SRINAGAR: Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Manoj Sinha, on Wednesday addressed the Strategic Management Forum Conference on Policy Making and Strategic Planning at the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Jammu, emphasising the need for visionary policies to achieve a developed India, or Viksit Bharat, by 2047.
The three-day conference, organised by IIM Jammu in collaboration with the Strategic Management Forum (SMF) and NITI Aayog, saw the Lieutenant Governor highlight India’s opportunities and challenges in a rapidly evolving global landscape. He stressed that macroeconomic stability, increased investment in education and health, digital governance, transparency, accountability, and efficient public services are crucial for inclusive development.
Sinha urged that policy formulation must reflect the needs of citizens, industry, trade, and business, maintaining a balance between industrial growth and social welfare. He lauded the nation’s rapid progress under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, citing growth in manufacturing, services, village industries, handloom, and handicrafts, and the renewed confidence among industry leaders.
The Lieutenant Governor called for leveraging Jammu and Kashmir’s vast mineral wealth, including limestone, sapphire, and lithium, projecting that strategic utilisation could generate an additional Rs 15,000–20,000 crore annually over the next five to seven years. He also stressed maximising hydro power potential and revising the Holistic Agriculture Development Program to meet evolving economic needs.
Addressing social issues, Sinha condemned divisive “insider-outsider” narratives and reiterated that terrorists hiding in the region’s rugged terrains would be eliminated.
The event also featured the unveiling of a Basohli Painting Exhibition, marking the valedictory session of a Basohli Painting workshop and the felicitation of local artists. The Lieutenant Governor lauded the initiative, describing Basohli Painting as a priceless cultural heritage for present and future generations.
The inaugural session was attended by Prof. B.S. Sahay, Director of IIM Jammu; R.K. Chaudhary, Chairman of the Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission, JK and Ladakh; Subash Chandra Meena, Economic Advisor, NITI Aayog; Prof. Arunaditya Sahay, Founding Chairman, SMF; Ramesh Kumar, Divisional Commissioner Jammu; Ms Shruti Awasthi, Regional Director, IGNCA; along with academicians, policymakers, industry leaders, artists, and students.
