The Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) has urged Governor NN Vohra to remove “discrimination with Jammu in every sphere” and take steps to eliminate corruption and drug abuse, threatening to launch an agitation if the authorities failed to heed to their demands. The CCI also said “illegal” Rohingya settlers had become a security threat in to Jammu and should be deported without any delay.
JCCI chief Rakesh Gupta accused former deputy chief minister Nirmal Singh of having failed to check discrimination with Jammu when the PDP-BJP government had been in power for over three years.
He told mediapersons that discrimination with Jammu region was continuing in every sphere, be it development of infrastructure or healthcare facilities, adding that corruption was rampant in government offices and the menace of drugs going unchecked. Gupta said the CBI should be entrusted with investigation into the allegations of corruption by ministers and officers as the state vigilance department had failed to do its job.
He said the Jammu region was feeling cheated by the BJP which it had given a massive mandate in the assembly elections.
Gupta warned that an agitation would be launched once the Amarnath Yatra was over if steps were not taken to undo “discrimination” with the Jammu region. The JCCI has written to Vohra highlighting these issues.
The JCCI chief demanded that construction of AIIMS should be started on fast track, effective steps should be taken for restoration and preservation of the heritage Mubarak Mandi palace complex, work on the artificial lake project be expedited and promotion of tourism in Jammu done on professional lines.
He also demanded that the government’s decision regarding amnesty on power, refund of SGST, power tariff as per industry for hotels and resorts needed to be implemented on fast-track basis.