Road map for J&K's growth over next 25 years ready: LG

Hailing the development in J&K since abrogation of Article 370, Manoj Sinha said that the days of exploitation are over in the Valley

- Mir Ehsan

Lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha said on Monday that a road map is in place for J&K for the next 25 years, adding that "conflict entrepreneurs" were not happy with the situation in the Valley after August 2019, whereas in the first seven months of this year 12.7 million tourists had already visited the Union territory.

At the inaugural session of Shikhar Samagam, Sinha, in conversation with Shashi Shekhar, editor-in-chief of Hindustan, on the theme "Badalte JammuKashmir ki Buland Aawaz", said that after the abrogation of Article 370, J&K was on the road to faster development and investments were pouring in.

"In four years, we travelled that much distance which was unimaginable to people. And we have framed a road map for the next 25 years about the changes that are going to happen in Jammu and Kashmir," Sinha said, adding that when the government decided to give land to the landless in July, many people were pained.

"I want to tell you that the days of exploitation are over. In Kashmir, it was difficult to differentiate between a 'rehbar' (guide) and a 'rehzan' (who would loot). For a few people, conflict, bandh, hartals were profit-fetching. The more the common man faced difficulties, the more conflict entrepreneurs or conflict profiteers would fill their coffers. Their shops have now been shut."

Sinha said the complete dismantling of terror sympathisers and secessionist networks allowed society to live with freedom and without fear.