Kathua, Apr 19: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday reiterated that the progress and development of Jammu and Kashmir lies in cooperation between the J&K Government and the Central Government.
The Chief Minister made these remarks while jointly inaugurating a new multi-storeyed Municipal Parking Complex in Kathua, alongside Union Minister of State Dr. Jitendra Singh and local representatives.
Addressing a large public gathering following the inauguration, the Chief Minister said, “From here, I want to convey to the people of Jammu and Kashmir that the progress of Jammu and Kashmir lies in the fact that the J&K government and the central government work together for the better future of Jammu and Kashmir.”
He emphasized that providing essential services such as clean drinking water, electricity, better roads, healthcare, and education remains the foremost responsibility of his government.
“I assure the people of Jammu and Kashmir that we will continue to work in collaboration with the Central Government to ensure a better future for our citizens,” he added.
Highlighting the importance of continuity in governance, Omar Abdullah stated, “My priority is to complete the projects already underway and to maintain the ongoing momentum of development.”
He also acknowledged the announcement of a major project by Dr. Jitendra Singh in memory of former Union Minister Arun Jaitley. “I assure the people of Jammu and Kashmir that my government will extend full support to the Union Government to realise this vision. We will build such world-class infrastructure that one day, instead of watching IPL matches on TV, people will watch them live in Jammu and Kashmir.”
Urging citizens to make use of the newly inaugurated facility, he said, “Please use this parking complex—it ensures your vehicle stays clean and safe. Let’s all benefit from this modern infrastructure.”
Meanwhile the Chief Minister chaired a high-level meeting at the Civil Secretariat to review the progress on Compliance Reduction and Deregulation under the Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) framework aimed at making the regulatory environment more conducive for businesses.
The Chief Minister reiterated Government’s commitment to fostering a business-friendly environment and streamlining regulatory frameworks across various sectors.
The meeting was convened as part of the national initiative led by the Cabinet Secretariat, Government of India, in collaboration with key institutions including the PMO, NITI Aayog, DPIIT, and the Ministry of MSME.
The initiative focuses on eliminating redundant regulations, reducing compliance burdens—particularly for MSMEs—promoting digitization and single-window clearances, and decriminalizing business laws wherever necessary.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah instructed all officers to break down the identified action plans—most of which have timelines of five to six months—into smaller, achievable deliverables on a fortnightly basis.
He emphasized the need to track progress closely and examine reasons for any delays.
He further directed that finalized action plans be promptly uploaded on the MIS portal and that implementation should begin without delay.
Stressing the importance of accountability, the Chief Minister laid down a review mechanism under which progress of reforms will be evaluated every two months.
Earlier, Commissioner Secretary Industries & Commerce Vikramjit Singh briefed the meeting on the efforts of the J&K State Task Force, headed by the Secretary, Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances, Government of India.
The Task Force has identified 23 priority areas covering land use, labour reforms, building regulations, utility permissions, and broader governance practices.
He noted that action plans for each area have been developed in coordination with the concerned departments and include clear timelines and reform measures.
Key areas discussed during the meeting included the introduction of flexible zoning frameworks to allow mixed-use development, simplification and digitization of the land use change (CLU) process, fire service department clearances and rationalization of road width norms for rural industries along with updated building bylaws aimed at minimizing land loss.
The meeting also deliberated on GIS mapping of industrial estates and their integration with the India Industrial Land Bank (IILB), labour reforms enabling night-time employment of women and raising worker thresholds, decriminalization of minor violations, and simplification of licensing procedures. Additionally, the integration of water and electricity services under the single-window system and the full linkage of J&K’s Single Window Portal with the National Single Window System (NSWS) were discussed in detail.
The Chief Minister stressed on adopting a proactive approach and reiterated the importance of uploading approved action plans on the MIS portal.
He underscored the need for continuous monitoring and periodic reviews to ensure timely and effective implementation of the reforms.
CM meets industrialists, discusses investment plans
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday met with Dhunseri Group Chairman Chandra Kumar Dhanuka and discussed investment plans in the union territory.
Dhanuka, accompanied by Chief Executive Officer R K Sharma, briefed Abdullah on their proposed investment for establishing a Biaxially Oriented Polypropylene Films (BOPP) manufacturing unit in Kathua, the chief minister’s office said in a post on X.
It said the chief minister also met president of the Merchant’s Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Kolkata Amit Saraogi.
“We exchanged views on common concerns of trade and industry,” Abdullah said in the post.
