JAMMU: The Jammu and Kashmir government would initiate a “meaningful dialogue” with all internal stakeholders, including all the political groups, irrespective of their ideological views and predilections, Governor N N Vohra said. “The (PDP-BJP) coalition will facilitate and help initiate a sustained and meaningful dialogue with all internal stakeholders, which will include all political groups irrespective of their ideological views and predilections.
“This dialogue will seek to build a broad-based consensus on the resolution of all outstanding issues of J&K,” the governor said while addressing the joint session of the state legislature here today.
Invoking former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Vohra said the coalition government would follow a similar approach, “To enlarge the constituency of peace and deepen its societal mooring, the coalition government will take considered political initiatives. “It would be recalled that the erstwhile NDA government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee, had initiated a dialogue process with all political groups including the Hurriyat Conference, in the spirit of ‘Insaaniyat, Kashmiriyat aur Jamhooriyat,” he said.
The central government has recently initiated steps for promoting deeper understanding with our neighbours, Vohra said. “The coalition government will strive to support and strengthen the approaches and initiatives taken by the Centre and building stakes for all in furthering peace and development,” he said. This objective, the governor said, would be pursued by initiating suitable confidence building measures that would bring about a positive change in the lives of all “our people.”
On the issue of return of Kashmiri Pandit migrants to Kashmir, he said, “To strengthen and enhance societal harmony, my government will ensure the return of Kahsmiri Pandits with dignity, based on their rights as state subjects. No efforts will be spared to reintegrating and absorbing them in the Kashmiri milieu,” he said.
The government will also work out a one-time settlement for refugees from Pakistan occupied Kashmir of 1947, 1965, and 1971, take measures for the sustenance and livelihood of the West Pakistan refugees and constitute a delimitation commission for re-demarcating the legislative assembly constituencies as required by law, he said.
Governor said the PDP-BJP government in the state would pursue policies bringing all the regions and people of the state closer to each other and usher peace, development and better days ahead.
Noting the widespread outrage against corruption including in the state, he said that it is “a great challenge for the coalition government to restore the integrity of institutions and the people’s faith in their ability to deliver”.
It will also be the Mufti Mohammed Sayeed government’s priority to simplify “doing business” by reducing regulatory complexities and costs, easing bureaucratic barriers and simplifying registration processes and clearances, he said.
Vohra said early elections will be held to local bodies, which will also be further empowered, while developmental plans will be formulated to ensure “that leave aside being actually discriminated, no region even has a feeling about being discriminated”.
The government will also explore modalities for the transfer of Dulhasti and Uri hydro power projects to the state, seek a share in the profits of NHPC which use the state’s water as well as revision of all royalty agreements.
Vohra also said that the process of developing two mega cities — Greater Srinagar and Greater Jammu — as well as the satellite cities of New Srinagar and New Jammu will be started, while all towns with population from 30,000 to 99,999 will be upgraded into cities.
Another major initiative would be a special fully-funded employment package for educated and semi-skilled youth, also intended to achieve full female literacy and primary health care across the state.
The government would also develop Jammu as an independent tourism destination with plans to develop other specific circuits.
On last year’s floods, he said the focus shall be to recover the income loss and to meet the liability commitments while the ambit of rehabilitation has been expanded to those geographical areas and businesses that are “flood-impacted”, in addition to being “flood-affected”.
Vohra said the government will ensure return of Kashmiri Pandits “with dignity”, and “spare no effort to reintegrating and absorbing them in the Kashmiri milieu”, while also working out a one-time settlement for refugees from Pakistani Kashmir, and measures for refugees for West Pakistan.
He said the government will ensure people are enabled to fully enjoy the peace and normalcy dividend, while it will also address concerns of the people living on the borders.
“In this context, the coalition government will thoroughly review the security situation and examine the need and desirability of all the special laws which are being applied in the state. Keeping in mind that the situation is steadily improving, the government will examine the need for de-notifying ‘disturbed areas’ and this, in turn, would enable the central government to take a final view on the continuation of AFSPA in such areas.”
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