Nusrat Ara

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Nusrat Ara

- Indian-administered Kashmir-

After the U.N.s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) admitted to a major mistake in its

2007 report, which asserted the Himalayan glaciers would melt by 2035, skeptics and opponents alikewent on the offensive, using the admission as proof that climate change is a fabrication. Though the

2035 deadline may no longer be valid, global warming is surely having an effect on the ground and

activists are now faced with an even tougher challenge.

Climate change has affected nearly every country in the world, irrespective of the role it has played in

polluting the environment. Lying in the lap of the great Himalayas, Kashmir is one such place, and we

are already feeling its impact.

Kashmir's glacial melt feeds millions in neighboring India and Pakistan Photograph by Flickr userKoshur Samchar,Ahmedabadused underCreative Commons licenses.

While the West was in the grip of a harsh winter with unprecedented snowfall, the hilly region of

Kashmir seated deep in the Himalayas was still waiting for its share of the seasons snow. Already

overdue, its absence virtually guarantees a drought in the coming summer.

Unfortunately the people who are most impacted by climate change are those who are least

responsible for creating this phenomenon, says Usmaan Ahmad, the Kashmir mission director for aid

groupMercy Corps.

Kashmirs orchardists were already nervous as their trees began sprouting buds. An early flower

results in decreased production and a drought in summer could only worsen this bleak scenario. Just

two decades ago, the Kashmir Valley would get heavy snowfall in early winter, which would freeze and

cover the landscape until spring. Nowadays snowfall is not only thin, but often late, which means it

wont last long.

Ghulam Mohiudin Bhat is a farmer in Kashmirs southern district Pulwama. He converted his paddy

fields into apple orchards due to water scarcity.
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We had a lot of land used for agriculture. But we were facing water shortage for the last 10 to 15

years, so we switched to horticulture, he says.

Like Bhat, his neighbor Ghulam Rasool Ganai also abandoned paddy farming for apple farming this

year. He will have to wait for more than five years before his converted field bears fruit, but he is

ready for the bargain. I had not switched to horticulture, though most of my neighbors had. We werefacing water scarcity, especially during the crop season. Last year the problem was too profound, so I

ultimately gave up and planted apple trees on my land.

Kashmirs prized saffron crops have suffered a 40% drop in production, too. One of the three places in

world - besides Iran and Spain - most famous for its saffron, water shortages are straining the crops.

Some of the saffron farmers who traditionally relied on rainwater are now looking at irrigation

measures to save their rare and labor-intensive crop.

For the past five years, Shakil Romshoo, an assistant professor at the Geology and Geophysics

department of the University of Kashmir, has been studying the regions glaciers. He says that the

average temperature in the region has increased by more than a degree in the last 100 years,

hastening the melt.

If you look at the data from 1969 up to now we are seeing that temperatures have increased in the

region, particularly the winter temperatures, and this increase has resulted in reduced snowfall and

increased melting of glaciers, he explains. In part, this is due to the burning of fossil fuels and the

inefficient use of biomass, which darkens the glaciers and makes them soak up more sunlight.

He says the biggest threat climate change poses to Kashmir is the melting of the glaciers, lying high

up in the Himalayas, which go on to feed almost one-fifth of the worlds population.

This is a water tower of Asia Himalayas, Kashmir Himalayas, other Himalayas. Waters from here go

to Pakistan, Bangladesh, China, and beyond. I believe this is going to have serious consequences on

all sectors that depend on water - agriculture, horticulture, even hydropower. It is already having an

impact, he says. You see people switching from agriculture to horticulture.

Some analysts even predict that future wars between nuclear neighbors India and Pakistan will be

over water.

On February 10th, Pakistans Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that Kashmir and its water

issues will top the priorities discussed during foreign secretary-level talks between New Delhi and

Islamabad.

Pakistan depends heavily on Kashmirs water for agricultural irrigation. As global warming hastensglacial melting, it changes the flow patterns of the glacier-fed rivers that flow into Pakistan. Apart from

the change in volume, the water is reaching the countrys fields at the wrong time.

