Accusing the previous governments in the past of deliberately neglecting the hill region, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology and Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh said here today that the governments in the past deliberately neglected hill regions while Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi give a special focus to these areas.
Addressing a public rally here after ceremonially walking through the newly constructed Jhula Bailey Suspension Bridge, which has replaced the earlier one that was declared unsafe, Dr Jitendra Singh said, several decades old bridge was unsafe and accident prone but still none of the governments in the past bothered about it and allowed the national highway traffic to ply over it at grave risk to the general public.
He hoped, one day analysts will try to find out why people here had to wait for nearly 70 years for PM Modi to arrive and give them justice.Earlier, Dr Jitendra Singh walked through the main markets of town and acknowledged the gratitude of the people who have heaved a sigh of relief on the construction of the bridge.
Speaking at the rally, Dr Jitendra Singh informed that the important Maitra Bridge and the flyover to bypass the town are under construction day and night in double shifts. After their completion, and also the completion of the remaining stretch of national highway beyond Ramban, the road travel journey time from Jammu to Srinagar will be reduced to just about four hours.
Dr Jitendra Singh recalled that once there was a time when there was just one Government High School in Ramban. Today, he said, there are more than a dozen degree colleges and higher secondary schools in the district and recalled that this happened only in the last eight years.
Not only this, he said, degree colleges have been set up in remote areas like Kastigarh and Ukhral.Dr Jitendra Singh said, we have followed the policy of reaching out to the people who need us and bringing up the projects as per their requirements, irrespective of religion, cast, creed or party preference and hoped that this political culture above vote consideration would also be followed by others for the benefits of the youth whose energy is going to contribute for nation building for the next 25 years of Amrit Kaal
Emphasizing on giving a boost to StartUp movement, Dr Jitendra Singh said, soon there will be a comprehensive plan about agriculture related entrepreneurship for which this place has huge resources and which will be a lucrative source of livelihood for the youth.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, never before the resources of river Chenab have been fully exploited and now galaxy of multiple power projects coming up in the erstwhile Doda district. This region is going to be the power hub of North India and will also provide electricity to other States.
He also recalled other monumental work done during the last eight years of construction of a Relay Radio Station at Nadha Top which caters to the whole of the district.