The provincial level celebration of 71st Independence Day was held here at Mini-Stadium Parade where Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Kumar Singh unfurled the national flag, inspected the parade and took salute at the march past.
Speaker Legislative Assembly, Kavinder Gupta, Minister of State for Tourism Priya Sethi, Member Parliament Jugal Kishore Sharma, Legislators and senior officers of civil and police administration were present on the occasion.
The Deputy Chief Minister paid rich tributes to the father of nation Mahatma Gandhi, Baghat Singh, Raj Guru, Chandra Shekhar Azad, Ashfaqullah Khan and other martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the freedom of the country. He also remembered Shyama Prasad Mukherjee on the occasion.
The Dy CM hailed the contribution of Army and police personnel and said that DySP Ayoub Pandit, SHO Feroz Ahmad and Lieutenant Umar Fayaz sacrificed their lives like many others from Jammu and other parts of the country to safeguard the nation. “We salute their sacrifice”, he said.
The Dy CM said it was matter of satisfaction that the state government’s ‘Agenda of Alliance’ is being implemented steadily to achieve the targets of development and economic growth.
Listing development initiatives in Jammu region, he said the government has set-off various tourism projects at Ranjit Sagar Dam, Mantalai, Sudhmahadev, Jammu, Patnitop and other places in Jammu division.
The government has introduced several initiatives for augmenting and up-grading the power sector which would be having a long time impact on the distribution and generation of the power in the state so that the consumers get 24X7 power supply and 100 percent electrification. But this is only possible if people support in preventing power thefts and its pilferage, he added.
Deputy Chief Minister said ever since the present Government took over the education sector in the State has witnessed a revolutionary change. “The state has emerged as a hub of education and a newer change is being felt on the ground in education sector. With the setting up of IIM, IIT and IIMC, Jammu has emerged as a leading hub on the educational map of the county” the Dy Chief Minister added.
Highlighting the reforms brought in the sector, Dy CM said that the innovative step is that the legislators have been given the responsibility of transforming education system in their respective constituencies for better future of the students.
He further said sustained efforts are underway to fast pacing development of Jammu city so that it comes up as one of the most developed modern cities of the north India replete with all facilities.
Dy CM informed that the multi tier parking at Super market is ready and is likely to be inaugurated this month, while instructions have already been passed to ensure timely completion of similar project at Panjthirthi. “These facilities will greatly ease the traffic congestion on Jammu city roads by providing parking facility to the people living in the catchment areas
He further informed that the government has also directed for timely completion of the work on the prestigious Tawi River Front Development – a project construed as a major tourist attraction for the city.
He thanked Union government for making Jammu smart city as it would further accelerate its development. “Besides this we have also undertaken many initiatives under the AMMRUT in the city,” he said.
He said the coalition Government has brought perceptible changes in other sectors of governance as well which speak of the seriousness of its resolve.
Deputy Chief Minister appealed opposition parties to join hands with the government to work for the development of Jammu and Kashmir instead of "misleading" people over non issues.
He also recalled the sacrifices of valiant soldiers who sacrificed their precious lives for securing the future of the nation. The Dy CM appealed the public to come forward to take care and work for the welfare of the families of these martyrs.