- Friday, April 19, 2024
By: Sarwar Alam
A) Governance
All Central laws have been extended to the UT including legislations meant for protecting and promoting social, economic and political rights of women, children, under-privileged sections as well as those for ensuring transparent and accountable governance. These include the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, The Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007, The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2007 etc.
Strengthening Grass-root democracy – Elections were conducted for District Development Council in October -November 2020, with 51.7 per cent voter turnout. Jammu and Kashmir amended the Panchayat Act for establishment of the 3rd tier of Panchayats at district level. Earlier, elections to Block Development Councils (BDC) were held for the first time in the history of J&K in October 2019 with 98.3 per cent voter turnout. For the first time, women benefited from reservation bringing them into mainstream politics.
The delimitation process in J&K is being fast-tracked. J&K Delimitation Commission in its first draft has proposed to increase six seats for the Jammu Division and one for the Kashmir Division besides reserving 16 seats for the Schedule Caste (SC) and Schedule Tribe (ST) communities.
Nearly INR 1727 crore ($230 million) has been devolved through Panchayat institutions for MGNREGA, Mid Day meals and other programs. Exposure and training visits for the newly elected BDC chairpersons and sarpanchs to other states have been conducted.
44 Digital village centres have been established at Gram Panchayat to provide internet access to rural areas as well as access to e-delivery of Government services.
The third phase of a unique participatory program ‘Back to Village’ which aims at delivering equitable development was conducted in October 2020. Over 70,000 ration cards were seeded with Aadhar while 50,000 families were covered under state -sponsored Health Insurance Schemes.
Under the same Back to Village program over 15,000 loans have been sanctioned which included 4600 loans for women entrepreneurs. To improve infrastructure in villages, over 20,000 development works have been identified directly by the people.
Under the Budget Estimation Allocation Monitoring System – information regarding funds released by the Government for developmental projects can be monitored, thus ensuring transparency in allocation and disbursement of Government funds.
An integrated grievance redressal and monitoring system was launched in September, 2020, to provide an online grievance redressal system to the people of J&K. Over 85,000 grievances have been received, with over 90 % grievances being satisfactorily dealt with.
B) Infrastructure Development
Under prime minister’s Development Package 54 projects have been identified with the investment of INR 56,261 crores ($7.5 billion). 20 of these projects have been completed/substantially completed. 13 more are likely to be completed by the end of 2021-22 and remaining by 2022-23.
The completed projects include the all weather 8.45 km long hi-tech tunnel between Qazigund and Banihal built at a cost of $420 million. Rambagh flyover in Jammu has
been completed. IIT Jammu has started functioning from its own campus while work on AIIMS Jammu has started.
The Udhampur-Sringara-Baramulla Railway Link project is under construction. The world’s highest railway bridge is being built over the Chenab river for this link.
Power generation capacity is to be doubled in the next 3 years. 3500 MW of hydro-power capacity was installed in the last seven decades, another 2500 MW is to be added by 2024-25. Pakal Dul (1000 MW) and Kiru (624 MW) hydro electric projects have commenced. Additional agreements to install further 4674 MW capacity have been signed with investment of INR 34882 crores ($4.5 billion).
Jammu and Kashmir achieved 100 household electrification. Over 350,000 beneficiaries were covered by laying down new electric cables in remote areas and thus eliminating dependency on diesel generators. All 18.16 lakh rural households of J&K to have functional household tap connections by March 2022.
During 2020-21, 1289 road construction works were completed at a cost of INR 1638 crores ($220 million). Construction work of 14500 km of road has been completed so far under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna, which has connected about 2000 places.
C) Industrial Development
J&K Industrial Development Policy 2021-30 has been notified with an outlay of INR 28,400 crores to provide incentives to all new industrial units being set up in the UT as well as any existing units undertaking substantial expansions. J&K Industrial Land Allotment Policy 2021-30 has been adopted under which land has been allocated to 15 industrial projects with a projected investment of INR 1,548 crore ($200 million). Single window clearance rules have been notified.
Investment – Jammu and Kashmir has received investment proposals of over $4 billion. The J&K Government has also entered into six agreements with global investors at the Dubai Expo 2020 to bring in investments in real estate, infrastructure, tourism, healthcare and manpower development.
