KL Report
Shopian
People Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti Sunday said the party’s visionary political and economic agenda has made it to emerge as a genuine, strong and credible regional voice of the people of Jammu & Kashmir. She said if voted to power in 2014, PDP would work towards accomplishing its unfinished agenda of securing peace, stability and prosperity for Jammu and Kashmir.
Addressing a PDP workers convention, Mehbooba said when it took over in 2002, PDP-led Coalition Government, not only rekindled a new hope among the State’s distressed, agonized and traumatized masses, but it had also devised and started implementing focused developmental strategies for every area of the State.
“After suffering decades of deprivation and neglect, for the first time all the regions and sub-regions of the State had started tasting development after 2002,” she said and added that the signposts of the landmark developmental initiatives set off between 2002 and 2005 are visible in every nook and corner of the State.
She said immediately after taking over in 2002, while PDP-led coalition government’s foremost priority was to provide a sense of security to the people, the relaxation in the security environment was effectively supplemented with relief through development and economic rejuvenation. She said if voted to power in 2014, PDP would work towards implementing its unaccomplished agenda of securing peace, stability and prosperity for Jammu & Kashmir. “PDP’s agenda is to ensure political, economic, and social security for the potentially gifted people of the State and we would realize this dream one day,” she said and added that Jammu & Kashmir is not a place that needs packages and doles, it has to be given the freedom and assistance to realize its immense economic potential.
The PDP president said there are no limits to the State’s economic potential and in addition to its rich water and mineral resources, the brand name Kashmir has many dimensions – be it tourism, art, handicrafts, forests or agricultural and horticultural products. She said the PDP’s vision of a peaceful, stable and prosperous Jammu & Kashmir outlined in its Self-Rule document is essentially about neutralizing the historical political and economic excesses with the State that were compounded by its natural and political geography.
Mehbooba said Jammu and Kashmir needs a total change now and with people’s support PDP will bring it as the party is spearheading the movement for change. “People’s will could never be ignored or overruled in a democratic system and the movement started by PDP for resolution, democracy, empowerment and governance would be taken to its logical conclusion,” he said.
Stressing the need for quality intra and inter-state connectivity, Mehbooba said lack of good road communication network is one of the reasons for the State’s sluggish economic progress. She said construction of the Mughal Road is going to boost the economy of not only Poonch and Rajouri districts but Pulwama and Shopian as well. She said once fully operational Mughal Road will be the most popular and sought after route for tourists and it would trigger new economic activity not only in Shopian but Rajouri and Poonch districts as well. She said if voted to power PDP would constitute Mughal Road Development Authority for the integrated development of areas falling on either side of the Mughal Road as a tourist circuit. She said the Shopian Fruit Mandi would be developed on a mega scale by equipping with all the allied facilities.
Mehbooba expressed serious concern over the supply of spurious fertilizers and pesticides to the fruit growers and accused the government of deliberately trying to destroy this crucial sector in the State.
Expressing gratitude to the people of Pulwama and Shopian for having given a clear mandate to the PDP in the 2008 assembly elections, Mehbooba said she is expecting a similar gesture from the emancipated voters of the area during the upcoming political battles in 2014.
Addressing the gathering senior PDP leader Tariq Hameed Karra said that having pushed Jammu and Kashmir into a state of political and governance morass, NC-led coalition government has exposed the State to the worst failures both on institutional and governance fronts and people now desperately want to get rid of this anarchist regime, sooner the better. He said NC has all along exploited the slogans of Rai Shumari and Autonomy for remaining clinched to power.
