Vote in large numbers in Lok Sabha polls: Omar urges people

Asserting that boycotts would not solve any problem in Jammu and Kashmir, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Saturday appealed to the people to vote in large numbers in the Lok Sabha elections.

In his Republic Day message, Abdullah said the month of January has special significance for the government that had taken office Jan 5, 2009.

"Though a lot has been done, we have to do more towards achieving permanent peace and move ahead on the road to prosperity," he said.

Stressing that peace was of paramount importance for development and resolution of all issues, he said guns were no answer to problems and wars have never solved any issue.

Abdullah spoke of his efforts in the last five years to facilitate a dialogue on political issues regarding the state and reiterated the need for restoring the dialogue process between India and Pakistan.

He said 2014 was significant for the state as both parliamentary and assembly elections would be held this year.

Appealing to people to vote in large numbers, he said boycotts in the past have done no good to the people and will do no good in the future too.

Extending Republic Day greetings to the people in his message telecast on Doordarshan and also broadcast on Radio Kashmir, the chief minister listed the important decisions taken by the government in the last five years.

He mentioned the decisions to hold panchayat elections and enact legislation aimed at curbing corruption, bringing transparency, giving good governance, making administration accountable and ensuring service delivery in important public service departments.

Abdullah mentioned the enactment of the Public Services Guarantee Act, re-constitution of the state accountability commission, constitution of the Right to Information commission, establishment of the state vigilance commission to give impetus to transparent functioning and bring government functioning under the public scanner.

He said about one lakh youths have been provided employment in government departments in the last five years.

About 40,000 youth have been identified and are under the process of training to upgrade their skills and enhance their employability. A total of 40 reputed companies have been linked with two welfare schemes, under which 17,000 youth have been trained and 12,000 got jobs.

Around nine lakh rural women have been organised into self-help groups to ensure their economic and social welfare, he said.

The chief minister said new power projects of the capacity of 1,500 MWs have been launched and his government is working towards power projects that will generate 9,000 MWs of hydro energy in the next eight years.

Two central universities, two new campuses of Kashmir University, 23 new degree colleges, 8,500 new schools and 18 new polytechnics have been opened in the state, he said.