Union MoS Commerce and Industries commences visit to Rajouri

Rajouri: Continuing the public outreach initiative of the Central Government, Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industries Smt. Anupriya Patel today visited border district Rajouri. She is on a two-day tour to the district.

The MoS on the first day of her tour inaugurated the much-awaited Dhandani Bridge at Lamberi completed under a languishing scheme at an estimated cost of Rs 4.40 crore. While inaugurating the bridge, Smt. Patel said that the Union Government is committed to the all-around and equitable development of Jammu and Kashmir.

While attending a public outreach camp at GHSS Lamberi, the Minister inspected stalls installed by different Departments depicting their public welfare schemes/programs, local handicrafts products, fruits and vegetables. She also interacted with the staff to get ideas about how these welfare initiatives are being implemented on the ground.

In her address, the Minister said that inclusive, all-round and substantial development of the Jammu and Kashmir UT is the major goal of the Union Government and much emphasis is being laid to push every sector to take the UT to newer heights and new levels of prosperity.

Highlighting the objectives of the special outreach programmes by the Central Government to the UT, she said that these programs are being organised to assess the situation relating to developmental and other aspects on the ground so that after taking proper stock of all this, appropriate measures are taken to further mitigate the development deficit for the larger public interest.

“For 70-yrs, Article 370 and 35 A kept J&K deprived of everything but after the abrogation of article 370 and 35 A, Jammu and Kashmir is ushering in a new era of development and people are getting what they were deprived of for 70 years”, she said.

For industrial growth, she said that a new industrial policy has been launched which is incentive based and with the development of industries, the young generation will have better employment avenues and hence a better life.

“Rs 25000 crore investment have been made as per new industrial policy but we are hopeful to touch the figure of Rs 500000 crore”, she added.

She said that the objective for this huge investment is maximum utilization of industries, manufacturing, services sector, village industries, handicraft, tourism and technology to create more jobs in rural areas of Jammu & Kashmir because there is a vast and yet untapped talent pool in our villages waiting for an opportunity.

“To tap the export potential of agricultural and industrial products, the Government is engaging with states and union territories to implement the Districts as Export Hub (DEH) initiative in all districts of the country in a phased manner”, she informed.

She further informed that under the DEH initiative, District Export Promotion Committees (DEPCs) have been constituted in most of the districts and products/services with export potential have been identified in each district.

The Minister also stressed upon the market linkage and formulation of a suitable district export plan and asked the concerned to deliberate upon the core issues which need to be addressed to make the district an export hub and assured of all possible assistance from the Central Government in this regard.

While elaborating the measures being taken for the promotion of handlooms and handicrafts, she informed that special district plans are to be prepared in each district and value addition of the local handicrafts and handbook products would also be done.

She also felt delighted to know that the representation of women in Governance is fifty per cent and said women are nowhere less than the men in their calibre and the need of the time is to just provide them suitable opportunities where they can exhibit their talent.

Lauding the people’s enthusiasm for the 3-tier PRI System, the Minister said that only by strengthening grass-root democracy, democracy can be truly empowered and a novel start has been initiated in J&K under the leadership of the Prime Minister.

She also said that several steps are being taken to decentralize the power and strengthen the democracy at the grassroots level and a warrant of precedence for elected representatives is also stepped in to boost the morale of the elected representatives.

Referring to the initiative of the opening of AIIMS, the Minister said that the opening of these institutions along with new Government Medical Colleges in the district will give a huge fillip to the medical infrastructure besides saving time and money for the people who will get the best medical facilities within Jammu and Kashmir

Smt. Patel said that community participation is pivotal for all-around and inclusive development and urged the public to work side by side with the Government for the overall development of the areas.

She also appealed to the PRIs to work in close coordination with the Administration so that better results could be yielded on the ground.

The Minister also highlighted several schemes and programs launched by the Government for public welfare and urged upon the people to avail the benefits of the same.

The Minister also handed over eight sanctioned letters of KCC of Handloom and Handicrafts and Five of Animal Husbandry Department amounting to Rs 8 lakhs and 3 lakhs respectively. She also issued six sanctioned letters of scholarship of the Labour Department amounting to Rs 2.40 lacs.

She also distributed tractor and packhouses under Horticulture and handed over Ayushman Cards among the beneficiaries.

Later, the MoS also reviewed the development scenario of the district in a meeting of the concerned officers. The District Development Commissioner Rajouri gave a detailed account of the developmental activities being carried out in the district.

She asked the concerned officers to work with utmost zeal and put in place dedicated efforts to meet the developmental aspirations of the general public.

Deputy Commissioner Rajouri, Rajesh Kumar Shavan; DDC member Seri, Sangeeta Sharma; DDC member Sunderbani, Rajinder Sharma; Additional District Development Commissioner, Pawan Parihar; BDC Seri, Neena Sharma, BDC Siot , Bal Krishan Sharma, other district and sectoral Officers were present.