Srinagar: Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha, today said that Jammu and Kashmir was close to his heart and that the well-being of all the citizens was his first and foremost duty and mission.
The Lt Governor said this after inaugurating the induction of the 12th batch (PG Programme in Management) of Indian Institute of Management – IIM, Rohtak through virtual mode.
While addressing the students, the Lt Governor shared his past experiences and also passed on suggestions to the students for overcoming the future challenges of management.
Speaking on the various critical aspects of modern management, the Lt Governor advised the students to look at challenges as opportunities and focus on bigger goal, pay attention to every minute detail, besides aiming higher with purpose, an official handout said.
Terming ‘Youth Innovation’ as hope for the future of India, the Lt Governor stated that students of today are the leaders of tomorrow and they are going to be the vehicles of change for the nation. “It is time that youth identify change-makers in them and take the country to new heights through innovation and creative solutions to the most difficult of problems,” said the Lt Governor.
He said that the Prime Minister on the occasion of the 6th anniversary of Digital India Mission spoke about Youth Innovation for the future of this country.
Drawing similarities between management and good governance which is inclusive and responsive, Sinha observed that as the Lt Governor of J&K his role is to manage the UT as a constitutional authority. “Strategic Planning principles of management like Goal-setting, Situational analysis, Strategy formulation, Strategy implementation, Evaluation and Control – all being critical parts of governance process, we are replicating in J&K.”
Jammu and Kashmir, he said, is close to his heart because every step for development can affect real change to millions of people, besides transforming lives for the better. “The well-being of all the citizens is my first and foremost duty and mission,” he said.
“We are building a future on the promise and potential of the youth of Jammu & Kashmir, thus creating better prospects for our younger generation”, remarked the Lt Governor.
By working day and night actively with a solution-oriented approach, over 150 new initiatives and reforms have been introduced in a short period of time, providing plenty of opportunities for all, he said.
A solid platform, he said, has been laid for the young entrepreneurs including extending financial assistance to them at Panchayats, besides engaging youth with the various stakeholders and putting all their resources together for a common purpose.
The Lt Governor also underscored the reformative measures taken by the administration like ‘Back to Village, My Town My Pride, Jan Abhiyan programs, Block Diwas, JK-IGRAMS, LG Mulaqaat’, for making the governance process more transparent and participatory.
“Engaging, Informing, and Empathising with the people, we have created enabling environments across governance, services and delivery, besides empowering and celebrating the uniqueness which is enshrined in the very fabric of Jammu & Kashmir,” the Lt Governor said.
Increasing the budgetary allocation to over 1 lakh crore rupees must be seen as a holistic approach focusing on the Human Development Index and an investment in the future of Jammu and Kashmir bringing sustained peace and opportunity in the UT, he said.
“Strengthening democratic institutions is my topmost priority. The newly elected DDC representatives are empowered. They come from the ground up and are truly committed to growth and development. District development plan which has been finalized with the active involvement of DDC members has made the system more people-centric,” he said.
On the future framework of the development and growth of J&K, the Lt Governor said that the UT Government is planning to generate 3500 megawatt electricity, introducing reforms through Land laws, organising more structured apple farming through high-density plantation, bringing industry reforms through the new industrial policy, attracting 20 thousand crore rupees in investment and creating 5 lakh jobs.
“I want young business minds to look at J&K as a great business opportunity that offers abundant raw material for Agro & Food Processing, strategic location which is truly blessed by nature in its abundance, home to handloom and handicrafts, responsive governance, minimum government, timely policy reforms and rapid single window clearances and Industrial Infrastructure,” he said.
The new Industry policy of J&K, he said, is one of the finest Industrial policies of the country which is comprehensive and holistic in its approach to create a predictable and stable business environment while facilitating innovation and investments.
Citing WEF reports, the Lt Governor underlined the importance to put dedicated focus on “skilling the younger generation as per the market demand and called upon on the innovators and the academicians to take on the challenge of skilling and educating youth for the jobs of tomorrow, up-grading traditional model of education.”
“Let’s work together to make a better future for all of us,” the Lt Governor said.
With sizeable fund allocation of Rs 200 crore, part of which “we will allocate towards building a Centre of Excellence supported by one of the national institutions of eminence providing dedicated platform for the youth in digital economy, public policy, culture, media and governance,” he added.
The Lt Governor made a special mention of Bhartendu Verma, a bright student of IIM Ahmadabad, who interned with J&K government and within a short span of three months created a platform ‘HAUSLA for women entrepreneurs in the UT.
The Lt Governor also recalled his days as the Telecom Minister and the reforms brought in through progressive policy framework, overcoming major challenges that enable innovations for connecting rural and urban India.
While speaking on the J&K Government’s approach for effective Covid management, the Lt Governor stated that the Government with its mantra of ‘Stronger and Healthier J&K’ through 10-point strategy forming “J&K Model”, ensuring dedicated workforce and expanded outreach, has dealt with the Covid Pandemic with solution based approaches successfully.
Aimed at conducting a universal Vaccination Drive in J&K, the Government has involved diverse collaborators, partnered with influencers and religious leaders for community education and confidence-building. “In order to prioritize the allocation, the UT immunization department prepared a data-enabled solution for the targeted group,” said the Lt Governor.
While concluding his address, the Lt Governor wished the students very best for this academic year, and invited them to travel, intern, be fellows, work with the J&K Government, and experience the warmth and beauty of Jammu & Kashmir.
“Put people first, technology second, and process third, and lead with empathy, be more humane and be clear and your authentic self. The sky is the limit for all of you,” the Lt Governor advised the students.
The Lt Governor also congratulated the faculty members and Director, IIM Rohtak Prof. Dheeraj Sharma on the occasion, the statement said.