DP World says committed to realise true biz potential of J&K through improved market connectivity

DP World Dubai, one of the leading logistic companies, on Monday said it was committee to connect Jammu and Kashmir to rest of India and the world in terms of logistical services to realise the true business potential of the region. "We are committed to connect Jammu and Kashmir to the rest of India. We know how to do that, we know the obstacles," Chairman and CEO DP World Dubai Sultan Ahmad Bin Sulayem told reporters here.

Sulayem said the investments by his firm will be part of the 'Make in India' initiative and many products will come out of Kashmir to reach the world.

"This country is beautiful and this region has vast potential. There are many products like carpets which i have seen and are best in the world, there are agricultural products as well," he said while talking about the products that had potential to be marketed globally.

Sulayem said the problem was that products need markets.

"While there is need for soft solutions like apps, there is need for hard solutions like investments and well. The solutions will allow the producer to put his projects in the market due in no time through ports and airports," he said.

System said he has been informed that the Srinagar airport is going international from 23rd October "which is a big plus" point.

Briefing the reporters, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said the Government of Dubai and the Government of Jammu Kashmir have entered into an agreement, which will help the Union Territory to scale new heights in industrialization and sustainable growth.

"Today is an important day for the developmental journey of the UT of Jammu Kashmir. My deepest gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for unprecedented development of Jammu and Kashmir. This MoU reaffirms our commitment to build Aatmanirbhar Jammu Kashmir," he said.

Sinha said, under the MoU, investments will come in for development of industrial parks, IT towers, real estate, multipurpose towers, logistics and healthcare infrastructure like medical college and super-speciality hospital.

Sinha said the government is committed to develop a new industrial culture in Jammu and Kashmir.

"This MoU is about Jammu Kashmir's prospect and I am confident it will set the pace in the business sector of the future that are key to the prosperity of the people," he added.

Union Minister for Industries and Commerce Piyush Goyal was also present on this occasion.

Goyal said the world had belief in India and that the country will play an important role in global trade in the future.

"This MoU between the Dubai government and Jammu and Kashmir administration is an example of that belief," the minister said.

Goyal said this MoU was the first step and it will be followed by people from around the world coming to Jammu and Kashmir to invest.

However, the Lieutenant Governor ended the press conference abruptly when he was asked about the impact of killing of non-local labourers by terrorists in the labour intensive sectors and investments proposed in the MoU with the Dubai government.

Thousands of skilled and unskilled labourers come to Kashmir every year in February and March to work mainly in the construction sector. However, there have been targeted killings of these labourers over the past 10 days as ultras have shot dead five of them.