Lt Guv seeks people's cooperation to build 'new' J&K

Asserting that constitutional changes have opened new vistas of development in Jammu and Kashmir, Lt Governor G C Murmu on Saturday sought the cooperation of the people in supplementing the initiatives for rapid growth and development of the Union Territory.

"We will take Jammu and Kashmir on the path of rapid growth and development as envisioned by our Prime Minister (Narendra Modi). Let us all join hands to build a new Jammu and Kashmir," Murmu said in his Republic Day message.

Referring to the abrogation of special status of Jammu and Kashmir and its bifurcation into two Union Territories in August last year, Murmu said "2019 has been a year of momentous change" for the people of the UT.

"The abrogation of temporary provisions have removed the artificial legal and economic barriers between Jammu and Kashmir and the rest of the country and have fully integrated it with the country in the true sense of the term," he said.

He said the legal architecture and system prevailing in the rest of the country will now apply to Jammu and Kashmir.

"The people of Jammu and Kashmir now stand on the same pedestal as those in the rest of the country with the same rights, benefits and prospects," he said.

Murmu said women and weaker sections like Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, refugees from West Pakistan and Safai Karamcharis will now have equal democratic and economic rights while barriers to industrial growth and trade have been removed.

"The constitutional changes have opened new vistas of development. We need to capitalise on the opportunities. The initiatives already taken for putting Jammu and Kashmir on the path of sustained development shall be given a further push," he said.

However, he said the efforts of the government alone cannot make a difference and people of the UT "need to come forward and supplement the initiatives of the government."