During his first visit to J&K on Sunday since the abrogation of Article 370, Prime Minister Narendra Modi came with a treasure trove of developmental packages for the people of the union territory.
Modi laid the foundation of developmental projects worth over £2 billion as he rightly told the mammoth gathering at Palli village in Samba district, “I am here with a message of development. To give speed to development in J&K, projects worth over £2 billion have been inaugurated today.”
During the visit, Modi also launched the ‘Amrit Sarovar Mission’ and transferred the amount of the National Panchayat Award into the bank accounts of the winning Panchayats. He laid the foundation stone of the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway and inaugurated the 500KW Solar Power Plant at Palli village along with 108 Jan Aushadhi Kendras in J&K. He also laid the foundation stones for the 850 MW Ratle Hydroelectric Project & 540 MW Kwar Hydroelectric Project to be constructed on the Chenab river in Kishtwar District.
The Prime Minister inaugurated the Amrit Sarovar initiative, which marks a special moment in the collective endeavours to rejuvenate water bodies. Under this initiative, 75 water bodies will be developed and rejuvenated in each district.
Promise to its youth
PM Modi told the youth that they won't face hardships their parents and grandparents suffered for want of opportunities and infrastructure. “The youth of the Valley mark my words that you will not face the difficulties faced by your parents and grandparents. This I will accomplish and I have come to assure you that,” the PM said in Palli village where he addressed more than 30,000 elected rural representatives of J&K as well as the nation on the occasion of Panchayati Raj Day.
The PM said the celebration of Panchayati Raj Day in J&K “marks a big change” as it is proof “that democracy has reached the grassroots”. He expressed satisfaction that panchayat and district body elections were conducted peacefully for the first time in J&K in 2020. He defended the abrogation of J&K’s special status under Article 370 and 35-A, saying his government has implemented almost 200 central laws and the Panchayati Raj system for the people who were “deprived” of these benefits before. He pointed out that people in J&K’s villages, women, the poor and deprived sections of society are the biggest beneficiaries of central schemes for LPG, toilets, electricity, cheap or free healthcare, land rights and water connections.
Modi said J&K will write a new chapter of success in the next 25 years, which will be the “amrit kaal” of Indian independence. The youth of the region will get employment with the rapid pace of development, he said. “Local youth of Palli will get jobs. I met panchayat representatives, heard them out, their dreams and mission. They showed me what ‘sab ka prayas’ actually means.”
He also talked about the removal of anomalies in reservation clauses. “I feel proud that after 75 years, people from Valmiki Samaj are equal to any other citizen of India. These people suffered a lot.”
