SRINAGAR, Feb 26: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said peace is crucial to development and the villages once known for conflict are now emerging as tourist destinations.
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The Chief Minister while addressing the 21st convocation of the University of Kashmir here said that the development requires the oxygen of peace.
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He said that his Government’s primary objective is to provide you with a transparent, democratic, and stable environment.
Omar said while the tourism sector in Jammu and Kashmir is beginning to realise its true potential, it cannot rely solely on the natural beauty of resorts like Gulmarg or Pahalgam.
“We are pioneering border tourism, villages like Keran, Gurez and Teetwal – once synonymous with conflict, are now symbols of connection. We are working with the Union Government to develop nine new destinations to ensure that the benefits of tourism reach the last mile,” he said.
The Chief Minister urged people to protect the environment as glaciers are receding and winters are changing.
“That is why we are investing in sustainable infrastructure, whether it is the use of artificial snow technology to save our ski season in Gulmarg, or the promotion of eco-tents over concrete hotels,” he said.
Omar emphasised that tourism of tomorrow should not destroy the nature of today. “I call upon the environmental science graduates here, help us create a green standard for Kashmiri hospitality,” he said.
The Chief Minister said his Government is committed to three tenets – meritocracy, sustainability, and digital sovereignty. “Through reforms in the recruitment process, we want to ensure that recommendation is replaced by qualification,” he added.
Omar said our daughters were our most powerful asset against poverty and instability.
“Out of almost 60,000 degrees or medals being awarded today, over 60 per cent are being earned by our daughters. We have moved from women’s welfare to women-led development,” he said.
The Chief Minister said they (women) were not just the future of their families, but the architects of society. “Your brilliance is the gold medal J&K wears today,” he said.
Omar said the people of J&K are defined by their resilience. “For too long, our economy was viewed through a narrow lens. We were ‘just tourism’ or ‘just agriculture’. But in 2026, we are becoming a hub for innovation and participatory governance. We have faced the trauma of 2025, and the economic setbacks that followed. But, like seeds that must endure the darkness of the soil to become a tree, our resilience has defined us,” he added.
The Chief Minister called upon science and IT graduates of the university to work on apps for real-time pest detection in orchards, and blockchain technology for traceability so that even buyers from New York may know that the saffron they purchase is truly from Pampore.
“This is the saffron and silicon vision. We are turning J&K into a data-friendly zone, with our naturally cool climate, we are the ideal destination for green data centres. We want our youth to be job providers and not just job seekers,” he said.
Omar said the Government is working on restructuring the industrial policy to incentivise knowledge-based industries.
The Chief Minister also said the mental health of the youth must not go ignored. “Our society has walked a path of immense stress and trauma. To the graduates of psychology and social work, your degree is a healing touch. My Government is expanding district level counselling through mission youth, but we need you to destigmatise the conversation.” he added.
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