J&K eyes effective industrial incentive central package: CM Omar Abdullah

Jammu, Jan 29: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday asserted that J&K was eyeing an effective central package in the union budget for industrial development.

“This will be for the first time as since 1990 J&K has never received any incentive package for bolstering our industries. On this account, we are working in close coordination with the central government,” he said, while speaking to media persons after attending official functions in Samba district.

The Chief Minister remarked that efforts were being made to create a robust ecosystem of entrepreneurship and start-ups in J&K as government jobs could not resolve the spiralling problem of unemployment.

“We are making all out efforts to develop a resilient culture of entrepreneurship and start-ups in J&K. A beginning has been made. Foundation has been laid. Now our responsibility is to create a solid edifice on this foundation – first by reviewing and altering policies at regular intervals to ensure timely policy interventions and arrange funding so that they (entrepreneurs) can get funding to realise their ideas and translate them into business ventures,” he stated.

“Secondly as I stated in my address (during the event) that our success stories should be proliferated to make others (interested persons) aware and inspire them. There is a problem related to unemployment. It cannot be resolved by providing government jobs only,” the Chief Minister maintained.

In the same breath, he referred to frequent incidents of harassment of J&K people in other states.

“Like other states, I cannot tell the people of J&K to venture outside it (J&K) for employment; to earn their livelihood. You would have seen how badly they are being treated outside J&K, like recently happened in Himachal or just yesterday an incident occurred in Uttarakhand. Given the prevailing scenario, our people, instead of going outside, are looking inward. Therefore, to safeguard the interests of our people and ensure their safety also, it is necessary to create such an ecosystem in J&K only,” CM Omar asserted.

Responding to a question about the revival of sick units, he said that the government was making all out efforts and providing every possible assistance to such units. He asserted that the assistance was being provided to set up new ventures where revival was not possible.

“But if that is also not possible then we will take industrial land back and allot to those who can make it happen,” he said.

ON PROTESTS OVER NLU LOCATION

When his comment was elicited about the protests in Jammu demanding establishment of the National Law University (NLU) in Jammu and against the University Grants Commission’s Equity law, CM Omar responded with a question. “Why protests? There is no issue. Why are protests happening? Did anyone protest in Kashmir University when the IIT (Indian Institute of Technology) and IIM (Indian Institute of Management) were established? Where were these people then?” he threw a poser.

“They (protesting Jammu students) should have protested then also, seeking parity in both the regions,” he added.

The Chief Minister maintained it was his intervention that the Central University was established both in Kashmir and Jammu regions.

“It was my intervention as I spoke to the then Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and requested him to establish two Central Universities in J&K – one for Jammu and one for Kashmir so that none should feel discriminated against. But when the IIT and IIM were to be set up, both the prestigious institutes were established in one region. But then none protested in Kashmir. Then why are protests being held on the issue of National Law University (NLU)? There is no rationale behind the protest,” he asserted.

CM Omar alleged that the issue was being politicised by vested interests. “Only politics is being played on the issue. Students should focus on their studies. They should leave these issues for the politicians.,” he said.

With regard to the UGC equity rules issue, CM Omar stated that he had only heard about the issue. “But I don’t have authentic information about it. I’ll first gather correct information and then comment,” he replied.