Jammu, January 25, (Scoop News) – Extending heartiest greetings to people on the Republic Day, Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah highlighted the significance of the month of January for his government for the coalition dispensation taking over the office in the State on January 5, 2009. He said his government has completed five years this year adding that remarkable progress has been achieved both on peace and development fronts during this period. “Though a lot has been done yet we have to do more towards achieving permanent peace and moving ahead on road to prosperity”, he said.
The Chief Minister in his message on Republic Day eve to be broadcast, telecast by Radio Kashmir and Doordarshan on 26th January, listed the path braking and historic decisions taken by the government during the last five years to empower common people, hold Panchayat elections and enact legislations aimed at curbing corruption, bringing transparency, giving good-governance, making administration accountable from top to bottom and ensuring service delivery in important public service departments legally time bound.
The Chief Minister mentioned enactment of Public Services Guarantee Act (PSGA), Re-constitution of Accountability Commission, constitution of Right to Information Commission, establishment of Vigilance Commission to give impetus to the transparency and bring government functioning under full public scan.
Omar Abdullah said that by giving the historic PSGA to the people his government has made some 80 important public services like issuance of Ration Cards, Driving Licenses, Water and Power connections, Revenue Papers, Schedule Caste, Schedule Tribe and Backward Certificates, Building Permissions, No Objection Certificates pertaining to Passports and other matters, FIR copy etc. under the ambit of PSGA to ensure time bound delivery.
Omar Abdullah also mentioned the reconstitution of Accountability Commission and bringing all public representatives under its ambit. He also mentioned the constitution of Vigilance Commission under which falls the entire bureaucracy and lower ranking officials. He said by implementing Right to Information Act and constituting State Right to Information Commission, his government has empowered a common man to question the performance and conduct of all government departments in the State.
Giving glimpses of the five years major achievements registered by his government in various fields particularly in the fields of rozgar, bijlee, pani, sadak, sehat aur taleem (employment generation, power, drinking water, road communication, health and education), the Chief Minister said that during the last five years about one lakh youth have been provided employment in government departments.
Omar Abdullah said that employment being a global phenomenon needs multi-faceted approach to address. He said and added that his focus on entrepreneurship development through the innovative scheme of SKEWPY is to enhance the orbit of livelihood generation for youth of the State. He said about 2400 income generating units have been established under SKEWPY in the State so far providing jobs to over 13000 youth. He said during the last five years about 40000 youth have been identified and are under the process of training to upgrade their skills and enhance their employability. He said 40 reputed companies have been linked with the UDAAN scheme while many more are connected with HIMAYAT programme under which 17000 youth have been trained and 12000 have been provided jobs in different companies.
Omar Abdullah said that under the prestigious scheme UMEED 9 lakh rural women are being organized in Self-Help Groups in the State during a period of five years to ensure their economic and social welfare. He said nine blocks have already been brought under the scheme this year. He also mentioned steps taken by his government for the inclusive development of weaker sections of the society including schedule caste, schedule tribe, pahari, other backward classes, gujjars and bakerwals. He also referred to the measures taken by his government for the holistic development of agriculturists, horticulturists, artisans, labours and other poorer sections of the society. He said 3.75 lakh Kissan Credit Cards have been provided to farmers and 40000 artisans cards to artisans to avail the easy loan facilities from the banks for strengthening their economic activities. He said agriculture has been kept out of the tax regime to encourage its growth.
The Chief Minister said that his government placed power development sector in the priority list and recognized it as the most important sector to ensure necessary turn around in the State’s economic condition. He said power is the sector which can strengthen the State’s economic health and lift it from the deficit level State to the economically self-reliant level. He said necessary edifice has been laid to generate 9000 MWs of hydro energy in the State in next eight years. He said during the last five years his government has launched new power projects of the capacity of 1500 MWs as against 750 MW capacity projects constructed in the State since independence.
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