Jammu Redefining Magazine Vol.2 No.-4 | Page 3

Jammu Redefining 3 | February 23-March 8, 2014 C O V E R S T O R Y OMAR SHORING UP HIS OWN IMAGE General Bus Stand, Jammu Speaking at a public rally in Jammu Omar recently claimed that some of the leades in the state have propagated wrong impression that Jammu would develop only if they had the Chief Minister at the State from their region. "This is absolutely wrong impression. What I have done for Jammu is an example of this (the wrong notion). Jammu can boast off the projects we have given to it. All this has been done by a Chief Minister, who hailed from Kashmir region. But I don't consider myself as a Chief Minister of one region. I'm a Chief Minister of entire Jammu and Kashmir and I have ensured equal development of all three regions-Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh." For long both Kashmir based political parties National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party have been signing similar tunes when it comes to wooing electorate of Jammu region but both these parties, despite having different generations of political workers working for them they have failed to create strong cadre and an emotional appeal among the masses. Lack of second generation leadership has adversely affected the capacity building of these political parties to tap the po tential voters in the region. These parties only command support in pockets dominated by old loyalists in frontier border districts of Rajouri and Poonch and in hilly districts of Doda and Kishtwar. It is for this reason the political parties have failed to increase their vote percentage or seats in the state assembly. Congress party, despite remaining in alliance with both the parties in the last over one decade has managed to retain its vote share and this time eyeing the larger pound of flesh to occupy the driver's seat. Clamor within party for more bigger role in the 2014 Assembly polls has prevented the party high command from forging any pre-poll alliance with Omar led National Conference in the state. Soon after Omar got clear hints and read the writing on the wall he along with his coterie has devised this strategy of taking equal credit for anything associated with the development of the region and has managed to create a confusion in the minds of local people about the role of their elected representatives from Jammu region. It remains to be seen whether in the coming days Omar will continue to only take credit for laying foundation stones only or these much delayed projects would see light of the day and help improve day to day life of people of Jammu region. Major projects in the pipeline, not yet ready Despite tall claims made by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah the completion of several Jammu based projects continue to hang in balance. To begin with artificial lake project, expansion of Jammu airport, smooth functioning of Super speciality hospital, Bikram Chow fly over continue to face red tape and lack of funds. In November 2013 Omar had claimed that the work on the Artificial Lake is going on in full swing and we are hopeful to have the Lake in Jammu by March, next year. In last week of January the state assembly was informed by the Tourism Minister that the project may be delayed in the absence of timely release of funds. Well this is not the only project which is running behind the schedule. T he super Speciality hospital, facing shortage of trained staff and specialist doctors is yet to be inaugurated by the state govt formally. Though it has been made functional but most of the times the crucial wings of the hospital including Operation theatres remain out of order and compound miseries of patients and their attendants. Similar is the fate of restoration of historic Mubarak Mandi complex where work is going on at a snail's pace. No dead line has been fixed for the Gandola project connecting Peer Kho temple complex with MahaMaya and Bahu Fort. Work on the Bikram Chowk fly over is going on.Work on new Legislative complex building also going on.