G-20 Summit: J&K witnesses a new era: LG

 
Bilal Dar

Srinagar, May 23: The Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Manoj Sinha, said on Tuesday that the union territory is witnessing a new era that has opened limitless possibilities for growth and peace.

While chairing the third G20 Tourism Working Group meeting, which is being attended by over 60 delegates, as per The Web Story Correspondent, he said that J&K is now one of the most developed states of the nation because of the development schemes that Prime Minister Narendra Modi brought.

The Lieutenant Governor spoke on the length and breadth of the government’s initiatives for bringing development and prosperity to the UT. He said PM Modi brought development schemes that empowered the state and were open to growth, peace, and development. Today, J&K stands as one of the most developed states in the country.

He said that even though foreign investments are coming to the union territory, these are the green shoots of better times that people anxiously look forward to.

He said In the last 4 years, policies and programs have been reshaped so that the benefits of growth percolate to the masses and nurture nature in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

The Jammu and Kashmir LG, Manoj Sinha, said that all 4292 panchayats in UT have a youth club to seize the opportunities globalization has to offer. We have set up a dedicated department, Mission Youth, to help young men and women achieve their dreams and build a vibrant society free from fear, discrimination, and exploitation.

He said that under the guidance of the Hon’ble Prime Minister, we have taken a very wide range of decisions to accelerate the implementation of mega infrastructure projects, modernize the health, agriculture, and energy sectors, and bring transparency and accountability to the governance system to script a new chapter of growth in Jammu and Kashmir.

He said Jammu and Kashmir is future-ready. “Our multi-sectoral achievements reflect that. We are registering a new start-up every other day. In the last four years, we have registered 7.7 lakh new entrepreneurs, which roughly means that per day, 527 youth started their entrepreneurial journey to contribute to their individual and Jammu and Kashmir’s growth.

And this is not all. We are ensuring fast industrial development to bring rapid social transformation. On average, we receive 7 to 8 applications every day from different industrial houses from India and abroad who are willing to set up their facilities here. In 2022, on average, one industry will become operational per day.

In a very short span of time, we are advancing towards building a digital society. We are offering more than 450 public services in online mode. Our entire administration is paperless.

He said In 2022, Jammu and Kashmir recorded 1.2 million e-transactions per day. In the first four months of 2023, we recorded 2.3 million e-transactions, which is higher than many other states. With more than 150 higher education institutions, two central universities, seven state universities, and by establishing all premier educational institutions, Jammu and Kashmir is ready to contribute to India’s knowledge economy.

Our speed to execute projects post-2019 has gone up by 10 times. In 2018, 9229 projects were completed, whereas in the last financial year, we completed 92,560 projects. We are building an effective and efficient rural infrastructure. The number and fast-paced developments show our resolve to build Aatm-Nirbhar Jammu Kashmir.

We are working with innovative approaches to exploit our strengths and empower our farmers. With sustained efforts in the last 2–3 years while managing the pandemic, Jammu and Kashmir figures in the top five states of the country in terms of monthly farm income. We are implementing 29 projects worth Rs. 5013 crore to increase farmers’ income by four times in the next five years. We are number one in terms of production of saffron, apple, walnut, and almond in India, and industries in processing and value addition will provide new heights to Jammu and Kashmir.
 
As per LG Manoj Sinha, the deep-dive initiatives demonstrate Inida’s resolve that Jammu and Kashmir should also benefit from the virtues of democracy like the rest of the other states and union territories.

Grassroots democracy has been strengthened, new industries are coming up, agricultural growth is making our villages prosperous, infrastructure development is progressing rapidly, and our emphasis on technology is transforming Jammu and Kashmir into a digital society.

He said Jammu and Kashmir are governed by the Constitution of India, which has established the rule of law and the supremacy of the people. Grass-roots democracy has been growing from strength to strength. The three-tier PRI system has ensured stability and consistency in the development and participation of people in policymaking. We have an open and vibrant press, and more than 400 newspapers are published every day. The digital revolution has unleashed socio-cultural transformation, which has empowered every section of society, especially the young generation.

With more than 65% of the population below 35 years of age, UT is witnessing the emergence of a powerful force of youth that is contributing to invention, innovation, and research, he said.

He said that it is a matter of great pride for the 13 million citizens of the Union Territory to host the G-20 meeting of the tourism working group that is deliberating on global architecture for sustained terrorism.

Earlier this week, the LG said the G20 working group meeting in Jammu and Kashmir is a historic opportunity for the people of the Union Territory to showcase their culture, heritage, tourism, and warm hospitality.

The union territory of Jammu and Kashmir became a host to the 3rd G20 Tourism Working Group (TWG) meeting on Monday under India’s G20 Presidency. Day 1 of the G20 tourism meeting happened despite a boycott from China and Pakistan. J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Union Ministers G Kishan Reddy and Dr. Jitendra Singh, and G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant joined the meet on the second day, viz. Tuesday.

The high-profile meeting, part of the G20 initiative, aimed to foster collaboration and discuss strategies for promoting tourism.