Says development process would be further consolidated in 2008
By News Agency of Kashmir
Jammu : Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has extended warm greetings to people on New Year, hoping that 2008 would usher Jammu & Kashmir in complete peace and prosperity.
In a message of felicitation, the Chief Minister said that he was confident that the New Year would be a year of development, peace and progress for the State and its people. He said the government would vigorously pursue its agenda of development during the upcoming year and ensure that fruits of progress were equally distributed among different areas and regions of the State, even as he reiterated his commitment that his government would do justice with all people and regions in matters of development.
The Chief Minister described 2007 as the year of massive infrastructure development in the State with focus of the government on reaching out to the thus far neglected and deprived areas. He said basic amenities like road connectivity, drinking water, schools, hospitals and power remained the thrust areas, benefiting large sections of people especially in remote pockets. He said the year also saw a new work culture developing in the State resulting in timely completion of important development projects. He said on the security front also, violence remained the lowest ever in comparison to the past two decades. The human rights situation was also a marked improvement over the previous years. He said but for the internal situation in Pakistan, the peace process with the neighbouring country would have been taken further during the past year. He, however, hoped that the situation in that country would improve and the threads of dialogue picked up soon.
The Chief Minister said that in the coming year his government would focus on consolidating the gains of reconciliation process in the State and work towards the realization of the goal of complete peace and prosperity. He said his government had made a blueprint of the overall development of Jammu & Kashmir with emphasis on core sectors of development so that in the next four years amenities like roads, education, healthcare and power were provided to people where these were lacking or deficient. He expressed the resolve of his government to work with more vigour and dedication during the next year to change the economic profile of Jammu & Kashmir and make it one of the foremost States of the country in terms of development and prosperity.
The Chief Minister called upon the people to come forward and be partners in the development of Jammu & Kashmir. He said with their active participation in implementation of the government’s development and peace agenda the New Year and the years to follow were sure to see poverty, backwardness and under-development removed from Jammu & Kashmir.
The Chief Minister wished a prosperous and bountiful 2008 to the people of Jammu & Kashmir.