Srinagar, Sep 22 (Agency) Two smart cities of Jammu and Srinagar will have dedicated bicycle lanes to encourage people to avoid travelling in car and other mode of transport to save the environment. We will declare some areas “car free zone” in both the cities, Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha said in his “Awaam Ki Awaaz”, which was live on all Primary and Local Radio Stations of AIR-J&K, DD Kashir and NewsOnAir- mobile application on Sunday. He also dealt with various issues, including helping return of Kashmiri Pandits, encouraging youth to take tourism, handicrafts and other trades to not only earn for themselves but for provide employment to others. He said he has received suggestions from visionary citizens on different subjects. I appreciate the suggestion and assure that government will provide all assistance and help to implement them. He said for green J&K one Deepak Suri has suggested to promote electric vehicles..
Lt Governor Sinha listed a number of measures already taken by the government to encourage people to shift to electric vehicles. We have waived road and other taxes on purchase of electric vehicles, Mr Sinha said. About suggestion from one Aamir Nazir to introduce dedicated bicycle lane to encourage people to avoid travelling in car and other vehicles, Mr Sinha said the government has already decided to have dedicated bicycle lanes in twin Smart cities of Jammu and Srinagar. Mr Aamir has given suggestion of several foreign countries, including Sweden and Finland. I have already written to Deputy Commissioners to think about it as this will help to protect environment, he said. About encouraging Kashmiri pandits, who migrated to different parts of the country after outbreak of militancy, supported by neighbouring countries, in late 1989 and 1990, to return Lt Governor said a number of measures have already been announced.
” To restore the rich cultural fabric of the society, the government has taken a path-breaking decision to undo the injustice of decades and restore the former glory of the land that was always the repository of brotherhood, Mr Sinha said. He said 44000 Kashmiri pandit families are registered with Relief Commissioner. These families have left their land and other property when they were forced to leave the valley, he said adding they will be given justice. We have already announced that who sold their property under distress can registered themselves on the recently opened website for this purpose. He said government will help them to get their property and resettle with the neighbours again, he said. The Kashmir culture is incomplete with migrant pandits, he said adding people in Kashmir also wanted them back. Mr Sinha said Sanjay Kumar Pandita writes to me on the revival and promotion of the forgotten Sharda script and suggests various steps for the same. His suggestion is very good and work on this will be taken up. Chander Kumar Bhushan from Ramnagar suggests steps for giving a new life to handicrafts of the land and Dr Arif from Srinagar makes an interesting case for the revival of Copper Utensils Small scale industry of the valley. We have already announced a number of measures to encourage the industry.Dr Arif said the copper utensil craft was almost in every house in the past. Mr Sinha said by providing training, mentoring and intensive capacity building, initiatives like SAATH and UMEED are aimed at reinforcing the rural women enterprise. Also, schemes like KARKHANDAR are aimed at giving a fresh impetus to the training in handicraft sector in the UT.
Prof Geer Mohammad Ishaq from Srinagar delved upon some of the most thought-provoking steps related to reforms in school education. I have received some interesting suggestions from Vickey Mattoo,who has shared ideas on innovative construction techniques.I am also happy to place on record the decisions taken by government in the last one year to reform & streamline the process of infrastructural development in JK. Sumit Puri’s suggestion on promoting youth entrepreneurs in the Tourism sector is in line with the vision of Mission Youth that is aimed at strengthening the cause of youth in Jammu and Kashmir. A number of programmes for promoting youth entrepreneurs have already been taken up, Mr Sinha announced and said we have on September 3 decided to develop 75 tourist villages and youth under Self Help Ground (SHG) will be given training besides Rs 10 lakh financial help. Priyanka Sharma from Kishtwar and Virender Thakur from Doda have shared a detailed outline on the promotion of Tourist circuits in the respective districts. They have suggested to bring some areas, including trekking destination, under tourist map. Mr Sinha said he will direct tourism department to work on these suggestions. A strong sense of responsibility amongst the people of Jammu and Kashmir is bound to take our land to the pinnacle of success and I wish to see all of us become equal partners and companions in this glorious odyssey.