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| J&K Panchayat elections; fitting reply to terrorist, their aides: Sonia | | Foundation stone of cable stacked Basohli Bridge laid | |  Syed Junaid Hashmi
EARLY TIMES REPORT
basohli (kathua), May 23: Massive participation of people in Panchayat elections across Jammu and Kashmir is a fitting reply to terrorists and those who backed them, said Congress president Sonia Gandhi.
"Panchayat is a foundation of the democracy. The way you have come forward to vote in the elections, you have rebuffed terrorism and the forces backing this ugly phenomenon who were seeking to weaken us and our system," she said addressing a gathering here after laying the foundation of a bridge across river Ravi that will connect the state with Punjab and Himachal Pradesh.
Sonia Gandhi appreciated the participation of the people in the Panchayat polls. She said "They have voted for democracy and development." Without mentioning terrorists or separatists who had given a boycott call for the Panchayat polls, Gandhi said voters have delivered a stunning message that they are for peace and development.
She reiterated UPA government's firm commitment to deal with terrorism. "While there will be no compromise on tackling challenge of militancy and terrorism, the government has explored ways to have a meaningful and fruitful dialogue with neighbours," added Sonia Gandhi. She asserted the UPA government at the Centre has adopted a tough and non-negotiable posture on the terror front while taking steps towards promoting peace and initiating dialogue with its neighbours.
Referring to the completion of two years of UPA-II rule, she said the government is pursuing a policy of zero tolerance towards terrorism. "We have adopted a strong and non-negotiable posture on terrorism. There is no tolerance to terror," said Sonia. Emphasizing that UPA government is committed to take steps for the development of Jammu and Kashmir, Gandhi said that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah were working together to achieve it.
She pointed out that UPA Government recently announced a package for the State, which would create one lakh jobs for the youth of the state in a period of 3- 5 years. Expressing her support for various issues concerning peace and development in the state, Gandhi said, "The entire country is saluting people of J&K for your courage and bravery in fighting cross-border terrorism". She said that UPA government will extend full support to the state on peace, development and economic fronts.
"We want development and prosperity in all the three regions of the state - Jammu, Ladakh and Kashmir," she said while adding that state and central governments are committed to back. Gandhi reminisced that the project was the dream of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. She recalled that Rajiv Gandhi was to lay foundation stone of this bridge in 1989 but event could not take place due to the announcement of elections.
Describing roads and bridges as arteries of economic development, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi today laid the foundation-stone of Jammu and Kashmir''s first cable-stayed bridge on river Ravi in Kathua district. "The bridge is a long-cherished dream of the people which has been fulfilled with the laying of the foundation stone," she told a public meeting on the occasion here.
"The bridge will open up another road of development to Kashmir Valley," Gandhi said describing roads and bridges as arteries of economic development. "The bridge, connecting J&K with Punjab and HP, will open up new vistas of economic development and prosperity in the entire region. Not only J&K, but also parts of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh will get fillip in employment, economic development and prosperity with the construction of the bridge," she said.
All areas in Jammu, Bani, Bhaderwah, Basohli, Chatroo and Kishtwar will be benefitted with the construction of the bridge, the Congress president said and hoped the project would be completed within next three years. Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah underlined need for constructing two tunnels at Chattergala and Singpora-Vailoo to link Kishtwar and Doda with the Valley adding that this would provide an alternate route from Valley to Jammu, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab.
Omar sought central assistance in the construction of these two tunnels along with other such projects presently being surveyed for feasibility. On Panchayat elections, he said that establishment of Panchayat institutions would strengthen the democratic set up in the state and open vistas of development.
Chief Minister said that after Halqa Panchayats, Block Panchayats and District Panchayats would be constituted with an aim to transfer powers to these institutions and devolve authority to the democratically elected Bodies. He said that it would help in a big way to decentralize authority at the central offices and involve public in the process of decision making at various levels.
Omar said that Panchayat Raj would act as an effective tool to address the menace of corruption and ensure public monitoring of the development schemes at all levels. Chief Minister expressed gratitude to the union government for liberal financing and said that the funds are utilized to help faster economic development in the State.
Omar also praised Border Roads Organization (BRO) for working in difficult situation, braving weather vagaries and other challenges, and keeping the highways open in the State besides undertaking construction and upgradation of various roads. Public meeting was also addressed by JKPCC president Prof. Saifuddin Soz, Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy, Dr. Farooq Abdullah, Union Minister for Health, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Parliament Member, Choudhary Lal Singh and others. UPA committed to counter terrorism, says Sonia Gandhi
Gandhi, flanked by Union ministers A.K. Antony, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Farooq Abdullah, M. Pallam Raju, chief minister Omar Abdullah and JKPCC chief Saifuddin Soz, earlier laid the foundation stone of Rs. 150 crore, 592-metre-long cable stayed bridge on river Ravi at Basohli in Kathua district, the first-ever cable-stayed bridge in the state.
The bridge is on 10.5 kilometers Dunera-Bani road over river Ravi in Basohli area of Jammu division. The two-lane class A bridge with 13.93 meters width will have 1.5 meter wide footpaths on either side. The length between towers will be 350 meters and approaches 121 meters. The height of pylons is designed to be 88 meters above the deck level. The bridge is likely to be completed by 2014 end.
The bridge will connect Basohli with Himachal Pradesh and Punjab and open new avenues of economic development in the area from Kishtwar-Doda to Basohli by opening up the backward and cut-off areas for economic activities. Scheduled to be constructed by September 2014, the bridge will open up avenues for commercial mining of materials like Gypsum and Lime stone. |
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