“HIGHLIGHTING GOVT INITIATIVES AND EFFORTS IN DEVELOPMENT CIVIL INFRASTRUCTURE AND OPPORTUNITY”
AR Bhat
The union territory of Jammu and Kashmir had a lot of disadvantages few decades back due to its remoteness, poor connectivity, vulnerability to natural disasters, hilly terrain and militancy. The long-term development of infrastructure and economy of the state was directly affected by these factors; hence the priority is to connect all the remote places of the state and that was the primary focus of the state government in the recent past. The most effective way of developing the infrastructure was done by focusing on projects and departments that can give quick results at the same time supports the state in long term economic growth, the second priority was identifying key developmental projects of various sectors that supports the infrastructure development of the state. Jammu and Kashmir infrastructure development finance corporation limited was established in 2018 recently with a sole aim to speed up unfunded and pending infrastructure projects of Jammu and Kashmir, upto 8000 crore rupees was guaranteed to the corporation by state government. The corporation immediately undertook projects which were at least 25 years old and stopped due to insufficient funding, within 3 years the corporation announced around 600 infrastructure projects of immense public importance had been left languishing for 25 years had been completed. In the year 2019-2020 around 1200 projects were financed under this corporation worth of 2280 crore rupees.
After the abrogation of article 370 the construction of roads, tunnels and other infrastructure projects were being executed at a rapid rate, labours from other states are being employed at a large number to speed up the projects and funding by central government also increased post abrogation of article 370. Many leverages were given to J&K by central government which includes subsidy to external investors and making the system transparent to ensure external investment in J&K, also to accelerate the rate of development projects with additional man power from other states tunnels, bridges and roads are being built on a war footing. Around 109 projects have been so far executed only in Jammu at the cost of 455 crore rupees including 14 bridges, Lt Governor Manoj Sinha also stated that all infrastructure developmental works are being done at twice the speed post the abrogation of article 370. With so many development projects going on full swing in J&K, it also provides employment opportunities to people in and around J&K. Some of major infrastructure projects that has been executed are in public works (R&B) are National Highway-44 including bridges and tunnels, Semi ring road Jammu/Srinagar and repair of Magan Beeru Budgam road, In PHE irrigation and flood control department are Flood management plan for Jhelum, Flood protection project works on bonhar and mahumati nallah and Water supply project for pilgrim town katra, In Higher education are IIM, Jammu and IIMC, Jammu, In Housing and urban development are Atal mission for urban development and transformation, Dal development and Jammu habitat center.
Op Sadbhavana is a goodwill humane initiative of Indian Army with main aim to win hearts and minds of locals by providing welfare facilities to the locals. The main focus areas of Op Sadbhavana are Infrastructure development, health and sanitation, woman and youth empowerment, community development projects and education. Fear of militants was a main obstacle for different infrastructure departments to work in militant infested areas, there by leaving so many development projects un finished, at this time of critical requirement Indian army stepped in as a nation building force. Op Sadbhavana of Indian army was instrumental in building hospitals, bridges, water supply, and road and tracks especially in the forward most villages of J&K. With the combined efforts of State and Central government along with Indian army the infrastructure and economy growth of J&K will rapidly raise in the coming years, introduction of new policies and reduced militancy will sure attract external investors, which is already happening in J&K post the abrogation of the article 370. This development will also provide lots of job opportunities to the locals especially to the youths and will indirectly help the country and army in reducing the militancy in coming years by preventing the youths from getting radicalized.