Jennifer L Morgan, Director of the Climate and Energy Program at the World Resources Institute in

Washington D.C. writes in the Times Of India, For communities downstream of mountain glaciers and

snowfields, most of the energy, agriculture and municipal infrastructures have been developed in the

context of an annual cycle of winter snowfall and gradual melt-water runoff during the dry season. The


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disappearance of those glaciers would have enormous socioeconomic impact around the worldTo

take one example, as the Andean glaciers retreat, the loss of hydroelectric power is estimated to cost

Peru $1.5 billion annually.

Though Morgan admits the glaciers will not be gone by 2035, she does highlight the strain water

shortage will pose to Kashmirs neighbors. In recent years, the groundwater level in northern Indiahas been dropping one meter every three years. Meanwhile, demand for water in India is projected to

double in the next 20 years.

Usmaan Ahmad says Mercy Corps has recently been involved in creating awareness about the problem

in Kashmir.

At the local level awareness is very important because there are solutions that are available for the

farmers to become more resilient, he explains. Farmers need to become much more able to use

weather reports, using midterm weather forecasts, to be able to predict when they should sow, when

they should harvest. They should also to be able to predict what types of impact they may see,

because our calendar doesnt work right now, he adds.

While Ahmad says local awareness will help the community survive the immediate future, the real

solution he says, lies in large-scale global coordination. Unsurprisingly, the outcome of Decembers

Copenhagen Summit on Climate Change disappointed Ahmad and Romshoo when world leaders failed

to reach a legally-binding treaty to lower carbon emissions.

There is no single solution for theclimate change problem, says Ahmad. In fact, it requires multi-

stakeholder approach wherein the community, educational as well as research institutions, the

government and private sector have to sit together to find a way out. It is not the job of government

alone. Climate change is a challenge because we are [considering] things 20 years [into the future]. It

needs long-term thinking.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nusrat Ara is a freelance journalist based in Indian-administered Kashmir who is interested in covering

issues that have gone underreported in the media. She holds a postgraduate degree in Mass

Communication and Journalism from the University of Kashmir and is a contributor to theWomen

International News Gathering Service(Canada), as well asKashmir Newz, a Srinagar-based online

news content provider. She also reports for The Press Institute and has also worked with various local

English dailies in Srinagar. In 2008 Nusrat was awarded a Sanjay Ghose Media Fellowship.
http://www.wings.org/http://www.wings.org/http://www.wings.org/http://www.wings.org/http://www.kashmirnewz.com/http://www.kashmirnewz.com/http://www.kashmirnewz.com/http://www.kashmirnewz.com/http://www.wings.org/http://www.wings.org/


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Potentials and constrants in jammu & kashmir economy

Prof Nisar Ali*

Deptt of Economics, Kashmir University

The state economy is growing at a low pace amid contradictions and constraints since it embarked upon

development process through planning. While its social and economic empowerment programmes through series of

enactments like free education, food security, land to tiller and health infrastructural development are commendable,

but the process of growth and development over the years manifest inherent inconsistencies and contradictions.

The major infrastructure is power sector with potential, as per one assessment, of 20 megawatts or say 18

megawatts, yet the state is deficient in its power requirements to the tune of 65 per cent. Similarly, the core sector

of the economy is its farm sector which provided livelihood to about 72 per cent populations in 1950s and 60 percent

to state domestic product suffers from acute food shortages and capacity building of irrigated acreage which has

registered an annual growth rate of 0.34 per cent per annum as against investment in irrigation which registered an

annual growth of 298 per cent. An increase in biotic inputs in agriculture, causing technological breakthrough

elsewhere, hardly have given the desired results in terms of yield and production of food cereals. The food grainsproduction increased from 9.83 lakh tones in 1964-65 to 13.26 lakh tones in 2003-04, that is, an annual increase of

0.89 per cent or 1.4 per cent per annum if compared with 2005-06 level production of 15.75 lakh tones. In mid of

1970, that is, 1977 L K Jha Committee observed: There seems to be thus no correlation between the production of

major agricultural commodities and the increasing utilization of modern inputs. (Development Committee Report,

Part 1, 1977, P-8).

