50,000 vacancies in J&K to be filled on priority: Governor

* NAFED to commit over Rs. 5000 Crores for apple procurement in Valley

• Mobiles to be opened in all districts of Jammu, Kupwara

  Srinagar, Aug 28 (IANS) The Jammu and Kashmir government of will fill 50000 vacancies in various government departments in the next few months. This was announced by Governor Satya Pal Malik at a Press Conference held at Raj Bhavan today.

   

  He urged the youth to come forward and participate actively in this recruitment process as this would be the largest single recruitment drive ever in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.

  He further announced that his government is working with various Central agencies to put together a scheme to provide a minimum support price for the apple crop in the state and that NAFED was willing to commit over Rs 5,000 Crores for procuring over 50 percent of apple production of the State. This would benefit over 7 lakh apple farmers.

  The Governor also announced that in order to provide relief to the people, it had been decided to open up mobile phones in all 10 districts of Jammu (barring one location) and that mobile phones would also be made functional in the entire revenue district of Kupwara and Handwara Police districts in the Kashmir valley.

  The government has already announced opening of landline connections in the Kashmir valley.

  Referring to the recent situation in the Valley, the Governor mentioned that a number of important decisions had recently been taken regarding Jammu and Kashmir. He observed that these decisions are historic and will open new vistas for the growth of all three regions - Jammu, Kashmir & Ladakh.

  The Governor mentioned that the decisions were taken keeping the interests of the people of Jammu & Kashmir in mind and to ensure that they benefit from the rapid economic growth happening in the rest of the country. He however assured the people that the Government would take every step to ensure that the heritage, language and identity of the region would be preserved and protected and that no assault of any kind would be allowed on its culture.

  The Governor also announced that restoration of normalcy and deepening of democracy remained the government's priority and as a first step, elections to Block Development Councils would be conducted and completed before the end of October.

  He said that keeping in view the magnitude of the decisions that were taken, it was necessary to ensure that there is no loss of human life and that peace and public order are maintained. However, there had been a constant endeavour to relax restrictions as quickly as possible and that as of now 81 out of 111 police stations in the Kashmir had already got day time relaxations and further relaxations would be considered in the days to come. He also observed that schools are also being gradually opened up and that over 3,000 primary schools and 1,000 middle schools are open and efforts would be made to gradually open up more.