Srinagar Mar 03 (KNS): Former Director General, Directorate of Economics and Statistics (DES), G.A. Qureshi today delivered a lecture on “Development Planning in Jammu and Kashmir” in Department of Economics, Central University of Kashmir (CUK) here on Monday.
Dean School of Social Sciences and Head Department of Economics, Prof G.M. Bhat, faculty members, research scholars and students attended the lecture. The lecture started with the pre-independence economic scenario of the Jammu and Kashmir as well as of the country. The level of deprivation and existence of poverty was highlighted.
He said that the development process in Jammu and Kashmir has undergone four stages. The first stage dealt with abolishing the exploitative system and introduction of the “Big Landed Estates Abolition Act 1952” popularly known as “Land to Tiller” Act.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp ChannelHe hailed the land reforms and stated that these reforms are the reason that the incidence of poverty has always been at the ebb in Jammu and Kashmir. In second stage, building up of basic infrastructure e.g. power generation, irrigation dams, railways etc. was emphasized. The third stage was all about decentralization and introduction of “single line administration system” by the then government. The development process was made participatory which paved the way for introduction of “Panchayat Raj Act 1989”.
The fourth stage laid stress on economic reconstruction after a decade long conflict in the region. Qureshi answered the questions raised by the students after the lecture. (KNS)