Srinagar, Mar 25: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha stated that the administration is fully prepared to hold polls peacefully whenever the Election Commission decides to conduct elections in Jammu and Kashmir.
In an interview with Doordarshan News, LG Sinha has stated that Delimitation Commission work has been completed and also revised electoral lists in the UT. In our country, there are some constitutional bodies that take decisions for elections and whenever Election Commission takes a call on Assembly elections, we are ready to conduct elections peacefully,” he said.
Regarding security situation, LG Sinha said there has been significant improvement in the situation in the Kashmir and all top terrorists commanders have been neutralized by the security forces in the region.
“Terrorism has not fully ended. We have achieved lot in this way and efforts will continue in clear the terror eco-system in the Valley,” he said.
LG Sinha said Pakistan is behind the target killings in Kashmir and they are now frustrated over India holding G20 Summit. They cannot beat us diplomatically and want to give the message that J&K is not safe due to security situation,” he said.
He said there was a time when terrorists used to upload their pictures on Social media. Now they are frightened. “We have taken strict actions against terror financers. Our administration has achieved good results and there is good synergy among the security forces,” LG said.
“One single incident in Kashmir becomes a topic of discussion in the entire country. We are working in this direction and a day will come when no such incident will take place,” Sinha said adding that arrangements are being finalized for holding a peaceful G20 meeting in Srinagar in May.
LG Sinha said earlier people used to buy peace for temporary periods, but now the situation is entirely different. Both the Central and J&K administration is on same page to destroy the terror ecosystem in the region and we are yielding good results.
“We have issued clear directions that common people should not suffer at any cost. During the entire eviction drive poor people were not touched and action was taken against the influential land grabbers,” he said adding that retrieved land will be used for the welfare of people.
About the raising of objections by former Chief Ministers of J&K Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti over the termination of employees from services for alleged terror links, the LG said that those who were terminated had terror links and proper investigations were made. The administration had also issued served them proper dossiers,”
“Those who are threat to state were removed and more anti-national people who are still in jobs will be removed soon from their posts. All this is being done for restoration of peace,” he said.
Lt. Governor said 300 small and big movies have been shot in the Valley in past one year. Three Cinemas were operational this year including in Srinagar and administration is trying to open them in all districts,” he said.
Apart from Government jobs, the Jammu and Kashmir administration has made 6 lakh youth as entrepreneurs. Instead of stone youth are holding laptops, cricket bats and table tennis rackets in their hands.
On Congress leader’s Rahul Gandhi’s claims of presence of terrorists in his rally in Srinagar during ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’, LG Sinha said congress had sought security which was provided to them.
“We facilitated entire Yatra and they faced no problem here. They were permitted to hoist tricolor in Srinagar,” he said adding that in politics such statements are made are compulsions’ and people judge these better,” he said.
LG said digitization of land records has facilitated easy online access to the land records system, reduce manipulation, and improve efficiency.
“All process was aimed at modernizing management of land records and enhancing transparency in the maintenance mechanism. Introduction of the new system has reduced the scope of land, property disputes, and has facilitated conclusive titles to immovable properties across the Union Territory,” he said.
LG Sinha said record 1.88 crore tourists visited Jammu Kashmir last year. This year, in the first two months 3.70 lakh tourists came to J&K which benefitted lakhs of families associated with the tourism sector.
“I also directed the Vice Chancellor of SKUAST Kashmir to make arrangement for growing Tulip’s planting material in J&K instead of relying on imports. The effort will ensure that J&K is able to tap the Rs 400 Cr market of Tulips in the country,” he said.
On Kashmir Pandits security, LG Sinha said UT administration is trying to resolve the difficulties being faced by them, adding, the security concerns and the measures for the protection of KPs have been taken care of well.
“1200 flats will be ready soon and 1,800 flats will be ready by end of December 2023,” he adding that security of other minorities from Jammu are also being taken care.
LG also said under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has made remarkable progress towards an ambitious infrastructure development program, modernization and expansion of airports, rail network, and highways for ease of doing business and to fuel faster economic growth.
“We have been successful in removing the impediments and hurdles to great extent. We are upgrading our infrastructure both in capacity and quality to meet new demands and ready to raise our partnership with industries to higher levels,” he said.
LG Sinha said recently he performed the ‘Bhumi Pujan’ (prayer ceremony)’ for the 10-lakh-square-foot mega-mall, “Mall of Srinagar”, and an IT tower at Sempora on the outskirts of Srinagar and an IT tower in Jammu.
We had a successful meeting with the UAE delegation, and this opens the scope for more such investments in the future. “We are expecting more than Rs 75,000 crore in investment in the state in the months to come. We are expecting more Middle Eastern countries to pitch for projects, and we have also made compliance easier by allowing investors to receive their share of land within three days, which is unlikely in any other region of India,” he said.
The LG Sinha said the government is looking for investments in key sectors like agriculture, the food industry, education, etc.
“Our strategy is to maintain sustainable development and the interest of the investor, not just because of the tax incentives,” he said.