Thanks to the recent efforts since 1995-96, the production demonstrates a trend growth of 3.5 per cent per annum.

Similarly, increase in the investment in power from Rs 11.48 crore in 1955-56 to Rs 710.35 crore in 2005-06, that is,

an annual increase of 454 per cent resulted in increase in installed capacity of power from 11.48 mega watts to 503

mega watts during the reference period, that is, an annual increase of 82 per cent.

While the state is a labour shortage economy demonstrated by import of skilled and unskilled labour who get gainful

employment in various pursuits, farm economy, construction industry, horticulture and even in retail trading, there isa pressing problem of unemployment particularly that of educated youth. The total strength on live register of

employment exchange of persons seeking employment has increased from 51.28 thousand in 1980 to 114 thousand

in 2005. The reliable estimates are not available, yet one feels not less than 300 thousand work force enter into the

state as seasonal migrant labour and work in all the regions of the state.

This is paradoxical. According to 61st Round of National Sample Survey Organisation 2005, the unemployment rate

based on current daily status in Jammu and Kashmir is 5.6 per cent as against All India Level of 8.3. The incidence of

unemployment in on rise both educated and youth in rural as well as urban areas as shown by various rounds of NSS

that is, from 5.0 in 1993-94 to 10.0 in 1999-2000 to 6.8 per cent and on the basis of usual principal status (educated

rural) and 8.8, 17.1 and 14.7 per cent youth in urban sector respectively for the reference periods. Within the

inherent contradictions the state has made a considerable headway in key sectors of economy.

Industry and Traditional Crafts

Unlike many states in the country, Jammu and Kashmir has a few natural disadvantages, being the remote terrain

economy, to have industries. It has sufficient potential and assured domestic market to have consumer goods

industrial sector to generate gainful economic opportunities and to produce for domestic absorption and exports. The

state intervention programmes from time to time particularly subsidy and tax incentives did not attract investment to

the extent it could set a pace for industrial development. We have experienced industrial units in small scale sector

grew to 49.43 thousand in 2006-07 as against 2.00 thousand in 1973-74 and 9.43 thousand in 1980-81 providing

employment to about 43 thousand people in 1980-81 and 2.2 lakh persons in 2006. So called large and medium


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industry sector the number of units have gone up to 132 with an investment of about Rs 2392 crore and generated

employment more than 19 thousand till 2006. Another category of industries are state public undertakings, minerals,

handicraft and other enterprises which produce annually production worth Rs 28.44 crore with an average daily

employment of 3600, but among these undertakings most of them are on annual revenue losses possibly due to

higher revenue expenditure. A lot of industrial estate were created with the state intervention programmes like

setting up of industrial growth centres, etc, but proportion of their production and employment generation is very

small in the total secondary sector. The growth of SSI units is 2.5 per cent while the growth of employmentgeneration in these units stand 3.1 per cent in 2006-07.

According to RBI estimates the number of sick units in the state are 3151, that is 16 per cent of the total units

financed by banks. The state intervention programmes in form of rehabilitation policy is engaged in revival of the sick

units and about 10 per cent units in the process of recovery.

Traditional Handicraft Sector

The traditional handicraft industry is centuries old which absorbs 3.5 lakh workforce mostly in valley. The skill

formation in both traditional handicraft industry has been a priority of the state. There are 553 training centres

supported by government as against 97 centres in 1976-77 and number of trainees having undergone training have

increased to 8 thousand in 2005-06 with the objective to retain the skill of crafts. The state intervention programme

has been for creation and upgradation of these centers and skills, however, no research and development input hasbeen brought into the industry with the result there are certain craft species endangered and a few of them have

extinguished.

The industy produces handicraft products worth Rs 900 crore (2005-06) as against Rs 20 crore in 1974-75. The

carpet alone constitutes 47 per cent of the total production and 46 per cent of the total exports. Both its exports and

production have maintained an upward trend. The carpet and shawls together constitute 77 per cent of the total

value of product.