D) Employment Opportunities and skill training
Quick and transparent recruitment process. Nearly 2000 people hired and 15,000 vacancies identified.
Centres for Invention, Innovation, Incubation and Training have been established in Jammu and Baramulla as a joint venture between the Government and Tata Technologies, to provide training to unemployed engineers.
Two IT parks, one each in Jammu and Srinagar to be established . Rural BPOs in all district headquarters to be established.
Under Back to Village Programme/Mission Youth initiative of the Government, the Jammu and Kashmir Bank has sanctioned 16,000 loans amounting to Rs. 260 crore, out of which, self employment loan to 11,000 cases amounting to Rs. 175 crore has been disbursed.
During FY 2021-22 nearly 140,000 persons have been covered under various self-employment schemes of the Government.
The Government of Jammu and Kashmir has approved a business revival package of Rs.1352.99 crore on 25th September, 2020, which has direct bearing on creation of job avenues in J&K.
A new Wool Processing, Handicrafts and Handloom Policy 2020 has been adopted for promotion and development of Handicrafts and Handloom sector. Financial Support Scheme to the tune of Rs. 100,000 for each Cooperative/Self Help Group in the Handicrafts and Handloom Sector has been approved. Government has also approved a new Credit Card Scheme for providing a loan of INR 200,000 for Artisans/Weavers with interest subvention of 7% for five years.
E) Social inclusion
Social Security schemes have been expanded to include over 270,000 additional people. Transgender people have been added for the first time to provide them with pension benefits.
100 per cent saturation has been achieved in 17 individual beneficiary centric schemes, including Saubhagya (universal household electrification), Ujala (domestic lighting program), Ujjwala (LPG connections to deprived households) and Indradhanush (full immunization of children) schemes.
F) Health
Free and universal healthcare insurance scheme in J&K has been extended to all residents of the Union Territory. J&K has one of the highest budget allocation for healthcare sector (five per cent) in India.
Seven new medical colleges and hospitals including two AIIMS, two cancer institutes, bone institutes and child hospitals are being established in J&K.
Jammu and Kashmir has been rated a front runner in Niti Aayog’s Sustainable Development Goals 3 (Good Health and well being) after improving its score by 8 points between 2019-20 to 2020-21.
G) COVID
J&K is one of the leading states/UTs in India in COVID-19 vaccination coverage, having fully vaccinated >99 per cent of its adult population.
Booster dose vaccination campaign for health care and frontline workers and elderly has been launched.
Special monthly pensions and scholarships to the families who have lost their bread winners to COVID-19.
H) Education
Scholarships at pre-matric (pre 10th standard/O level), post matric levels have been nearly trebled. Two new AIIMS, seven new medical college, five new nursing colleges and two state cancer Institute are being established in the UT. Seats for graduation in medicine (MBBS) have been increased from 500 to 1100.
IIT Jammu and IIM Jammu have been made functional.
50 new colleges are being established with additional opportunities to over 20,000 students.
Translation of text books in local languages of Dogri, Hindi, Kashmiri and Urdu for primary schools.
Two special Centers in Jammu and Srinagar for providing tutoring and guidance to students for civil services and other competitive examinations under the PARVAAZ Scheme. In addition, scholarship assistance will also be provided to students.
1,000 Atal Tinkering Labs are to be established in J&K of which 187 will be established by the end of FY 2021-22.
I) Agriculture
Government of J&K has entered into an agreement with National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd (NAFED) wherein NAFED will invest nearly $230 million into high density plantations of Apple, Walnut, Cherry, Pear over the next five years in order to increase produce.
Three cold storage clusters to be developed with the investment of INR 500 crores ($67 million)
Kashmiri Saffron has been given the Geographical Indication (GI) tag
J) Sports
INR 200 crore ($26 million) have been allocated under Prime Minister’s Development Package for upgradation of sports infrastructure.
Development of two Khelo India Centres of Excellence in Jammu and Srinagar
K) Environment
19,000 solar street lights to be installed across J&K.
13,000,000 (13 million) trees to be planted across J&K.
A new environment action plan to clean and restore 19 lakes and water bodies in J&K.
L) Connectivity
An international flight from Srinagar to Sharjah has been started on 23.10.2021. In addition, nine flights from Jammu and Srinagar have also been started.
