Srinagar | Oct, 14:The Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha Wednesday congratulated Government Medical College, Srinagar for organising a conference on “Advancing Internal Medicine: From Evidence to Excellence in Clinical Practice”. In his message, the Lieutenant Governor underscored the critical role of internal medicine in delivering holistic and patient-centric healthcare.
The Lieutenant Governor said that physicians often face the challenging task of identifying complex underlying health conditions from seemingly simple sympto He noted that the strength of internal medicine lies in its ability to view the human body as an interconnected system and to understand the complete medical story of a patient through clinical knowledge, experience and careful observation.
The Lieutenant Governor also stated that observation, reason, human understanding and courage remain the defining qualities of a physician. He highlighted that physicians frequently serve as the first point of medical contact for families and, in many cases, build enduring relationships across generations, rooted in trust, compassion and scientific evidence.
The Lieutenant Governor in his message lauded Government Medical College, Srinagar for its significant contribution to medical education and healthcare, noting that generations of doctors trained by the institution continue to serve across Jammu Kashmir and the country.
The Lieutenant Governor also highlighted the emerging healthcare challenges.
“While infectious diseases remain a concern, lifestyle-related disorders such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity, fatty liver disease and cardiovascular ailments are assuming epidemic proportions. We need to ensure that advances in diagnostics, therapeutics and medical technologies reach physicians and patients in rural and remote areas as effectively as they do in urban centres,” he said.
The Lieutenant Governor also called upon the medical fraternity to strengthen indigenous research and generate evidence relevant to India’s diverse population. He said that the country’s demographic diversity, combined with the expertise and commitment of doctors, presents immense opportunities for scientific discovery and innovation.
“Medical science is making historic advances, and new drugs and diagnostic tools have opened up new possibilities for treatment. The greatest need Wednesday is to ensure that these innovations are not available only to physicians in large cities, but also reach doctors in villages. We must ensure that there is not even the slightest gap between urban and rural areas in access to facilities and available tools. This should be the first objective of this conference,” he said.
The Lieutenant Governor also outlined a five-year roadmap and proposed six key commitments for the medical community including expanding access to advanced medical knowledge through digital health platforms and telemedicine, prioritising preventive healthcare and early detection of diseases, using technology and artificial intelligence as supportive tools while preserving clinical judgement, continuously strengthening research capacity, ensuring the wellbeing of doctors and addressing professional burnout and preserving human compassion at the centre of healthcare delivery.
The Lieutenant Governor also urged the young doctors to remain curious, embrace innovation and learn from experienced mentors. He also called upon senior physicians to generously share their clinical wisdom and guide the next generation of healthcare professionals.
“Early detection of diabetes, hypertension and liver disease is less costly and can help reduce treatment expenses. I urge all physicians and internists to lead prevention campaigns at the community level, because a doctor’s voice can have an extraordinary influence on society. I have every confidence that people will take your advice seriously when it comes to preventing lifestyle-related diseases.
We must value physicians’ hard work, service and dedication. Along with caring for patients, hospitals and institutions, it should be ensured that doctors are cared for too. Providing them with better workplaces and working conditions should be a priority,” the Lieutenant Governor said.

