Hosting G-20 summit privilege for J-K: Sinha

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday said it was a matter of privilege for the Union Territory to host the G-20 summit in 2023 and asserted that the administration would put in every effort to make it a grand event.

Jammu and Kashmir will be hosting the 2023 meeting of G-20, an influential grouping that brings together the world's major economies, with the Union Territory administration on Thursday setting up a five-member high-level committee for overall coordination.

This will be the first major international summit to be held in Jammu and Kashmir after its special status guaranteed under Article 370 of the Constitution was withdrawn and the erstwhile state was divided into two Union Territories in August 2019.

It is a very good beginning. It is a matter of privilege for us that we will get the opportunity to host the G-20 summit. We have framed a committee and we will put in all our efforts to make it grand, Sinha told reporters here.

Earlier in the day, the Lt Governor said the development in Jammu and Kashmir can happen only in a peaceful environment.

''If there is no peace, then rest assured no power on earth can bring in development to the place. There are some people who do not like this. They do not want peace here, they want violence. J-K's welfare is in this, we can progress and come closer to or overcome other nations only when there is peace here,'' he said.

Sinha said if the UT returns to the phase of strikes, shutdowns and violence, ''then those days which were very painful, may have to be seen again''.

''I appeal to the people to remain cautious of these elements. They are not your friends, they want to create hurdles in the way to peace on the directions from the outside. ''There is a very less number of such people and I want to tell you that our administration and security forces are committed to protect the common man. We will not touch the innocent, that is our policy, but it is our policy as well that the culprits will not be spared in any way,'' he said.

The LG appealed to people to stand with the government to take J-K on the path to peace and prosperity.

I assure you that we will not rest till we make J-K a progressive region, he added. Sinha also met industry leaders and representatives of various associations from across Jammu and Kashmir at SKICC here.

Deliberations were held on enhancing ease of doing business and support to local industries during the meeting.

Certain measures of business revival package-2020, yet to be saturated across industries, will be implemented within a time-frame to cushion the shock of the Covid pandemic, he said.

It has been the constant endeavour of the UT government to boost the investment climate and fulfilling Prime Minister's Narendra Modi's vision of 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat', Sinha said, adding that we have undertaken multiple key initiatives to establish a transparent system to attract capital and harnessing local entrepreneurial potential.

At the core of the government's industrial policy is providing opportunities and assistance to local industries, economic growth and generating employment for our youth, added the Lt Governor.

The government is sensitive to the issues of the industries and the business sector and committed to provide all assistance. A committee comprising of Industries & Commerce department and entrepreneurs is being constituted as an institutionalized mechanism to hold regular interactions with the industry representatives, Chambers of both the divisions to resolve the issues and challenges confronting the businesses, he said. He informed that the administration is working out a policy for separate industrial estate for startups.

A similar interaction will be held in Jammu with representatives of Chamber and Industries soon.

Earlier, the LG inaugurated the Sukhnag Sozni Embroidery SFURTI Heritage Cluster of J&K Khadi and Village Industries Board on Saturday at Magam in Budgam.

The Lt Governor said this SFURTI Cluster will deliver a holistic approach towards development of Sozni craft from production to marketing stage while catering to the needs of at least 500 artisans. The government has taken various steps to make handicraft sector more competitive, boost exports and give a fillip to village industries, a repository of creative tradition. We are determined to ensure capacity building, foster innovation, best in class infrastructure, easy access to credit and market, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)