Sinha spells out 5-point formula for J&K

Srinagar: Manoj Sinha, who took over as the lieutenant governor of J&K recently, on Saturday announced a 5-point governance formula for the development and progress of the UT.
Sinha, who unfurled the tricolour at Srinagar’s cricket stadium on the occasion of the 74th I-Day, promised to connect Kashmir valley with Kanyakumari by 2022 and also disclosed that the government is planning to modernize and expand the cities of Jammu and Srinagar with more housing colonies, fast internet facilities, and modern healthcare facilities, which would put them on a par with the most advanced cities of the world.
The 5-point formula of governance that Sihna announced includes transparency in governance, empowering grassroots democracy, people's welfare, accelerated development, and creation of employment opportunities.
Sinha said Rs 6,000 crore has been earmarked for speedy completion of languishing projects.
“The Shahpur Kandi and Ujh Irrigation projects, hanging fire for decades, will now be executed over the next few years and provide irrigation facilities to more than 1 lakh hectares of un-irrigated land and transform the agrarian scenario of the region,” Sinha said in his address.
Sinha observed that the 2019 constitutional change has led to 50 decisions, which would usher in a new era of normalcy and development in J&K.
He said Article 370 and 35(A) were big obstacles to the overall development of J&K and that their annulment was imperative to make J&K a developed Union territory.
“A new era of normalcy and development has dawned in Jammu & Kashmir in the last one year," Sinha said, urging upon the youth of the UT to join the national mainstream.
“We want to make development, peace, progress, and social harmony the most integral part of the narrative of Jammu & Kashmir. It is my strongest and cherished belief that Jammu & Kashmir will immensely contribute to the realization of our dream of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshta Bharat',” Sinha said.
Sinha said the new domicile and reservation policy would provide equality and justice to deprived sections like West Pakistan Refugees, Pahari-speaking people, safaikarmis, and women married outside J&K.
The reservation policy would be made more effective and inclusive, he added.