Jammu: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday said an unprecedented number of tourists visited the Union territory last year as the security situation has improved.
He also said investment proposals worth Rs 70,000 crore have been received for industrial development.
“There is huge improvement in the law-and-order situation. It has good results as an unprecedented number of 1.88 crore tourists visited Jammu and Kashmir. This is the previous year’s figure,” Sinha told a press conference here.
“Till late night, people are enjoying Sikara rides. They are taking dinners at restaurants and hotels. Cinemas are running smoothly,” he said.
The LG said night bus services have started in Kashmir. “I think this has started after 30 years. Schools and colleges and universities are running smoothly. Shops remain open,” he said.
On the Rs 1 lakh crore budget approved for Jammu and Kashmir, Sinha said, “It is first budget of Amritkaal. It is the third time that Jammu and Kashmir’s budget has exceeded Rs one lakh crore to order ensure development. This budget will give a fillip to the development journey during Amritkaal.”
“We are trying to fulfil the dream of new Jammu and Kashmir during the last three years,” he said.
The LG said the Rs 1,18,500 crore budget will fulfil the dreams of all. “I thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman from the core of my heart for this budget. I am indebted to the Union home minister too”.
The Jammu and Kashmir, he said, has been among top performers in the country for implementation of schemes like Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), Amrit Sarovar, SVAMITVA Scheme, Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, Nasha Mukt Abhiyan and Renewable Energy Development. “Most of the social security schemes have been saturated in J&K.”
Under “My Youth My Pride, Har Din Khel Har Ek Kay Liye Khel”, he said, nearly 50 lakh youth have participated in different sports activities this year.
Under Digital J&K initiative, he said, 445 online services are being provided through
e-UNNAT portal.225 e-services have been integrated with Rapid Assessment System for real time feedback on quality of service delivery. “All the online services have been linked with Public Service Guarantee Act in J&K.”
J&K is the first among States/Union Territories to have District Good Governance Index for assessing the public service delivery at district level, he said.
“Aspirational Panchayat Development Programme, Aspirational Block Development Programme and Aspirational Town Development Programme are the three new initiatives being implemented in J&K.”
He said highest ever investment of Rs 1547.87 crore received during the last 10 months of this year. “500 start ups have come up during last 3 years.”
Unemployment rate, he said, is marginally reduced. “33426 posts have been referred to recruiting agencies. 25450 selections have been made including 2436 selections of J&K Bank Limited. Around 2, 02,749 youth have been covered under various self-employment schemes and target is to cover 2, 37,000 by end of current year,” he said, adding, “Next year around 3 lakh will be covered under all the self-employment schemes.”
In 2018-19, he said, 9228 works were completed; 12637 works in 2019-20, 21943 in 2020-21 and in 2021-22, 50627 works were completed and this year “we expect 70,000 works to be completed”.
“This is the paradigm shift in the pace of development in J&K over the last three to four years,” he said, adding, “Road construction nearly doubled to 3200 kilometres against 1500-1600 Km in 2018.”