‘Naya Jammu and Kashmir’ defeats terror, moves on to become a vibrant region

SRINAGAR: Naya Jammu and Kashmir has defeated terror and transformed from an underdeveloped and terrorism-hit region into one of the most vibrant places in the country.

After the abrogation of Article 370, a temporary provision in the Constitution, the government has taken numerous reformative and youth-centric steps to open endless opportunities for the socio-economic empowerment of the J-K people, and the results are evident.

According to the official data, during the past year, more than 82,000 business units have been established in J-K. These ventures have provided direct employment opportunities to around 2.85 lakh youth.

Under 'Mission Youth' the government has extended handholding to 70,000 young boys and girls to become self-reliant.

Nearly 15,000 development projects that were in limbo for the past 10 to 20 years have been completed during the past three years.

The summer and winter capitals of J&K, i.e., Srinagar and Jammu, which were rated poorly in the national and international surveys till 2019, have transformed into smart cities.

The Union Territory is at a cusp in its development trajectory. The helmsmen have broken fresh ground to enable faster growth. From 2019 onwards, J-K has witnessed accelerated progress, and the region's potential has been fully explored.

Youth have emerged as the architects of 'Naya Jammu and Kashmir' as the region, which witnessed Pakistan-sponsored terrorism for three decades, is seeing a steady rise in young entrepreneurs. They are working with dedication to build a prosperous society.

The successful conduct of the 3-day G20 summit in Srinagar has opened up a new era of opportunities for Jammu and Kashmir.

The G20 participants applauded J-K's saga of development and promised to become the brand ambassadors of the Himalayan region.

The people of Jammu and Kashmir are cooperating with the government in every field and are contributing towards fulfilling the mission of Prime Minister, Narendra Modi to build "Viksit Bharat" by 2047.

Recently, J-K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha inaugurated the much-awaited tourist destination 'Jambu Zoo' at Nagrota. It was taken up under the 'Languishing Project.'

The 'Jambu Zoo' is the first full-fledged zoo in the Union Territory and has the potential to boost tourism in the region.

The zoo houses an impressive variety of wildlife species and is spread across 3,200 kanals of land. It's home to seventeen species, including leopards, deer, peacocks, and monkeys.

The 'Jambu Zoo' missed several deadlines, however, after August 5, 2019, when the Centre announced its decision to abrogate J-K's special status and bifurcate it into two Union Territories, the work on the zoo was expedited.

J&K got its first zoo thanks to the generous funding from New Delhi. It has an open amusement theatre, a children's park, and a tranquil water body. Battery-operated cars and bicycles have been placed in the zoo to facilitate the movement of visitors.

'Jambu Zoo' being thrown open for people stands as a testament to the government's commitment to building 'Naya Jammu and Kashmir.'

As of date, Jammu and Kashmir figures among the most progressive regions of the country. It's no longer infamous for grenade blasts, cross-firing, and stone-pelting incidents.

Youngsters have become the torchbearers and are leading from the front. They have rejected Pakistan's propaganda by saying no to stone-pelting and guns.

The recruitment process in government departments has become transparent, and self-employment schemes have been thrown open to all. All the selections are based on merit. Young boys and girls who want to become entrepreneurs are being provided with financial assistance and other support.

Pertinently, until 2019, only such people could become entrepreneurs who inherited businesses from their families, as setting up any venture was a privilege reserved for a selected class of people.

Loans were provided to only those entrepreneurs, who were recommended by politicians or other bigwigs. Common people were asked to complete a long list of formalities before any amount could be sanctioned in their favour.

Setting up any business unit in J-K until 2019 was a Herculean task, and many youngsters used to give up their ideas and surrender.

The lack of avenues and resources led to J-K youth getting disillusioned. Pakistan and the separatists sponsored by it took full advantage of the growing unemployment in the region. They lured the young boys by offering them petty amounts to pelt stones, enforcing shutdowns, and finally taking up the guns.

After 2019, the scenario changed as the government provided a plethora of opportunities to youngsters. The process to set up any business unit was made simple. A single window clearance system was put in place to ensure that aspiring entrepreneurs could transform their ideas into reality.

The government encouraged start-up culture and acknowledged the ideas of young innovators. During the past three years, the government has helped lakhs of J&K youth stand on their own two feet.

From a strife-torn region, J-K has turned into a business hub, with local youth becoming the role models and inspiration for their successors.

Srinagar and Jammu, which were ranked poorly in national and international surveys until 2019, have transformed in the past three years into the most beautiful and vibrant cities in the country.

During the past three years, the Centre has approved over 276 projects under the "Smart City Mission" in Jammu and Srinagar.

These projects have strengthened the urban infrastructure, and improved city services, and public aesthetics. Both cities have become more eco-friendly and clean.

The transformation of Jammu and Srinagar cities from highly congested and underdeveloped urban areas to 'Smart Cities' has brought these places on par with the developed cities in the country.

Both Jammu and Srinagar are heritage cities, but the former rulers didn't pay much attention to developing these cities.

The work that has taken place during the past three years has proven beyond doubt that both of these cities were mismanaged.

In the past three years, urban governance has improved. The latent creativity and vitality of the historical cities have been unlocked.

Both the cities blessed with natural and cultural heritage have become socio-economically vibrant cities in a short span of time. Surveys don't rate these cities poorly anymore. (ANI)

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