Jammu- Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday said Jammu and Kashmir has the potential to generate up to ₹20,000 crore in additional annual revenue by tapping its vast but underutilised mining resources through strategic planning.
Addressing the Strategic Management Forum Conference organised by IIM Jammu in collaboration with the Strategic Management Forum and NITI Aayog, the Lieutenant Governor said the Union Territory is rich in minerals such as limestone, sapphire and lithium. He said that with focused policy interventions, the mining sector could contribute between ₹15,000 crore and ₹20,000 crore annually over the next five to seven years.
Sinha said India’s rapid economic growth under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is unprecedented and firmly rooted in inclusive and equitable development. He said government policies have prioritised job creation, support for small businesses, enhanced public investment and financial empowerment to ensure that growth benefits every section of society.
Highlighting the importance of effective governance, the Lieutenant Governor said macroeconomic stability, higher investment in education and health, and the adoption of digital tools are essential for achieving all-round development. He emphasised participatory governance, transparency, accountability and speedy project implementation as key pillars of good governance.
The Lieutenant Governor also called for maximising Jammu and Kashmir’s hydropower potential and suggested necessary amendments to the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme to align it with evolving economic requirements.
On the sidelines of the conference, Sinha unveiled the Basohli Painting Exhibition and felicitated artists associated with the traditional art form. Describing Basohli painting as a priceless cultural heritage, he commended IIM Jammu and the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts for promoting the art for future generations.
The three-day conference is being organised by IIM Jammu in collaboration with the Strategic Management Forum and NITI Aayog. The inaugural session was attended by senior officials, academicians, policymakers, industry leaders, artists and students.
‘No Place For Terrorism In J&K’s Development Path’
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday said that terrorists hiding in rugged terrains, mountains and dense forests of Jammu and Kashmir will be eliminated soon, asserting that there is no place for terrorism in the Union Territory’s development journey.
Sinha said that large parts of the country have been freed from terrorism and, barring a few pockets, most of the northeast is now terrorism-free.
Sinha maintained that local terror recruitment has sharply decreased and terrorists hiding in rugged terrain, mountains and dense forests will be eliminated soon.
“Large parts of the country have been freed from terrorism. Except for a few pockets, most of the northeast has become free of terrorism. The threat of left-wing extremism and Naxalism—those who once imagined creating a corridor from Hyderabad to Nepal—has now been confined to just two or three districts,” Sinha said.
Addressing the Strategic Management Forum Conference on Policy Making and Strategic Planning for achieving Viksit Bharat by 2047 at IIM Jammu, the Lieutenant Governor said security forces are firmly committed to ensuring lasting peace and stability in the region.
“In Karnataka, a small part of Kerala, and Jammu and Kashmir, I believe that the task of eliminating terrorism cannot be carried out by the security forces alone. Along with the security forces, society and certain wings of the administration must also contribute,” he said.
Referring to the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, Sinha said that not a single top commander of terrorist organisations operating in the region is alive today. “Local recruitment into terrorism has seen a sharp decline. Hardly one or two youths are being recruited now,” he said.
He, however, accused Pakistan of continuing to push terrorists across the border through infiltration. “People have developed confidence that they will no longer follow the path of terrorism. Those who have come from across the border are hiding in forests, and I assure you they will be eliminated. No matter how long it takes, they will not survive,” Sinha said.
“The divisive insider-outsider narrative must be put to end. Those spreading such narratives are creating hurdles in the development process,” he said.