The traditional craft industry is suffering at present because of the quality products are out of market and secondly

the Kashmir brands is misused both in local and export market. Therefore, there is an urgent need to have standard

institution to brand indigenous products both craft sector and orchard to protect the industries.

Similarly 100 training centres have been set up, 62 for handloom weaving, 22 centres for ready made garments and14 for other handloom crafts. District wise handloom cooperative societies have been created and about 1020 skilled

workers are covered under social security. The domestic market for handloom sector needs to bring in research and

development component in it for further expansion.

In addition there are two sectors namely sericulture ands Khadi and village industries which deserve to be

strengthened. Sericulture is one of our oldest industries and today 2144 villages and 20477 families are engaged in

the pursuit. The industry is sick and stagnated. The limited land for mulberry cultivation and pricing policy for

cocoons are the major problems the industry is facing. The state intervention in the form of big push is required to

revive the industry with its old glory. The industry cannot be left to private sector given the changing agrarian

structure.

There are 6924 KVI units under REGP across the districts providing employment to more than 70 thousand workers

and turn over production worth Rs 184 crore in 2006-07. The units are being provided finance and incentives. Theseunits need to be popularized to create production centres in view of the assured domestic market and consumer

preferences.

The recent intervention programmes have increased the share of secondary sector from 22.94 in 2001-02 to 24.16 in

2007-07 and industry demonstrated a high growth in recent years.

Tourism Economy


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Tourism is considered to be central nerve of the state economy with both forward and backward linkages and trickle

down effects. It contributes 16 per cent to state domestic product. The state is endowed with rich tourism resource

and like its power potential tourism too has harnessed only one fourth of potential so far. It has been a priority

sector of state over decades and turbulent conditions in past 15 years not only off-set its potential gains but also

infrastructural utilization at sub-optimal level for occupancy of hotels and marginal utilization of its aggregate

infrastructure put it in deep recession.

The industry is gradually reviving and is indebted to state for recovery. The new infrastructure like establishment of

tourist development authorities, cable car project at Gulmarg, Royal Springs Golf Course at Zabarvan, renovation of

parks and gardens, identification of new tourist destinations and tourist villages and finally development of other

physical infrastructure will help the industry to its recovery. About 4.4 lakh tourists visited the valley in 2006 and 5

per cent were from abroad. Similarly 2.4 lakh pilgrim tourist visited Amarnath shrine while 77 lakh to Vaishno Devi in

2006. Tourism Department alone has earned Rs 73 crore in 2006-07.

The private initiatives need to come forth to develop education infrastructure to open up education tourism. There is

ample scope for creation of professional and skill institution in the sate to develop human capital with tourism effect.

Power Infrastructure

The sustained economic growth is function of supply of commercial energy. The installed capacity of power was just11.48 MWs in 1955-56 which increased to 503 MWs in 2005-06 that is 7760 lakh KWHS. Out of 6417 villages there

are 6268 villages electrified or 97.7 per cent villages. Inspite of vast potential of eco-friendly hydel power generation,

the exploitation is low and not to the benefit of state. Out if the total exploited potential that is 9.3 per cent

comprising 308.7 MWs of power from 19 power projects in state sector and 1560 MWs from three power projects in

the central sector, that is, 83 per cent of total generation in Central Sector, the state shares a smaller percentage as

royalty hence suffers from acute power deficit.

There are micro hydel projects and a main power project with generation capacity of 454 MWs in pipeline in the

state sector and projects with generation capacity of 3920 MWs in Central sector and many are under identification.

The Transmission and Distribution losses are around 43 per cent much of the higher side.

The power scenario is seen from production and availability to domestic sector. The deficit in supply and demand is

met by import of power. The total power availability in 2005-06 was 7822 million units at the cost of Rs 1671.5 croreand total expenditure incurred amounted to Rs 1829.8 crore as against the revenue realized Rs 437.2 crore leaving

thereby deficit of Rs 1392.5 crore. The total expenditure on purchase of power is projected Rs 2069 crore for 2007-

08 with estimated revenue realization of Rs 838 crore thereby leaving the deficit of Rs 1231 crore. The power

purchase is a great drain on state resources. Even with the said purchase of power the actual supply remains deficit

by about 40 per cent which is met by load shedding round the year in many consuming sectors of economy.

