* Chairs review meeting at Pulwama
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Oct 13: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday reiterated his Government’s commitment to addressing infrastructural and other constraints to make Jammu and Kashmir a more attractive destination for investment and manufacturing.
He was speaking during an interactive session with the Federation of Indian Export Organizations (FIEO).
The meeting was attended by FIEO President S.C. Ralhan, Vice President Shrikant Kapoor, DG & CEO Ajay Sahai, regional chairpersons, past presidents, board members and other dignitaries.
The session discussed various opportunities of collaboration between J&K Government and key representatives of India’s export community.
Welcoming the FIEO delegation to Srinagar, the Chief Minister said that the organization’s decision to hold its Board of Management meeting in the city was “an important vote of confidence” in Jammu and Kashmir.
During his address, Omar Abdullah outlined the Government’s ongoing efforts to expand investment opportunities in J&K.
“That is something, as a conscious effort, my Government is trying to address so that we can attract more investment into Jammu and Kashmir, more manufacturing. Recognizing the constraints that we have, we are trying to address the infrastructure gaps,” he said.
He acknowledged the unique challenges that J&K faces due to its geography and limited resources, stating that the Government’s focus is on leveraging sectors where Jammu and Kashmir holds inherent advantages. These include agriculture, horticulture, handicrafts, pharmaceuticals, IT services and electronics.
Speaking about the overall business environment, Omar Abdullah highlighted that confidence continues to play a crucial role in shaping the region’s industry. He noted, “Confidence is one of the most vital elements for business, and regrettably, Jammu and Kashmir has been deprived of it for the past 30 to 35 years.” He added, “We are doing everything possible to ensure that this lack of confidence does not define our future.”
Highlighting the resilience of the local economy, he said, “Given the extent of the challenges that we face and the disadvantages inherent to doing business in Jammu and Kashmir, we are still an economy that is growing reasonably well. Our own estimate is that our GDP will grow in the double digits, around 10-11% this year.”
At the same time, the Chief Minister expressed concern over the economic repercussions of recent events, noting that tourism has suffered a serious setback. The impact, he said, has spilled over into agriculture, horticulture, handicrafts sectors and also impacted exports.
He underlined the Government’s priority to position Jammu & Kashmir as a hub for MSMEs and high-value, low-volume industries, mentioning that the region once had a budding high-tech manufacturing base before militancy disrupted progress in the late 1980s. “Prior to the militancy breaking out in 1989, Kashmir was emerging as a hub for new high-tech manufacturing industries. We believe those are the areas of economy that remain ripe for revitalization,” he noted.
The Chief Minister emphasized several advantages that could support renewed industrial growth in the region, including competitive electricity rates, an educated young workforce, and favourable policy frameworks. However, he acknowledged that the perception of the region as a risky business destination has to change for the better.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister chaired a review meeting of District Pulwama to assess the status of development works and implementation of various government schemes in the district.
During the maiden district review meeting, the Chief Minister called upon officers to accelerate the pace of project execution and enhance expenditure levels under both District Capex and Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS). He expressed concern over the low percentage of expenditure against the approved outlay and urged the departments to step up efforts for timely utilization of funds.
Omar Abdullah directed the Deputy Commissioner to closely monitor progress of approved projects and ensure that any lapses are immediately corrected.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary, Ministers Sakina Itoo, Javed Rana, Javid Dar, Satish Sharma, Chairman District Development Council Pulwama Abdul Bari Andrabi, MLAs Justice (Retd.) Hasnain Masoodi (Pampore), Ghulam Mohiuddin Mir (Rajpora), Waheed-ur Rehman Para (Pulwama), and Rafiq Ahmad Naik (Tral), besides Additional Chief Secretary to CM Dheeraj Gupta, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Anshul Garg, Deputy Commissioner Pulwama Dr. Basharat Qayoom, heads of departments, and district officers.
Taking serious note of illegal mining, Omar Abdullah directed the Deputy Commissioner and concerned departments to initiate strict measures to curb such activities. “If complaints are being received, action must be taken immediately. Whatever has to be done to stop illegal mining, should be done,” he asserted.
Expressing concern over the absence of toilets in certain schools, particularly for girls, the Chief Minister directed MLAs to allocate funds from their CDF to such institutions, stressing that lack of basic facilities contributes to higher dropout rates among girl students.
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