Development getting a push: Union ministers

Tribune News Service

Jammu, January 19

Minister of Railways and Commerce Piyush Goyal on Sunday said that development activities in J&K had been accelerated after June 2018 and the priority of the Union Government was to complete the unfinished projects.

Goyal was interacting with people after reviewing the progress of some development projects in the Akhnoor area of Jammu district on the day two of the Prime Minister’s initiative to reach out to the people of J&K.

When some people raised demand for the Jammu-Poonch railway link, the minister made it clear that the priority of the government was to complete the incomplete projects initiated from time to time. “More discussions and deliberations needed before giving final approval to the Jammu-Poonch railway project,” Goyal said.

On the second day of this programme, all ministers emphasised that developmental activities were accelerated in J&K after the imposition of the Governor’s rule in the month of June 2018 followed by the abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of J&K into two Union Territories (UTs) on August 5, 2019.

Goyal said J&K was witnessing “historical development” as the Centre was generously releasing funds to complete all incomplete projects. “Instead of inaugurating new projects just for publicity, our priority is to complete the languishing projects”, he said and people of J&K will get a taste of development after 72 years.

Goyal lashed out at the Opposition for raising question on this massive reach-out programme. “Does the opposition mean to suggest that remotest areas of J&K did not deserve attention? Is the opposition not happy with taking developmental activities at the block level?” he asked.

Another Union Minister Mohinder Nath Pandey, while interacting with people at Dansal, said the massive outreach programme would be followed by a follow-up programme of the same ministers to review the implementation of the decisions taken in the first phase. “The government is very serious to ensure development up to the village level in J&K,” he said.

MoS Finance Anurag Thakur, in his address at Nagrota, said that elections of Block Development Councils (BDCs) were going to be proved as “revolutionary” in J&K.

New industrial policy for J&K

Piyush Goyal made it clear that a new industrial policy for J&K would be announced very soon so as to generate employment opportunities for local youths. He said industrialisation would be encouraged in J&K for the socio-economic growth of the people.

Investors’ summit soon

Union Commerce Minister said that an international investors’ summit would be held very soon in J&K to attract investment from within and outside the country. Investors will be invited to explore the possibilities of foreign investment in J&K.

RK Singh announces power privatisation

Doda: Union Minister of State (independent charge) for Power Raj Kumar Singh today announced the privatisation of electricity and installing pre-paid meters during the public outreach programme in Doda district. He, however, failed to express concern over hydroelectric power projects in the area becoming a death trap for over 11 lakh people of the region. The three districts of Doda, Ramban and Kishtwar, commonly known as Chenab Valley, are a heaven for the government to generate hydroelectric power, as out of the total 20,000 mega watt generation capacity of J&K, more than 12,000 mega watt generation capacity is in this region. Sources said the existing power projects, Baghliar, Dul-Hasti and other projects, which are being built, had damaged the ecology and environment of the area and also caused soil erosion and landslides, but successive governments had failed to address these issues. When the power minister was asked as to why the people, who had suffered a lot due to these projects, were not being compensated or given any relief in terms of providing free electricity, he replied, “The GoI gives free electricity to the state or union territory where power is generated and J&K UT also gets the same. Rather, J&K has to pay over Rs 6,000 crore to companies who supply them electricity.” —Amir Karim Tantray