Mumbai, Sept. 1 -- A NITI Aayog delegation led by member M Srinivas met Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor (LG) Manoj Sinha in Srinagar and stressed the need to improve educational outcomes and infrastructure. The team presented a comprehensive assessment of the development landscape, setting out achievements, sectoral gaps and interventions to accelerate socio-economic progress. The review covered education, skill development and employment, health and nutrition, agriculture and horticulture, industry and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), urbanisation, tourism and infrastructure connectivity.
The delegation highlighted the need to strengthen industry-academia linkages and expand employment opportunities while improving school and higher education outcomes. It recommended addressing human resource and infrastructure shortfalls in health and enhancing primary healthcare delivery across rural and urban areas. Targeted measures to support nutrition and preventive care were included in the proposals.
In agriculture and allied sectors emphasis was placed on irrigation expansion, modernisation of horticulture and reduction of post-harvest losses through enhanced cold-chain and processing infrastructure. The presentation urged improvements in livestock services, value-chain development and stronger market linkages to raise farmer incomes. Coordinated investments and better extension services were proposed to support these priorities.
For accelerating economic growth the Aayog suggested promotion of sector-specific industrial clusters, strengthening of MSMEs and support for employment-intensive manufacturing alongside improvements in logistics and export infrastructure. Proposals included promotion of green mobility and development of a stronger innovation and startup ecosystem, with integrated planning to attract investment. Sustainable urban development measures were recommended, including water security, sewage treatment, river rejuvenation and faster implementation of AMRUT 2.0 and PMAY-U.
Sinha welcomed the assessment and said the Government of India and the Jammu and Kashmir administration are pursuing a vision of Viksit Jammu Kashmir focused on infrastructure, improved service delivery, employment generation and inclusive development. He suggested NITI Aayog may undertake a focused study to identify measures to make Dal Lake cleaner and ensure its long-term ecological sustainability. The delegation reiterated the importance of timely completion of connectivity projects, water conservation and greater utilisation of renewable energy, decentralised solar initiatives such as PM-Surya Ghar.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Construction World.