Unless the power scenario is revisited or soft options adopted by the Central Government, the state is unable to

achieve breakthrough for self sustained growth and sustainable development. The power situation of the state could

be overcome to a large extent by transfer of Salal or Dulhasti Power Project which is also recommended by the Task

Force on Development of Jammu and Kashmir, 2006.

The implications of Indus Water Treaty for development of state and welfare implications for people need to be

looked into dispassionately and future power production policy and its sharing need to be enacted for benefit of thestate.

Fiscal issues and Debt trap

The state is also deficit in its resources for mainly the reason that its economy is not self sustaining. During the last

few years a considerable achievement has been realized in internal mobilization causing own tax revenue to increase

to Rs 3175 crore in 2006-07 as against Rs 394 crore in 1995-96 and non-tax revenue Rs 1199 crore as against Rs

158 crore respectively during the reference period. In the budget estimates for 2007-08 the total revenue


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expenditure was estimated Rs 10763 crore out of total revenue receipts of Rs 13555 crore, that is, about 80 per cent

or 66 per cent of the total receipts including central devolution. About Rs 39 thousand crore is salary alone while

another Rs 1000 thousand crore is pension bill per annum.

The total outstanding debt in March 2006 was Rs 12.4 thousand crore which is 76 per cent of the 2007-08 budget

size or 63 per cent of SDP at current prices or 131 per cent of real SDP of state. This means that per capita debt in

the state is Rs 1.10 crore while the per capita income at current prices is Rs 21 thousand. The per capita debt is alsolikely to increase in future. In order to manage fiscal balances the state has been dependent on overdrafting which

stood Rs 944 crore in 1996-97 and increased to 1997 crore in

2006-07.

In order to augment internal resource mobilization the state will have to generate more power with the objective of

augmenting revenue by sale of power and by induced investments in the long run. There are certain critical areas

beyond economics which need to be geared up for strengthening of the economy. The social time preferences are to

be governed by community or social approach than pure individual preferences for individual gains and collective or

social welfare maximization should be objective function than pure individual utility maximization.

Conclusion

While the state economy is trying to come out of syndrome by augmenting physical infrastructure, internal resource

mobilization, it needs to focus on review the centre-state power-economic relationship so that the regional economy

takes off for self sustained growth. Agriculture sector is posing a gloomy picture in its changing agrarian structure,

reducing size of holding to irreducible minimum, the agribusiness and agro-based industry can be a better option to

supplement farm incomes. Similarly a big push is required for R&D in critical areas of economy including horticulture.

(The views expressed are personal of the author and should not be attributed to the offices the author holds).

The total strength on live register of employment exchange of persons seeking employment has increased from

51.28 thousand in 1980 to 114 thousand in 2005.

300 thousand work force enter into the state as seasonal migrant labour and work in all the regions of the state.

The unemployment rate based on current daily status in Jammu and Kashmir is 5.6 per cent as against All India

Level of 8.3.

The total expenditure on purchase of power is projected Rs 2069 crore for 2007-08 with estimated revenue

realization of Rs 838 crore thereby leaving the deficit of Rs 1231 crore.

About Rs 39 thousand crore is salary alone while another Rs 1000 thousand crore is pension bill per annum


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Jammu & Kashmir

Infrastructure

Basic infrastructure (2001)

The spread of infrastructure facilities in the state is significantly wide as more than 80 per cent of thehouseholds in the state have electricity connection. Penetration of financial and telecom services arealso favourable in the state.

