J&K FM Appeals To Industry To Include J&K In Its Investment Agenda Adds Kashmir Is A Society Related Issue

Minister for Finance, Labour & Employment, Dr. Haseeb A Drabu on Friday made a passationate appeal to investors both domestic and overseas to include Kashmir valley including Jammu region in their investment agenda, articulating that the region would have to be industriously evolved on the slogan of ‘Peace, Harmony and Development’ in which civil society and institutions of excellence ought to play a larger role.

Speaking at “Ambassadors’ Meet – Kashmir : The Way Forward” under aegis of PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry here today, Dr. Drabu asserted saying “J&K is not at all a conflict state nor is it a political issue.  It ought to be looked as a society related issue from communities not only from within but also worldwide”.

“Let me make it clearer that world has bypass Kashmir and perhaps Kashmir has also bypass the world, therefore the need of the hour is to rebuilt the economy of J&K more through participated efforts of civil society and institutions of excellence as Kashmir should not be looked at the twin angles of conflict and political spectrum”, said the Minister.

 According to him, “Kashmir does not need to be resold at a platform such as PHD Chamber.  It is already sold out as I am confident that it is through peace, harmony and development, the Kashmir valley needs to be rebuilt and no sooner than it happens, the J&K would not have enough infrastructure to accommodate investment inflows”.

Elaborating on his call towards seeking investments from investors assembled during the Ambassadors’ Meet, the Finance Minister sought industry’s support in taking out of J&K region, especially Kashmir valley from isolation as the issue of J&K in terms of its economic uplift can be resolved not with government to government interactions but it can happen with an interface between customer to customer and institutions to institutions as J&K requires its voice to be heard at platforms provided by industry.

Therefore, he called upon India Inc. and diplomatic community present in large numbers on the occasion to include Kashmir in their investment itinerary as also urged the Ambassadors, High Commissioners including other diplomats to visit Kashmir with their family to see prevailing things for themselves on the ground.

Minister for Education, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari who also spoke on the occasion said that the education system in J&K needs to be reoriented so that it is made vocational to minimize the problem of mismatch between demand and availability of skilled manpower.

Around 130 Ambassadors, High Commissioners including other diplomats from diverse nationalities attended the meet and interacted with government officials of the State and captains of industry and discussed business possibilities in multiple areas to enhance trade and economic cooperation with the state. .

Among others who were also present on the occasion comprised Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, The Jammu & Kashmir Bank Ltd., Mr. Parvez Ahmed; President, Sr. Vice President and Vice President, PHD Chamber, Mr. Anil Khaitan, Rajeev Talwar and Mr. D K Aggarwal respectively; Chairman, Kashmir Chapter, PHD Chamber, Mr. Mushtaq Ahmed Chayya; Chairman, Jammu Chapter, PHD Chamber, Mr. Vikrant Kuthiala; President, Travel Agent Association of India (TAAI), Mr. Sunil Kumar including Chamber’s Secretary General, Mr. Saurabh Sanyal.

Ends.

Koteshwar Prasad Dobhal

Consultant (PR)