosphere of peace and security so that development projects as envisaged in the UPA government's common minimum programme was fully implemented, the Prime Minister said.

The reconstruction plan that the Prime Minister talked about envisaged J&K as a "power surplus" state in four-five years by strengthening transmission, distribution and generation with emphasis on micro hydroelectric projects.

"With these development plans, we want to change the face of J&K," the Prime Minister said. The state and the Centre would also stress water supply, road and other infrastructure projects, he added.

This, Singh said, was in line with Sonia Gandhi's emphasis on fast-track improvement of infrastructure in the state.

"She has exhorted all Congress-ruled governments to lay stress on these developmental matters", he said. Singh also announced opening of four new degree colleges in border areas like Akhnoor, R S Pura and Samba.