Advisor to the Governor, Khurshid Ahmed Ganai, Saturday took salute at the main function in the summer capital here and greeted the people of the State on the occasion of the 70th Republic Day.During his address, the Advisor stated that the Republic Day was the occasion to recall the contribution of the framers of our Constitution which promises a democratic, socialist and secular republic for the people of the country which is a great blessing. He said India was now amongst the frontrunner countries in the world and had already become an economic superpower. This, he said was due to the hard work and resilience of our countrymen particularly the workers, farmers and the soldiers.Mr. Ganai said that Jammu & Kashmir had come a long way during the last 72 years of independence and had now made substantial progress in the fields of education, health and infrastructure development.Emphasizing on the motto of education and health for all, the Advisor said Jammu & Kashmir had still a distance to traverse and achieve full development for all its citizens and areas, particularly in the fields of education and health.Flagging the issue of environment and ecological conservation, Mr. Ganai said it was the duty of all citizens to make their individual contribution for environment protection and also for the protection of natural beauty which all the three regions of the State have been blessed with in abundance by nature.Asking the youth to come forward in playing their role in the State’s overall development, Mr. Ganai described them as the most valuable asset of any society and asked them to excel in the economic development, science and technology. “Now is the time to popularize the spirit of entrepreneurship amongst the youth so that they become job providers rather than job seekers,” he said, adding that there was great scope in the State in the fields of horticulture, cash crops, floriculture, food processing, animal and sheep husbandry, handicrafts, tourism and IT.
The Advisor called for a change of mindset amongst the youth from Government jobs to innovation and entrepreneurship so that they make a mark not only in the State and country but also at the global level.Mr. Ganai enumerated the achievements of the Governor’s Administration during the last seven months, particularly in the sectors of education, social welfare and development of STs, SCs and other backward classes. He said that the Central Government was also providing liberal financial assistance to the State which needs to be spent well for the benefit of the people.The Advisor also referred to the Prime Minister’s Development Programme (PMDP) for the State amounting to Rs.80,000 crore under which many projects were being implemented by the State and Central agencies.Mr. Ganai also recalled the sacrifices of the soldiers of the army, paramilitary forces and police personnel and paid rich tributes to those who laid down their lives to maintain peace and secure violence-free environment for the State. He also stated that thousands of violent incidents during the last three decades particularly in Kashmir Valley have resulted in death and destruction including the death of many innocent citizens which was extremely sad and painful. He said that violence was no solution to any problem and, therefore, deserved to be rejected by one and all.At the end, the Advisor complimented the Divisional Administration and Police for having made good arrangements for the Republic Day function inspite of intense cold weather and recent snowfall. He also congratulated the troops and students who took part in the march-past and also complimented the artistes and students who took part in the cultural programme.