Peace necessary to foster industrial growth: Azad

Srinagar, Nov 11: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has said that conducive and peaceful atmosphere is a pre- requisite for economic development and welfare of the state.

''Vast potential for growth and development of industries and handicrafts can only be harnessed for the benefit of people and the state when peace gets strong roots and apprehensions of investors are done away with on this count,'' Mr Azad said after inaugurating grand industrial exhibition at Kashmir Haat here.

The Chief Minister said that handicrafts of Jammu and Kashmir are world famous and the feasibility for establishing vast range of industries in the state in agriculture, horticulture, software technology and other sectors is second to none.

These sectors, he said, are biggest employment generators, unless we all strive for cultivating peace, the optimum use of these sectors could not be achieved.

Mr Azad said in order to promote world famous handicrafts of the state and seek remunerative returns for handicraft and industrial products, grand exhibitions of Jammu and Kashmir industrial and handicrafts products would be organized in every state of the country.

I have already given words to my counterparts in various states in this regard, he said.

Had the period of militancy not crippled the fast growth and development of industrial and handicrafts sectors in the state, putting artisans and workmen idle, the state's graph of industrial growth would have sky-rocketed earning prosperity and fortune for the vast population of skillful artisans, artists and entrepreneurs of the state, Mr Azad lamented.

The government is making earnest endeavours to put shambled economy back on rails and infuse new life in the sick industrial sector to pave the way for large scale employment generation and economic well-being of the state, he added.

He also informed that outside investors and big houses have already been persuaded to establish industries in the state especially in Kashmir division and rural areas of Jammu and Ladakh, for which a number of incentives and packages have been made available to them.

However, he repeated that peace is must to nurture industrial sector in the state.

UNI