Mufti hopes WG recommendations not pushed into cold storage

Srinagar, June 28 (UNI) Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today called for early implementation of the recommendations of Working Groups to address the just and genuine concerns of the people in all regions and sub-regions of the state.

''I hope the recommendations are not pushed into the cold storage after putting in so much labour in the process,'' the PDP patron told a public meeting at Zainapora in Shopian district.

He said the PDP espoused the cause of peace, stability and prosperity for Jammu and Kashmir and, if implemented with sincerity of purpose, the recommendations of the Working Groups could lay the foundations for achieving that objective.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's vision of a peaceful and prosperous Jammu and Kashmir could be translated into a reality only through the implementation of these recommendations, Mr Sayeed said.

''I am optimistic that the Government of India would be initiating the implementation process soon in the interest of the State's peace and stability,'' he added.

The former Chief Minister said after the 2002 Assembly elections, the coalition government's basic objective has been sustainable rebuilding of the state's economic framework to supplement the peace process. ''Our approach was to provide citizen-oriented governance that simultaneously addressed the people's sense of dignity and their day-to-day needs,'' he added.

Mr Sayeed said the economic policy and performance in various critical sectors such as education, health, social security and communication were designed with a long-term objective to yield dividends in terms of growth and employment over the next few years.

While the turnaround in economy was visible on the ground with improved availability of the infrastructure, he said there was a compelling need to further speed up the process and complete all the important pending projects.

''The long term objective of the government's new economic policy is to increase the confidence of public in new political, economic and governance structure in a manner that is acceptable to people in all regions and sub-regions of the state,'' the PDP leader said.

He said the new development and economic strategy was planned to facilitate the state's smooth transition from turmoil to peace.

''Implementation of the recommendations of the Working Groups, I am sure, would speed up this transition by taking care of the internal dimensions of the problem,'' Mr Sayeed added.

The former Chief Minister also emphasised that alongside economic development, tangible measures have now to be taken necessarily to ensure succour to the people on security front.

The people have always responded positively to such measures and any initiative in that direction would be fundamental input for exceptional transformation of the ground situation, he added.

''We should not get bogged down by narrow political considerations. Through such measures only, we can reinforce the people's growing confidence in democratic institutions and ensure their determined involvement in the participatory political process,'' Mr Sayeed added.

UNI