Srinagar: Minister for Finance, Education, Labour & Employment Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari on Monday said that Shehr-e-Khaas assumes a great deal of significance in the ambitious smart city programme for Srinagar being implemented by the the present dispensation.
Addressing a party convention at Khanyar, Bukhari observed that the state government is committed to revive the historic, cultural and economic significance of Shehr-e-Khass and its adjoining areas in Srinagar.
“You will shortly witness an equitable and balanced development in all sectors of the governance in your areas,” he told the gathering of party workers.
He said that Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has shown her keen interest in restoration of pristine glory and the historic importance of Srinagar city especially Shehr-e-Khaas.
“Srinagar, after being included in the ‘Smart Cities Mission’, will go through a major transformation in the coming years as the state government is moving ahead with a major infrastructure development across the city. I am sure that Shehr-e-Khass will be a major beneficiary of this programme,” he added.
He asked the gathering to strengthen the party at grass root level by disseminating its socio economic and political agenda in their areas of influence. “I assure you that the Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti is fully aware of your livelihood concerns and she will soon come up with some remedies to your sufferings,” he added.
Speaking on the occasion, Peerzada Mansoor Hussain, PDP general secretary central Kashmir said that National Conference during its tenure of governance has destroyed the historic character of Shehr-e-Khas by wanton destruction of all symbols of Kashmir’s glorious heritage.
He said that during NC regimes in the past there was deliberate tampering with the distinct character of built heritage in the capital city especially Shehr-e-Khaas which is proud to be hub of the most ancient civilization in the region.
He regretted that people of Kashmir were made to compromise their socio-economic and political identity by National Conference for the sake and lust of power.
“Whatever baggage of challenges and difficulties we face at present have been inherited by us as an outcome of the deeds of National Conference. The voices of dissent in Kashmir also face the same challenges created by the power hungry National Conference,” Mansoor observed.
He said that PDP government is committed to bring Shehr-e-Khaas at the national and international map of socio-economic development. “Our government is working on this and people of Khanyar constituency by now would have understood it by our performance,” he said while appreciating the role of Mohammad Khurshid Alam in raisings the day to day issues of people of Khanyar in Legislative Council.
In his address, PDP District president and MLC Mohammad Khurshid Alam said that Shehr-e-Khaas is an obvious priority for the Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and occupies a prime place in her vision to restore pristine glory of Srinagar city.
He said that he would strive tirelessly to restore the pristine glory of Shehr-e-Khaas for ensuring its holistic development on priority. He emphasized on need for liberal funding for a desired social change through well-conceived infrastructure buildings.
Alam reiterated that not only the religious and historical places will get her due attention; it is the other key sectors of public health, sanitation, protection of water bodies and planned infrastructure building which is receiving her personal attention for positive change.
Alam said with CM’s personal interest, city has seen sea change in traffic management and functioning in hospitals and municipality. “Other key sectors are being mobilised on her personal direction and it is because of her leadership that construction of marriage halls, opening of parks and protection of water bodies have received visible fillip,” he added.
He thanked the minister for finance for showing a keen interests in restoration of historic significance of Sheh-r-eKhaas.
