Dedicates General Bipin Rawat Stadium in Baramulla to the public
Baramulla: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Tuesday asserted that panchayat and urban local bodies polls would “definitely” be conducted in the Union territory after the reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) is implemented.
He alleged that those who deprived the local bodies of funds during their rule were now doing politics on the issue and wanted the situation to revert, but “we will not allow that”.
“I want to tell those colleagues of mine who were panchs, sarpanches and ULB representatives – after the State Reorganisation Act came into force, the reservation of other backward classes was a constitutional necessity and the administration has started the process. I want to assure you that after concluding this exercise, ULBs and Panchayat polls will definitely be conducted in Jammu and Kashmir. I want to assert that they will definitely be held,” Sinha said here.
He was addressing a gathering after inaugurating a stadium named after the country’s first Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.
Sinha said some people were indulging in politics over the delay in conducting the polls, but people know their intentions.
“Some people are doing politics over the issue. Those who choked ULBs and Panchayats have started remembering them now. I do not want to say anything, but, I think the people here know very well who those people are and what their intentions are. They want Panchayats to return to the same situation and that everything should happen through them, but, I want to assure you that we will not allow that,” he said.
He appealed to the people, especially the youth, to participate in the Republic Day celebrations and keep the tricolour flying high.
“I urge you to take part in large numbers in the ‘Jhanda Ooncha Rahay Hamara’ programme. I want the skies of Baramulla to be filled with Tiranga,” he said.
At Baramulla, the LG also joined the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra, and called for collective efforts from all sections of the society to ensure that no beneficiary is left behind. He also inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for development projects worth Rs 38 crore.
According to an official press release, he said the “impressive participation of the citizens during the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra across the UT is a reflection of the transformation that happened in J&K under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the past few years.”
“All the districts are witnessing accelerated growth and rural Jammu & Kashmir has been transformed beyond imagination,” the LG said.
“We have been able to fulfill the hopes and aspirations of the people to a large extent. Today, the people of Jammu & Kashmir have better quality life and equal economic opportunities to grow,” he said.
“Our efforts towards the creation of new infrastructure, knowledge economy and achieving 100 percent saturation of schemes will ensure J&K realise its destiny,” he added.
The LG also highlighted the key initiatives taken by the J&K administration for the development of Baramulla district.
He observed the ongoing work on developing a new tourism circuit in the district will benefit areas like Mundaji, Ladoo, Kazinag, Rajpora, Rampora and Uri, and give a boost to the local economy.
I hope for snowfall in the valley as it is important for tourism in this season and for power projects, he said.
The LG inspected the stalls, put up various departments and handed over sanction letters to beneficiaries under different government schemes. He administered the ‘Hamara Sankalp Viksit Bharat’ pledge to officials and the citizens.
He also flagged off a fleet of Garbage Collection Vehicles for rural areas of the district.
The projects inaugurated by the LG today include Office Accommodation for Block Development Council Tangmarg; WSS Aglar; Retrofitting works of Water Supply Schemes at Sagipora Razakpora, Achabal Doabgah, Gund Dalwash, Gani Wani Manchkhud; Sub Stations and Improvement of LT/HT Network in the District and Model School at Government Higher Secondary School Pattan.
The projects for which foundation stones were laid by the LG include Astro Turf for Football at Sheikh-ul-Alam Stadium; 8- Lane Synthetic Athletic track Surface at Tulibal Sopore; Installation of Blow Moulded Chairs for General Bipin Rawat Stadium; Spawn Production Laboratory in Public Sector under (HADP) for Mushroom Promotion in Baramulla and Laboratory Block at Government Higher Secondary School Authoora.
Safina Baig, Chairperson, District Development Council Baramulla; Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai, GOC 15 Corps; Vidhi Kumar Birdi, IGP Kashmir; Vijay Kumar Bidhuri, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir; Sarmad Hafeez, Secretary Youth Services and Sports; Minga Sherpa, Deputy Commissioner Baramulla; senior officers of security forces, civil and police administration; former PRI members; youth and people in large numbers were present. (With additional inputs from PTI)
