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J&K readying for investments to spur growth: Lt Guv's adviser
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SME Times News Bureau | 19 Feb, 2020
Jammu and Kashmir is no longer
what it was for decades, and is changing and readying itself for
investments to spur growth and development, a top official said.
"The
overall situation in J&K has changed after August 5, 2019. Things
are getting better. As a new Union Territory (UT), we are rolling out a
red carpet for investors from across the country to join us in spurring
growth and development there, J&K Lieutenant Governor's Adviser K.K.
Sharma told IANS in an interview here.
With the abrogation of
Articles 370 and 35A of the Constitution and splitting the former
northern border state into UTs of Jammu and Kashmir as well as Ladakh on
August 5, 2019 through an Act of Parliament, the central government has
opened up the erstwhile strife-torn state for outside investments in
diverse sectors to tap growth opportunities and create jobs for
thousands.
"Normalcy is being restored across the UT to create
favourable atmosphere for investments in 14 sectors, through incentives,
tax reliefs, duty exemptions and single-window clearance for
ease-of-doing-business by anyone from any state," asserted Sharma after a
roadshow on Monday for the upcoming J&K Investors Meet in Srinagar
and Jammu in May.
Admitting that people outside the region tend
to think that the situation in J&K is more acute than what it is or
was in the past, the Adviser said that Internet access and mobile
connectivity were being restored across the UT in compliance with the
Supreme Court directive.
"In addition to restoring communication
links, including voice and data, a slew of confidence-building measures
have been taken to make the people, especially tourists and pilgrims
from elsewhere in the country and overseas, to visit the picturesque
region and feel at home, with safety and security at any time,"
reiterated Sharma.
The central government had restricted and
regulated pilgrimage visiting Vaishno Devi and Amarnath shrines in July
before removing the special status on August 5.
"The restrictions
are to ensure that the facilities are not misused for promoting
disorder by vested interests and anti-nationals. In some months, all
curbs will be eased to restore normalcy and connectivity, as the ground
situation is reviewed every week or fortnight," pointed out Sharma.
As
the 1983-batch former IAS officer of the Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram
and UT cadre, Sharma was appointed on November 14, 2019 as adviser to Lt
Governor GC Murmu of the newly-created UT along with retired IPS
officer Farooq Khan, as the other adviser. They both were advisers to
then J&K Governor Satya Pal Malik before the state was bifurcated
into two UTs.
Noting that the prevailing law and order situation
would not continue for long, the former bureaucrat said that the new
regime had changed the perception of the people, especially investors,
corporates, businesses and traders.
"We want to get going and
tell investors what the present dispensation stands for. Investors will
take into account how things are in the UT and the impression they are
going to get will definitely will be different from what they had in the
past for various reasons," affirmed Sharma.
Unlike in the past,
outside investors will be able to buy land, as land status and leases
are going to be far more liberal to set up production or processing
plants, software and hardware units, private hospitals, universities,
food parks, export houses and trading complexes.
"Each policy
will be valid for 10 years. Once the policy is finalised, investments
under that policy will be guaranteed," averred Sharma.
For
big-ticket investments, the new regime will meet corporate honchos of
India Inc in manufacturing and services sectors, including global
software majors like TCS, Infosys, Wipro and HCL.
"We will seek
appointments with heads of India Inc. not only in Bengaluru, but also in
other cities where roadshows for investors' meet are scheduled. The
meetings will be held at level of our Lt Governor and top bureaucrats,"
said Sharma.
Assuring prospective investors of a very good
industrial ecosystem, the adviser said that besides natural and human
resources, the UT had a talent pool of IT professionals, apple
concentrate plants and steel mills of high quality on par with global
best.
"In addition to 6,000-acre land bank, we have developed
industrial estates, and ensure salubrious climate, skilled workforce,
educated youths, quality power, clean water, fresh air, flora and most
hospitable people to make investors feel at home," Sharma added.
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