Srinagar | Oct, 14:The Lieutenant Governor,Manoj Sinha in his message to the valedictory session of the 13th Sustainable Mountain Development Summit underscored the critical importance of protecting the Himalayan ecosystem and called for a comprehensive, science-based and people-centric approach to sustainable mountain development.
Congratulating the Integrated Mountain Initiative (IMI) and SKUAST-Kashmir for jointly organising the Summit, the Lieutenant Governor said that building a resilient Himalayan landscape is no longer merely a subject of discussion but a matter of national importance. The Lieutenant Governor stated that the Summit had provided a platform for meaningful deliberations on issues concerning water resources, forests, land, biodiversity and climate change, while amplifying the concerns of millions of people dependent on the Himalayan ecosystem.
The Lieutenant Governor in his message observed that the challenges posed by climate change, global warming, environmental degradation and unplanned development are becoming increasingly evident across the Himalayan region.
“Over the past two decades, we have witnessed numerous unprecedented challenges unfold before us. The natural disaster in various parts of the country and the world proves that the intensity of climate change impacts has increased, making these challenges even more serious,” he said.
The Lieutenant Governor stressed that the Himalayas is the source of rivers, protectors of biodiversity and vital regulators of climate and any disturbance to the Himalayan ecological balance would have far-reaching consequences.
The Lieutenant Governor highlighted the need to establish a balanced relationship between development and conservation, asserting that development achieved at the cost of environmental stability cannot be regarded as true development. The Lieutenant Governor stated that the vision of a developed India can be realised only when the Himalayas remain secure, healthy and vibrant.
“We must establish an extremely important balance between development and the conservation of natural resources, because I firmly believe that development achieved at the cost of nature’s stability is not truly development. Our dream of a developed India will be meaningful only when the Himalayas remain safe, strong, and vibrant,” he said.
The Lieutenant Governor also outlined four key pillars for future action. The first pillar focuses on determining science-based carrying capacity and zoning to ensure holistic planning and sustainable development. The second pillar emphasises climate-resilient infrastructure and enhanced disaster preparedness through environmentally sensitive construction and strengthened community-based early warning systems integrating modern technology with traditional local knowledge.
The third pillar calls for promoting regenerative and inclusive livelihoods, including high-value horticulture, organic farming, modern sericulture, eco-tourism and other components of the green economy. The Lieutenant Governor stressed the need to empower youth and women as entrepreneurs and job creators. The fourth pillar advocates a zero-waste and circular mountain economy through improved solid waste management, wastewater treatment and recycling systems across urban, rural and tourist destinations.
The Lieutenant Governor commended the Summit for preparing a draft policy addressing ecological security, responsible tourism, disaster management and sustainable livelihoods. He expressed the hope that the document would evolve into a robust policy and implementation framework through extensive consultations and serve as the basis for a new social contract between society and nature.
Emphasising India’s civilisational ethos of environmental stewardship, the Lieutenant Governor in his message called for harmonising tradition with technology, local wisdom with modern science, and economic development with ecological sustainability.
“Wednesday, as we build a developed India, we must strike a balance between tradition and technology, local knowledge and modern science, and economic and ecological development. I am fully confident that the right policies and the right decisions on the ground can carry all of these forward together,” the Lieutenant Governor said.

Following his assumption of office, Ramesh Kumar convened an interactive meeting with the senior officers and officials at the Civil Secretariat, Srinagar. They discussed the department’s priorities, ongoing initiatives and the way forward for strengthening rural development and Panchayati Raj institutions across Jammu and Kashmir. The meeting was attended by Secretary in RDD, Rachna Sharma, Director Finance, Umar Khan, Joint Director Planning, Kamal Kumar, Additional Secretary RD&PR, Waseem Raja and Under Secretaries of the department.

The Secretary reviewed the operational status and progress achieved under several flagship programmes, including the Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM-G), Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana–Gramin (PMAY-G), National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM), Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP), Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) and Himayat.

The review focused on taking stock of the department’s ongoing initiatives and reinforcing the implementation of programmes aimed at improving the rural livelihoods, strengthening Panchayati Raj institutions, creating rural infrastructure, providing housing assistance to eligible households and expanding livelihood opportunities for rural youth and women.

Emphasising the fundamental mandate of the Rural Development Department, the Secretary said that the department primarily serves the rural population and must remain focused on addressing the needs and aspirations of people at the grassroots level. He directed the officers to accord priority to projects and interventions that deliver direct, visible and measurable benefits to the public.

Addressing the officers, Ramesh Kumar appreciated the initiatives already undertaken to streamline the departmental functioning and improve the implementation of rural development programmes. The Secretary further underscored the need for officers at all levels to remain focused on their respective responsibilities and work collectively towards improving the overall functioning of the department. The emphasis, he said, must remain on translating policy objectives and government initiatives into meaningful outcomes for people living in rural areas.