Source:Census 2001

Status of telecom infrastructure in Jammu & Kashmir

No of telephone connections provided

2001-02 2002-0349278 41266

No of villages Total No of Village PublicTelephone as on 31st Jan 2003

Villages not covered byTelephones

6764 4096 2668

Status of achievements under various telecom projects in Jammu and Kashmir circle (2002-2003 to 2003-2004)

Projects AchievementDuring 2002-03

AchievementDuring 2003-04

Mobile Connections - 40100

Wireless in Local Loop(WLL) Connections 3247 3872

Wired Connections 38019 20701

New Exchanges 13 1

New VPTs(Village Public Telephones) 177 537


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VPTs Replaced by WLL 208 385

OFC Laid (Route Kilometers) 730 270.138

M/W (Route Kilometers) 285 35

Internet Nodes 7 -

Source: IndiaStat

The J&K telecom circle is the main service provider that provides basic telephony and value-added services.

There are five secondary switching areas (SSAs), namely Jammu, Srinagar, Udhampur,Rajouri, and Leh.

The state has 373 telephone exchanges, 416,904 landline equipped capacity and 45,641Internet connections.

According to estimates by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, as of September 2008,the state had 2.64 million wireless subscribers and 247,050 wireline subscribers.

Power reforms on their way

In its step towards privatisation of power distribution network, the state government is setting up J&KPower Transmission Corporation and a Power Distribution Corporation each for Jammu & Kashmir.The Power Transmission Corporation would purchase the power and sell it to respective distributioncorporations allowing the government to gradually come out of the power business.

Source:IndiaStat

Hydel power: Tapping the vast potential

The state has vast exploitable hydel potential of about 15000 MW of which only four per cent hasbeen exploited, thus generating about 631 MW of power. The gas turbine station at Srinagar, furthercontributes to another 175 MW of power.

Two hydroelectric power-generating projects have been approved by the Central Electricity Authority.The projects worth US$ 272.6 million would be set up in Kargil and Leh districts of the state.The twoplants are expected to give a tremendous impetus to economic development of the region whichotherwise are cutoff from the region.The state has also cleared the setting up of about 12 mini hydelprojects.

Jammu and Kashmir has huge potential for hydro-power. The total installed capacity in the state as on August 31, 2008, was 2045.65 MW, most of it


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produced by hydro power projects and gas turbines. The gross electricity generation was1,069.3 million hkwh.

Industrial units are allowed to install their own captive power generation plants in the stateand such units are excluded from paying electricity duty.

Social infrastructure

Source:NSS

Source:NFHS

Health Indicators Jammu and Kashmir All India

Birth Rate* 18.9 24.8

Death Rate* 5.5 8.1

Infant Mortality Rate** 50 63

*Per thousand persons**Per thousand live births

Life expectancy at birth-Male 59.7 64.1

Life expectancy at birth-Female 59.0 65.4

The state compares favourably with the national aggregates in respect to the development


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aggregates of education, health and poverty. The percentage of population below the poverty line isappreciably lower than the all-India aggregate.

In 2004-05, the state had roughly 117 hospitals, 687 dispensaries, 394 primary health centres andsub-centres, 453 medical aid centres, and 2,080 family planning centres and sub-centres. In terms ofparameters like birth rate, death rate, and infant mortality rate, the state has shown betterperformance as compared to all-India average.

Educational Infrastructure

Education is on top priority of the state government A provision of free education for children coming from families below the poverty line has also

been made to facilitate education at the primary level among the poor. Jammu & Kashmir has 274 higher secondary schools, 1,237 secondary schools, 10,860

primary schools, three universities, four polytechnics, two engineering and four medicalcolleges.

Transport Infrastructure

Roads

The state had 823 km of national highways, 688 km of state highways, 7,671 km of majordistrict roads and 3,372 village roads as of February 2002.

The total road length in the state maintained by the Public Works Department has reached15,012 km.

During March 2007, widening of the existing two-lane road in the Pathankot-Srinagar sectionof National Highway 1A to four-lane configuration was approved under the National HighwayDevelopment Project (NHDP) phase two as a part of the North-South Corridor.

Civil Aviation

Srinagar airport is the major International airport in the state, with Jammu and Leh being themajor domestic airports.

Srinagar airport reported a passenger traffic of 457,000 during 2005-06, while Jammureported 306,385 passengers and Leh reported 122,401 passengers.

