Srinagar, May 11: Stressing on the need of good governance for achieving economic stability, Governor NN Vohra Friday said that poor governance triggers economic alienation of the masses.
“In order to be a prosperous state, our younger generation who are our future leaders will have to play a proactive role in eradicating corruption from our society. It is the corruption that leads to misgovernance, inequality, disparity in development of different regions,” Vohra said while speaking at the 3-day international seminar on “Impact of peace, conflict and disturbances on economic development processes” at Kashmir University here.
“There are also some external factors and geo-political situation which everyone is aware of, that has marred the economic stability of the state,” Vohra, who is also the Chancellor of the university, said.
“During last two years, situation in Kashmir has been calm and we need to maintain it. Because we know what happens when there is disturbance, we have example of 2008 and 2010, when our whole education system was shattered, students were not able to attend schools, colleges and universities,” he said.
“Conflicts and disturbance have negative impact on the economic growth and our state has gone through that,” he said adding if we would work in a right direction, JK has potential to be no. 1 state in the country in terms of growth.
“It was surprising when recent surveys tabled in legislature revealed that majority of JK state population is living below poverty line,” he said adding that government need to frame policies in context of providing food security, employment security, education security to the people so that they don’t feel alienated.
Speaking on the occasion, Vice-Chancellor, KU, Prof Talat Ahmad said, “I think this is the right time when this seminar is being organized. There is a peace and we can now think towards achieving economical and financial stability in the state. KU will always try its best to consolidate and help the government in achieving economic growth.”
“Women play important role in the development of any state or nation, we are proud that we have 50 percent female students studying in our university,” he said.
Stating that the present 3-day congregation of economic experts from different regions of the world would emerge as a benchmark and will also shape the formulation of economic policies for time to come in the country, Prof Talat said, “In this 3-day conference some recommendations from the experts would come up which would be forwarded to both the state and central government authorities for their perusal and it is our privilege that our university is hosting such an event which will have bearing in shaping the economic policies in future.”
In his key note address, Prof GK Chadha, President, South Asian University said that conflicts arise when there is a clash of economic interests between various nations and powers.
He said conflicts are mainly the outcome of economic interests and we as common citizens don’t feel reacting to it sharply unless it threatens our own existence or touches some aspect of our personal lives.
In his introductory remarks, Chairman, Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), Prof Sukhadeo Tharat said: “There is a symbiotic relationship between economic development and peace. When there is peace there is development and a sustainable economic growth can prosper only in peaceful conditions. More stable government we have, more sustainable economic growth would be registered and if there is political instability it will impinge on the goals of development and economy registers a decline.”
Head of the Department of Economics, KU, and organizing secretary of the seminar, Prof GM Bhat said: “Conflict has always overlapped the fruits of peace and development and the whole world is witnessing tremendous upheavals in this process. Therefore we thought of getting experts from all over the world so that they sit together and ponder over these issues and come up with some recommendations and suggestions which would go in a long way in nation building and economic development.”
During the inaugural function a book authored by Prof GM Bhat and a souvenir published by the organizers was also released. The vote of thanks was presented by Dr AK Thakur who is secretary cum treasurer Indian Economic Association.
During the three-day seminar, 150 research papers are to be presented by scholars.
Vice-Chancellor Central University Prof Abdul Wahid Qureshi, Registrar Kashmir University Prof Syed Fayaz and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.

Lastupdate on : Fri, 11 May 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 11 May 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 12 May 2012 00:00:00 IST