Deputy Chief Minister, Dr. Nirmal Singh today said that the twin cities of Jammu, Srinagar will soon be undertaken in the smart city program covered which would be replete with all the facilities of modern housing and urban development needs.The Deputy Chief Minister was addressing a huge gathering at Khan Kachi Mir Bahri Rainawari, here in Old city Srinagar.Minister of State for Housing & Urban Development Asiea Naqash was also present on the occasion.Senior officers also accompanied the Ministers.Dr Singh said the Union Minister for Housing & Urban developing has also stated that the twin capital cities would soon be taken up as smart cities. He said that it was due to the constant and persistent efforts of the state government that the centre has agreed for taking up these in the smart city project.
The Deputy Chief Minister said that the government has already undertaken a holistic programme for development of the historic cities of Jammu and Srinagar and necessary instructions have already been passed to the executing agencies to ensure their speedy completion. “Ever since the government came into existence special thrust has been for fast pacing the developmental initiatives undertaken in various sectors like housing and Urban Development, Tourism, PDD, in the cities so that the people living there get all the requisite and basic amenities of modern housing”, Dr. Singh maintained and called for the participatory involvement of the people in various civic initiatives.Responding to the demands of the people who got displaced and have been provided plots at Rakhi Aarath, the Deputy Chief Minister said that the maximum ceiling of three plots per family has been removed in a recently held meeting so that maximum number of plots according to family size can be given. He said necessary instructions have also been given to the executing agencies to equip the colony coming up for the displaced Dal dwellers at Rakhi Aarath with all the facilities including schooling, hospitals etc... “The provision of providing transportation faculties to and forth Dal and its vicinities would also be explored so that their livelihood activities do not get affected”, he added.
The Deputy Chief Minister while referring to the Skill India initiative said that training of different trades would be provided to the youth, so that they create avenues of employability to themselves and others. He said that artisans of the area would also be taken care of by covering them under the ambit of various welfare schemes as has been the endeavour of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure that the benefit of the government initiatives percolates to every section of the society.Minister of State for Housing & Urban Development, Asiea Naqash, while speaking on the occasion highlighted the initiatives undertaken by the government for ensuring holistic and sustained development of the Srinagar city said that it had been the vision of former Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed to see Srinagar city coming up as one of the most modern and developed cities of the country. Ms Asiea said that the programmes undertaken by the government would ensure that the need based development of the city resulting in the increase of Tourism, Handicraft activities would ensure upliftment of the economic profile of the people living there.Responding to the demands of the locals, Ms Asiea announced an ambulance for the dispensary and also a hospital for the upcoming colony at Rakhi Aarath.