JAMMU, DECEMBER 11, 2024: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today held an extensive interaction with members of Jammu\u2019s civil society at his official residence on Wazarat Road. This marks his first meeting with Jammu\u2019s civil society since assuming office as Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir.
\nA similar interaction was held on 30th October this year with civil society representatives in Kashmir.
\nThe interaction programme was attended and addressed by Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary, Ministers Sakeena Itoo, Javed Ahmad Rana, Satish Sharma, Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani. Senior officials from the civil and police administration were also present during the outreach session.
\nHe reiterated that his government represents all citizens of Jammu and Kashmir, regardless of their political affiliations.
\nAddressing concerns of regional bias, he stated, \u201cThis government is not just for those who voted for the National Conference; it is the government of every citizen of Jammu and Kashmir. Despite attempts by some to play with emotions of Jammu after the elections and harping on issue of regional divide, we have consistently prioritized inclusivity and equity.\u201d
\nThe Chief Minister highlighted his deliberate decision to appoint a Deputy Chief Minister from Jammu, not out of compulsion but to underscore that Jammu is as integral to this government as Kashmir.
\nAddressing the concerns about the Darbar Move, the Chief Minister reaffirmed his government\u2019s commitment restore this biannual administrative tradition.
\n\u201cSome things cannot be weighed merely in financial terms. The Darbar Move symbolizes the unity and inclusivity of Jammu and Kashmir. It is a tradition that ensures governance remains accessible to both regions.\u201d
\nHe dismissed financial arguments against this 150 year old practice which has now been stopped, stating, \u201cThe role of the government is not to focus solely on profit. Our responsibility is to serve and ensure balanced development across regions. Ending the Darbar Move would only alienate the people of the two regions from one another and harm the collective unity we strive to preserve.\u201d
\nThe event brought together a diverse group of stakeholders, including representatives of women\u2019s organizations, non-governmental organizations, ex-servicemen, Kashmiri Pandits, traders, hoteliers, tourism players, transport associations, religious leaders, pensioners, senior folk singers, Sikh representatives, RTI activists, and leaders from various political parties.
\nThe Chief Minister expressed concern over Jammu\u2019s limited share of the burgeoning tourism industry and laid out plans to diversify the region\u2019s economy.
\n\u201cOver one crore pilgrims visit Mata Vaishno Devi annually, but we have yet to tap into even 15% of this potential to promote tourism in Jammu. If we can redirect a fraction of these pilgrims, Jammu\u2019s economy can transform,\u201d he noted.
\nHe announced plans to establish a craft & culture fair modeled on the Surajkund Mela, to showcase the region\u2019s rich heritage and boost tourism. The initiative will involve collaboration between industries, farmers, cultural representatives, and tourism stakeholders, he stated.
\nChief Minister Omar Abdullah highlighted several key issues raised during the interaction and outlined his government\u2019s commitment to addressing them.
\nHe said that Smart City projects are nearing completion and there is no scope for this government to do any course correction but we shall take new initiatives for Jammu and Srinagar, which aim to modernize the city\u2019s infrastructure and enhance its livability.
\nThe government, he said, will resolve the shortage of Punjabi teachers in schools catering to Sikh children and address some of their genuine concerns.
\nAcknowledging the challenges faced by the Kashmiri Pandit community, the Chief Minister stated, \u201cWhile their return depends on restoring a sense of security among the community, we are committed to improving their living conditions and addressing their grievances.\u201d
\nThe Chief Minister emphasized the need for regular dialogue with civil society to maintain a pulse on ground realities. Unlike in the past, when such meetings were convened only during crises, he committed to holding biannual interactions\u2014twice each in both the regions of Jammu and Kashmir.
\n\u201cOur goal is to maintain a continuous dialogue with you. By our next meeting, we will present an action-taken report outlining the progress on issues discussed today,\u201d he assured.
\nChief Minister Omar Abdullah thanked the participants for accepting his invitation, emphasizing the significance of such meetings for the government authorities to receive valuable feedback from outside four walls of their offices.
\n\u201cWhether you benefit from these meetings or not, my colleagues and I certainly do. These interactions provide us with an opportunity to hear your thoughts on our work and governance directly,\u201d he said.
\nIn his closing remarks, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed gratitude to the participants for their valuable insights and suggestions.
\n\u201cYour feedback and ground realities help us improve our governance. I hope that when we meet again, you will continue to provide your constructive input to guide us in serving Jammu and Kashmir better,\u201d he said.
\nOn the occasion, the civil society members hailed the initiative and termed it as a step towards transparent and inclusive governance, and said the much needed interaction has set the tone for fostering stronger ties between the government and the people it serves.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
JAMMU, DECEMBER 11, 2024: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today held an extensive interaction with members of Jammu’s civil society at his official residence on Wazarat Road. This marks his first meeting with Jammu’s civil society since assuming office as Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir. A similar interaction was held on 30th October this year […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":84325,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-84324","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-jammu"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.khushalekashmir.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/84324","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.khushalekashmir.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.khushalekashmir.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.khushalekashmir.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.khushalekashmir.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=84324"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.khushalekashmir.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/84324\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":84326,"href":"https:\/\/www.khushalekashmir.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/84324\/revisions\/84326"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.khushalekashmir.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/84325"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.khushalekashmir.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=84324"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.khushalekashmir.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=84324"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.khushalekashmir.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=84324"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}