DH REPORT
SRINAGAR, MAY 25- The Governor, N.N Vohra today addressed the joint session of legislature at SKICC today.
Speaking on the occasion, the Governor said: “I am very happy to be associated with this Joint Session in which, for the first time in the history of Jammu and Kashmir, we have a young lady as the Leader of the House. This historical event is a wonderful example of the emancipation and empowerment of women in our State.”
He said: “I would take this opportunity of recalling, with regard and sentiment, the decades long visionary leadership provided by the late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed Sahib whose entire political career was marked by unwavering commitment to securing inclusive political stability and advancing the interests of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.”
Vohra said, the best collective tribute which J&K Legislature can pay to Mufti Sahib would be to join hands and work, with single minded devotion, for generating an inclusive political environment and securing rapid and equitable growth and development of the State.
“The former Chief Minister would often say that this House is the most empowered in the country. It is important to preserve the sanctity and enhance the productivity of this important democratic institution through meaningful discussions and constructive debates. Dissent is an inherent and valued element of the democratic discourse between one and all, between those in government and those on the other side, and there should be no occasion to feel discouraged or offended by voices of dissent,” Vohra said.
He also said: “We need to remember that this House is the custodian and the protec-
Guv address joint…
tor of the rights and privileges of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. It would, therefore, be beneficial if, in the course of discussions and debates, Members, irrespective of ideology and political affiliation, keep in mind that arriving at consensus on contrary issues would enable this House to meaningfully play its crucial role and discharge its high responsibility to the people of the State.”
He said that the State Government is committed to safeguarding the special status which has been accorded to Jammu and Kashmir in the Constitution of India and has also been spelt out in the Agenda of the Alliance which forms the basis of the PDP-BJP Coalition Government.
“It is a happy augury that, at the national level, the Prime Minister of India is personally pursuing the sub-continental agenda of peace which, needless to say, will have a positive outcome for normalizing the situation in the State.
The Prime Minister’s bold initiative of reaching out to Pakistan in a bid to establish lasting peace in the region has been welcomed in the State and revived the hope for peace, particularly along the borders where the lives of the people have been shattered. The impact of the Prime Minister’s visit to Lahore and the subsequent bilateral dialogues at different levels have generated hope for our State, which has for long borne the brunt of unstable relations between the two countries,” he maintained.
“The State Government is committed to pursuing and strengthening the path of peace and dialogue for achieving reconciliation and development. The people of the State are hopeful that the revived initiatives for the establishment of friendly relations with our western neighbour will have a positive outcome for the restoration of peace and normalcy, particularly for the people residing in the border areas who live in an environment of insecurity and have, over the years, continued to suffer human and economic losses.
As a confidence building measure, in collaboration with the Government of India, my Government has been endeavouring to enlarge and upgrade cross-LoC trade. In this context, the infrastructure of the Trade Facilitation Centres has been enhanced, the communication systems have been strengthened and, most importantly, steps to set up the framework of the banking facilities have been recently worked out in consultation with the Government of India and the Reserve Bank of India.
To enhance the dividends of peace, the State Government is working to develop Border Tourism, particularly in the areas of Suchetgarh and Chamliyal,” the Governor said.
“We are hopeful that with the various ongoing initiatives falling in place we shall soon enter an era of normalcy, peace and prosperity, which the people of the State have been yearning for.
The State Police, along with other Security Forces, is playing an important role in maintaining law and order and undertaking counter insurgency operations. Their professionalism, courage and patience merits appreciation. However, incidents like the one which took place the other day in which three of our dedicated Police personnel were killed in a cowardly act, set us back every time we are moving towards normalcy. Besides the need to maintain a constant vigil to prevent the recurrence of such incidents, I urge the civil society to come out strongly, in one voice, against such incidents and send a clear message that we shall act against any move which is against the interest of our society and the security of the country,” he maintained.
He further said that initiatives for enhancing growth and socio-economic development will bear fruit and pave the way for youth to lead peaceful and productive lives, when the various moves have been institutionalized by political and legislative processes.
“My Government is deeply committed to realizing the full potential of our talented youth. This objective is at the top of the priority list and a multi-pronged strategy is envisaged to unleash the unlimited zeal and energy of the younger generation.
The Government is engaged in reorienting and upgrading the education system to make it an ‘enabler’ and not merely a ‘certification department’ which compels educated youth to seek jobs which do not match their potentials or their qualifications. Needless to say, the establishment of institutions of excellence like the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and Indian Institute of Management (IIM) will soon engender a definitive improvement in the quality of professional education in our State,” he said.
Vohra said that the State Government is committed to reviving the creativity and sense of purpose among the youth.
“Already, encouraging reports are coming in about groups of self-assured entrepreneurs succeeding in establishing their own enterprises, particularly in Horticulture, Handicraft, Information Technology and other sectors. The State Government has come out with schemes to match and enhance the endeavours of the young entrepreneurs whose initiatives are already bearing fruit,” he said adding that skill development is a thrust area for the Government and significant initiatives have already been taken in this regard.
He said that apart from implementing the National Vocational Educational Qualification Framework, heritage craft courses have been introduced in 13 Polytechnics and ITIs in the State.
“The establishment of two Cluster Universities and two Engineering Colleges is expected to provide a significant boost to the enlargement of academic and research activities in the State. For devoting focused attention towards the upgradation of school education, the State Government has launched the Chief Minister’s Model School Scheme, which also provides for schools being adopted by Institutions and Legislators,” Vohra said.
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