Dr Jitendra Singh Urges Lal Chowk Traders to Push Local Products for Economic Growth

SRINAGAR: Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh on Thursday visited Srinagar’s Lal Chowk and urged shopkeepers to promote local products, describing it as vital for boosting Jammu and Kashmir’s economy and supporting small businesses.

Speaking to reporters during his visit, Dr Singh said the Centre’s recent decision to revise Goods and Services Tax (GST) rates had been widely welcomed. “Prime Minister Modi has taken a significant decision to revise GST rates. Some items are now at zero per cent tax. This is being celebrated across the country,” he said.

He added that the relief was being felt in Kashmir as well. “It is encouraging to see the same celebratory mood here in Lal Chowk. Everywhere we went, people thanked Prime Minister Modi and said they felt a huge sense of relief,” the minister said.

Dr Singh noted that Lal Chowk, being a prominent market visited by tourists from across India and abroad, carried symbolic value. “The message that goes out from here resonates nationwide,” he said.

Recalling Prime Minister Modi’s earlier engagements with Jammu and Kashmir, Dr Singh referred to his visit during the 2014 floods. “Just months after taking oath as Prime Minister, a massive flood hit Srinagar and submerged this very market. That year, instead of celebrating Diwali at home, Prime Minister Modi spent it here with the flood-affected people, which reflects the special priority he accords to Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.

The Union Minister stressed that promoting locally-made products aligned with the government’s vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India), adding that such initiatives would help artisans, traders and small entrepreneurs grow. (KNO)