Stressing upon the people to personally monitor the development works, Deputy Chief Minister Dr. Nirmal Singh said that public partaking is imperative to keep a check on quality parameters and ensure time bound completion of the developmental projects.He was speaking after inaugurating the vegetable market at Muthi on Monday.Deputy Chief Minister also laid the foundation stone for development of housing colony at Kot Bhalwal being established in an area of 519 kanal with facilities like parks and commercial area.Minister for Forest, Ecology, Environment and Social Welfare Bali Bhagat was also present on the occasion.The vegetable market constructed by JDA has been completed at an estimated cost of Rs 1.42 crore having 67 platforms.
While addressing the gathering, Deputy Chief Minister said that the vegetable market will facilitate both the seller and the buyer and ensure quality product at affordable prices .He said that it will also provide better marketing opportunities to farmers.Dr Singh congratulated the allottees and asked them to maintain hygiene and cleanliness in the market and dispose of the waste properly.He said that Prime Minister Narindra Modi’s vision of a neat and clean India can only be achieved when we all contribute actively and ensure cleanliness of our surroundings.While expressing gratitude to NDA Government for liberal funding to Jammu and Kashmir, Deputy Chief Minister said that this will immensely help the State to achieve its set targets of development and welfare. He impressed upon the people to come forward and supplement the efforts of the Government to steer the State towards peace, progress and prosperity.Dr. Nirmal Singh said that state government is also working towards promoting Jammu as an independent tourist destination adding that work on various ambitious projects are apace to promote tourism in Jammu region. He said that more than one crore pilgrims are visiting Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine every year and focus is being laid to divert these tourists to other tourist destinations also. He said that work on artificial lake is in full swing and will be completed by March 2016.
Referring to several recreational and historical places in Jammu region which have not been showcased so far, Dr. Nirmal Singh said places like Ranjit Sagar Dam, Sanasar and Baghliar Dam in Patnitop, Surinsar and Mansar lakes in Udhampur and Samba, Sinthan Top, Warwan in Kishtwar, Shahdara Sharief in Rajouri and Budha Amarnath have to be developed in a big way to promote Jammu as an important independent tourist destination.Dr. Nirmal Singh said that proposal has also been mooted to develop the banks of river Tawi at par with Sabarmati in Gujarat. To ease traffic congestion in Jammu city, Multi-tier parking slots costing Rs. 200 crore at Bus Stand and 25 crore at Panjthirthi will also be constructed soon, he added.
The Deputy Chief Minister said that certain political parties are misleading the people on the issue of AIIMS, for their vested interests and maintained that the directions have been issued for identification of the land so that the projects commence on time. He also thanked the NDA Government for sanctioning IIT to be established at Khanpur in Nagrota at an estimated cost of Rs 3000 crore.Minister for Forest, Ecology, Environment and Social Welfare Bali Bhagat in his address said that with the construction of vegetable market in Muthi, the long pending demand of the people of the area has been fulfilled. He said that coalition government is committed to develop Jammu on modern lines and provide all basic amenities to the people of the State.VC JDA, Mubarak Singh, Commissioner JMC, Soujanya Sharma and other senior officers of concerned departments also accompanied the Minister.