EASE OF DOING BUSINESS FUELS SPECULATIONS IN GULMARG AND LEH

While Jammu and Kashmir government recently announced ease of doing business in Jammu and Kashmir, Opposition parties and many businessmen are watching closely this development as they feel some big business tycoons would be benefitted by these schemes coming from outside.

The official spokesman while giving details of the meeting held by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said that the establishment of business in Jammu and Kashmir has been simplified so that investors come to this place.

“The pre-requisite No Objection Certificates (NOCs) and approvals have been relaxed for setting up of a business unit. The Udyog Aadhar Memorandum as per the condition of the Government of India shall be the only requirement for a business unit to be set-up in Jammu and Kashmir,” the recent government order said.

While Manoj Sinha said that all these steps are being taken to encourage large-scale investment, innovation in the region, the speculations are making rounds that decks are being cleared for Ambanis to set up their “tourism townships” in Gulmarg and other parts of Kashmir.

There were reports earlier in some sections of the media that some big business tycoons who are regarded as close to BJP were keen to set up “two tourism” townships in Nobra and Leh. These reports resulted in the unity of all the political and social organisations of the union territory of Ladakh, seeking the region to be safeguarded on the pattern of Article 370.

They have been assured by the Union Home Minister that they will soon get a law safeguarding not only their land interests but also their right to government jobs.

It is in place to mention that on 22 January, business tycoon Anil Ambani arrived in Srinagar and visited Gulmarg. There were news reports that he was trying to strike a deal with a local hotelier for purchasing his properties in Gulmarg and the controversy remained in the media circles for two weeks.

The J&K administration and the Central government are very keen to bring big names in the corporate world of the country to Jammu and Kashmir especially to the Valley to set up their business here.