Time gone when J&K’s admin was running at whims and fancies’ of some vested interests: LG Sinha

Jammu, Mar 1 (PTI) Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday said the time has gone when the administration was running at the “whims and fancies” of some people with vested interests.

He also said 20,000 vacant posts in the administration will be filled soon.

“Entire J&K administration is working towards the welfare of every common man. The time has gone when J&K’s administration was running at the whims and fancies of some handful of people with vested interests,” Sinha said without identifying such persons.

Addressing the foundation day celebration of Jammu Cluster University, he asked the educational institutions and students to collectively participate in the conduct of G20 meeting.

“Be the socio-cultural ambassadors of J&K and make the world aware of the diversity of Jammu and Kashmir,” the LG said, adding educational institutions should also dedicate themselves to actively provide solutions to local problems.

Congratulating the Cluster University for achieving excellence in quality education, Sinha said the university, established on this day in 2017 with five constituent colleges, is playing its role of a change agent, with focus on skill development and to transform the vibrant institutions as the centres of new ideas and discoveries.

Under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Jammu and Kashmir has emerged as the hub of education in the country, he said.

“Our agriculture universities are also going global. We must enable universities to contribute to India’s knowledge economy,” Sinha said, adding that all the educational institutions will have to keep pace with the evolving world.

He highlighted the important role of college campuses and classrooms in enriching the society, creating and nurturing the best talents and stressed upon the necessary changes in sync with the National Education Policy.

“The new invention will not be born out of memories of the past or books, but from a free mind, from a young mind full of curiosity. To make the curiosity, innovation, invention, lifeblood of academic institutions, we must implement recommendations of NEP,” he said.

Observing that innovation will be a major contributor to India’s USD 5 trillion economy, the Lt Governor asked the educational institutions to keep pace with digitalization and future technologies.

“We must remove the burden of textbooks and instill in young students the urge for new discoveries. We must give them courage and strength to explore the unknown and not just syllabus. We should provide them with academic freedom so that they get to know themselves and respect their own uniqueness,” he said.

The LG also spoke on the growth registered in various sectors including tourism, industries, livelihood generation, sports, and the measures taken to improve services for the people.