Railways

The state is linked with the country's rail network up to Udhampur district Work on connectivity between Srinagar and Baramullah is going on The state had 138 route kms of rail length as of March 2006, passing through Udhampur,

Jammu Tawi and Kathua Udhampur-Katra and Quazigund-Baramullah Rail link project has been taken up as national

project is likely to be completed by end 2008-early 2009

Single window clearance

The state has set up an Apex Projects Clearance Committee (APCC) serving as a single windowclearance system to expedite project clearances.

Medical infrastructure


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Four Medical Colleges 100 Hospitals 343 Primary Health Centers 3326 Medical Sub Centers Total bed strength of more than 10,000 in the State

Important industrial areas

Industrial Complex, Bari Brahmana,Jammu Industrial Estate, Gangyal, Jammu Industrial Growth Centre, Samba, Jammu Integrated Infrastructure Development Project,Udhampur Export Promotion Industrial Park, Kartholi,Jammu Industrial Area, Kathua Electronic Complex, Rangreth,Srinagar Industrial Complex Lassipora, Pulwama, Kashmir Industrial Complex, Khonmoh, Srinagar Industrial Estate, Zainakote, Srinagar

Industrial Estate, Zakura, Srinagar Industrial Growth Centre, Ompora, Budgam

Information Technology

With a view to boosting information technology in the state, the state plans to set up a number ofcomputer education centres and to introduce computer courses in colleges. Besides the softwarepark at Rangreth, the state is planning to set up similar parks in the state.

Reviving the tourism sector

The government of Jammu and Kashmir has approved a US$ 55.8 million worth project torestore and preserve the Dal Lake.

The State government has announced approx. US$ 3.7 million-cable ropeway projectbetween Bhawan and Bhairon Ghati to boost pilgrim tourism in the State.

The central government has announced a US$ 36 million package, aimed at reviving thetourism industry in the state, which is expected to generate about 1.7 lakh (Please convert tomillon) employment opportunities.

The state also plans to interlink tourist resorts like Katra, Patnitop, Surinsar and Mantalai tomake them accessible.

Industrial Cluster Development

The state government plans to set up industrial cluster development centres at Sangam and Bagh-i-Ali Mardan Khan in Kashmir and Kathua in Jammu. The cluster spread over 15 sq. km. will focus on

developing infrastructure for the sports industry.

Industrial infrastructure is being built up

Two special economic zones (SEZs), one each in Jammu and Kashmir provinces Integrated Infrastructure Development Project at Udhampur, an industrial area at Kathua Electronic Complex at Rangreth, Srinagar Three industrial complexes at Bari Brahmana, Pulwama and Khonmoh Three industrial estates at Gangyal, Jammu, and Zainakote and Zakura at Srinagar


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Two agri-processing zonesone for walnuts and another for apples in Jammu and Kashmir

Further, locations have been identified for two food parks, two export promotion industrialparks and one industrial estate

Two industrial growth centres at Samba & Badgam and one Export Promotion Industrial Parkat Kartholi, Jammu, are also being developed

There are major proposals for setting up of Software Technological Park, at Srinagar, Textile

City at Kathua, besides Integrated Leather Complex, Food Processing Park and Gem Park atSrinagar/Jammu

Industrial Growth Centre, Sambaa) Area to be developed 6700 kanalsb) Project cost aprox. US$ 6.2 millionc) Allotable area becoming available 4690 kanalsd) Area under development 1883 kanalse) Area available for allotment 900 kanalsf) Employment opportunity to be generated 10000 personsg) Turn-over expected US$ 103 to 124 millionh) Investment to be mobilised US$ 72.3 million

Industrial Growth Centre, Ompora / Lassiporaa) Area to be developed 6500 kanalsb) Project cost US$ 8.3 millionc) Allotable or becoming available 4550 kanalsd) Employment opportunity to be generated 9500 personse) Turn-over expected aprox. US$ 103 millionf) Investment to be mobilised aprox. US$ 62 million


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Nusrat Ara

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