KL NEWS NETWORK
SRINAGAR
Minister of Finance, Labour and Employment and Culture Dr Haseeb A Drabu today inaugurated the refurbished Kitab Ghar at M A Road Srinagar.
The famous and historical book shop was damaged in last year’s floods and has now been renovated. The Finance Minister said that Kashmir has a rich culture and it has produced valuable literature which needs to be disseminated to general masses. “We are working towards cultural revival wherein such work will be made available not only in the state but all over the world,” he said.
Dr Drabu said Kashmiri culture is the culture based on inclusivity and taking care of each other’s sensitivities. If people read the work of authors like Ahad Zargar and Nyam Saeb, they won’t even think to harm anyone.
The Finance Minister asked the officials concerned to further expand the Kitab Ghar to include a reading room, cyber café and a coffee shop in it. “We will also start Public-Private Partnership with other players so that the books in original shape as well as in translated forms are available at other places too,” he added.
On the side lines of the inaugural function, Drabu said that the reading rooms are very essential for everyone and these rooms have given birth to freedom movement.
“The history of Kashmir clearly shows that the freedom movement has started from the reading rooms in Kashmir and we will try to make more reading rooms available here.”
On his statement that radicalization of Kashmir youth will be countered by the Kashmir culture, Drabu said, “The revival of Kashmiri culture, which is very rich, is the only solution to stop radicalization in the state. The way currently we are currently going will definitely help us to achieve our goal.”
Drabu said that the power curtailment would continue in the state as the government is having a 400 MW deficit. “The total power capacity is 100 MW and we are providing 100 MW out of it but the only way to end the deficit is to ensure some cuts and the same is currently going on,” Drabu said.
He further said that until and unless the power deficit won’t end, the power curtailment will continue. (KNS Inputs)
