news details |
|
|
| Omar makes strong plea to turn J&K a destination for investors and entrepreneurs | | |
MUMBAI, NOV 28: Jammu and Kashmir’s Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has said that the people of the border State have not been asking for moon to be brought down to them. Instead, they are only concerned for as commonplace a thing in today’s world as electricity, road, water, health and education facilities.
Addressing a conference on the subject of theme ‘From Uncertainty to Certainty’ organised by National Human Resource Development Net Work in collaboration with Harvard Business School at Nehru Centre at Mumbai, Omar said that the people of Jammu and Kashmir want us or the Government to deliver.
“If their children go to school, they should have a teacher, if they visit a health centre, they should have a doctor a nurse and medicare facilities, when they switch on the bulb there should be light, when they turn on the taps the water should run and when they travel on roads these should be traffic-worthy”, he said, adding that these are the main fundamentals for my people and I am here to talk about this aspect instead of discussing global uncertainty. “Just day-to-day living is an uncertainty for us in J&K and our endeavour is to remove this once and for all” he remarked.
“We look to Mumbai with a lot of hope and admiration. The city shows a sprit we want to imbibe and march ahead towards the destination of permanent peace and progress. The spirit to get up and go whole hog without fear has been getting defeated,” he said.
The Chief Minister said for too long Jammu and Kashmir has been a place you read about in newspapers for two reasons. These are -- either because it has been getting too dangerous a place to visit or it was always a place for holidaying. “It takes two hands to clap. There is no effort to integrate and mainstream the State though time has come when the rest of India has to re-engage Jammu and Kashmir on social and economic fronts in order to move beyond political engagement,” asserted Omar, adding that the desired level of engagement was not visible.
“I have not come with a begging bowl. I am mentioning this as food for thought. I am here hoping some of you may come and invest. The investors in the past have come because of only special economic package. In nine out of 10 cases investors move in onlt to move out and the commitment is lost. Your commitment will help me and my colleagues remove uncertainty. We can move towards a certain future. It is not just something that benefits the people of Jammu and Kashmir; it benefits the country as a whole”, he said, adding that his effort has been to give a little more sense of security and certainty. “I can guarantee you will have a great time. Kashmir has a great convention centre, amazing sites of pilgrimage and an unsurpassable natural beauty,” he said.
He recalled his recent drive through the Mughal Road that is being revived with Central assistance, saying, “I had the opportunity to retrace the steps of Mughal empire who travelled from the plains into Kashmir over 400 years ago. This road is dotted with little places of historical significance. And there is warmth among the people who look to visitors to share their knowledge about them coming down in the form of legends from their ancestors.”
The Political Advisor to Chief Minister, Davinder Singh Rana, business leaders like Anand Mehandra, thought leaders like Dr. Prasad Kaipa, eminent historians, Dr RC Guha, dean of IIM, Kolkatta were present amongst over a thousand eminent people.
Attending another function at Mumbai to address the Mumbai Cnference of Young Presidents’ Organisation (YPO) at Hotel Taj Palace here, Omar told the participating young CEOs to play their role in encouraging integrated industrialisation in Jammu and Kashmir by becoming its integral part.
“Young Industrialists should take lead in venturing in Jammu and Kashmir in a big way”, he said, adding, “You will find here fertile soil, talented youth, hospitable public and beneficial trade and transaction”.
Omar said there has been lot of improvement in the situation in Jammu and Kashmir and atmosphere is more than conducive for investing, especially, in the Kashmir Valley. He said State promises greater potential in the sectors of agriculture, floriculture, horticulture, food processing, software technology, health, education, IT and Science and Technology.
“Our tourism and power generation sectors are most promising. Our educated young people are outstanding, intelligent and innovative and unskilled workforce too is hardworking”, he said, reminding of the presence of talented youth from J&K in even big establishments and important ventures.
“We are encouraging and nurturing small, micro and medium entrepreneurship (SMME) sector in the State in a big way to achieve the twin objectives of economic growth and job opportunities for young people”, he said asking YPO to extend their support to the State. He assured hundred percent help from the Government in this regard. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
