Member Legislative Assembly and Provincial President National Conference Devender Singh Rana on Friday sought paradigm shift in developmental process and emphasised the need for devising separate plans for rural and urban pockets of the Jammu districts in view or semi urban of areas lagging in development.
“While we believe in equal opportunities of progress and development for all the regions and their sub regions but priority has to be accorded to such of the areas which continue to be lagging behind in development,” Rana said while participating in the day-long proceedings of Jammu District Development Board here today, presided over by the Chief Minister.
In this context, Rana referred to the Nagrota Assembly Constituency and said that despite being close to the winter capital, development has remained a distant dream. He said the area has huge potential to grow as residential, commercial, tourism and economic hub as part of Greater Jammu.
“With all the positives, Nagrota is craving for getting transformed as Gurgaon or Noida in Delhi and emerge like Vashi did as Navi Mumbai. Nagrota has all the ingredients of becoming Nava Jammu. This can be vision of a humble legislator but transforming it into reality has to be a collective effort, irrespective of party affiliations. After all, Greater Jammu should be a mission for us all. I can just be a facilitator”, he maintained.
He touched each sector of development in detail and brought to the notice of the Board the gray areas that needed immediate governmental attention. He expressed strong resentment over delay in rationalisation of toll tax being levied at Toll Plaza Ban by National Highway Authority of India through local contractors and sought intervention at the highest level to resolve the contentious issue.
Rana also vouched for shifting of the site for construction of a modern abettor from Khanpur, keeping in view the public sentiment and promotion of Surinsar Lake as tourist destination for the local people and the pilgrims thronging from various parts of the country to pay obeisance at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine. He stressed the need for upgradating and maintaining the approach road on regular basis so that tourists enjoy hassle free approach upto the lake. The government agreed in principle to these suggestions and assured that necessary measures would be initiated soon in this regard. The Chief Minister also assured that rationalisation of toll tax at Ban Toll Plaza would be vigorously pursued at appropriate quarters.
Rana also urged the government to notify the Jammu Master Plan and the Deputy Chief Minister assured that this will be put in public domain soon.
In a detailed presentation to the Board, the MLA Nagrota unfolded his vision of transforming the Constituency as Nava Jammu, owing to its strategic location on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway and closeness with the winter capital.
“I have nurtured a humble vision to transform Nagrota as a vibrant extension of the Greater Jammu and translating this into reality to should a mission for all, irrespective of party affiliation”, he maintained.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
He said making Nagrota a proud addendum to the larger capital city is a big challenge, which can’t be met without support of all.
Dwelling upon gray areas, the Nagrota MLA said the Constituency has a very low road network and whatever laid is either Kucha or in a dilapidated condition. He sought upgradation and maintenance of the interior and main roads in a phased manner. “The other two major challenges are drinking water and power supply. Though river Tawi, Chenab, Jhajjar Nallah and Sardhan Nallah are flowing through the constituency, yet the people face acute water scarcity”, he added. He demanded uninterrupted power supply and fool-proof irrigational facilities during the summer months. He expressed dismay over vacancies in the education department and sought functioning of the schools optimally. He also stressed the need for improving infrastructure and upgrading various schools to meet the needs of young people.
Rana sought posting of a qualified doctor for manning ultrasound machine at the Public Health Centre at Dansal besides ensuring availability of medicines in the health institutions across the constituency. He sought immediate posting of staff to the 10-beded- Hospital, set up and funded by the Power Grid Corporation, as a Corporate Social Responsibility in Krishanpur besides setting up of Accidental Trauma Hospital in Manwal and Jhajjar Kotli on the National Highway. He also referred to the establishment of Degree College at Jandrah and said that despite assurance given by the government that work on the construction of the building will be taken up in a week, no headway has been made so far.
He also referred to lack of facilities in veterinary hospitals and sought milk storage facility and a chilling plant for facilitating the Gujjar Bakerwal population to pursue their avocation smoothly. He said they were the largest milk and milk product suppliers to the Jammu city.
The MLA Nagrota also sought adequate facilities for promotion of rural sports, especially Dangal, development of Jajjar Kotli Lake as tourism attraction, assured work to 15000 job card holders under MGNAREGA and incentives for rain harvesting under Water Shed and Haryali programmes.
Rana said stressed the need for undertaking capacity building measures in view of the increased Utilisation Capacity of the government system. “While doing so, it is also important that a flexibility tool is framed in the planning process wherein officers at cutting edge in the field level enjoy flexibility to reappropriate the plan funds for optimimum utilisation. However, this should be coupled with a robust accountability mechanism in the system”, he said and lamented that while the government has been saying that 50 per cent of the plan funds have been released, no money has reached at the cutting edge despite lapse of three months.
Rana also stressed the need for upgrading the old route from Jammu to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Ji Shrine, which passes through this constituency, saying this can give fillip to economic activity not in this particular area but entire Jammu city.