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Srinagar, Jun 25 (UNI) Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad today said his government was committed to undo the centuries old economic disparity between areas and remove the injustice in matters of development.

He talked in detail about the initiatives taken by his government especially in critical sectors like health, education, roads, power and drinking water.

Mr Azad, speaking at Gurez, geographically disadvantageous township in north Kashmir, said the resources and facilities were distributed equally among different areas, with special focus on far flung and remote areas.

He said for the first time in the history of Jammu and Kashmir the benefits of the development initiatives were not restricted to cities and main towns only but had been extended to block, tehsil and village level throughout the State.

Mr Azad said launching of development projects, providing basic amenities and improving the existing facilities were the priority with his government.

He said he personally monitored progress of development projects and sought periodic reports from the officers concerned.

The improved work culture, he said, had helped in projects being completed within time, thus making much needed facilities available to the people without long wait.

Major projects that earlier took decades to complete were now through in a year or two, he added.

The Chief Minister said with the liberal central assistance the State government was working on ambitious schemes aimed at connecting each village with road and providing power and drinking water facilities to them within coming four years. He said this was a gigantic task and would be accomplished as planned.

He said the development profile of Jammu and Kashmir had drastically changed for the better during the past few years and was poised for further improvement.

He said thousands of schools had been opened and upgraded while 40 new degree colleges were set up in just four years. This, he said, was an unimaginable achievement given the fact that during the preceding 56 years only 35 colleges had been opened in the State.

Referring to Gurez, the Chief Minister said the area had vast tourism potential which needed to be tapped. He said the Kishenganga hydel power project would launch economic revolution in the area, besides addressing unemployment problem.

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