All-round Development of People of J&K Modi Govt's Top Priority, Says Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said all-round development and welfare of the people of Jammu and Kashmir is the top priority of the Narendra Modi government. In a three-hour-long meeting with top national security officials, he reiterated that there should be zero tolerance towards terrorism in the union territory.

Shah said that no complacency should be shown as far as dealing with terrorists and terror groups are concerned. The meeting, attended by top officials, including NSA Ajit Doval, CRPF DG Kuldeep Singh, R&AW chief Samant Kumar Goel, IB chief Arvind Kumar and Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla, was held to review development projects in Jammu and Kashmir.

“The Home Minister said no complacency should be shown in dealing with terrorism,” an official aware of the proceedings of the security review meeting told News18.

There was a widespread speculation that security matter related to this year’s Amarnath Yatra was also on the discussion table, but, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said any decision on the matter is yet to be taken. “It is important to save lives,” he said when asked about the annual pilgrimage yatra in a reference to ongoing Covid-19 situation. It is to be noted here that the yatra was made symbolic last year due to the pandemic.

Other than security, the Union Home Minister appreciated the 90 per cent reach of various central government schemes in Jammu and Kashmir and complimented Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and his team for covering 76 per cent of the population under the Covid-19 vaccination drive, including 100 per cent in four districts.

Shah also impressed upon officials for speedy completion of the Prime Minister’s development package, flagship and iconic projects and industrial development projects, an official statement reads. He directed to ensure the benefits of the refugee package to all the refugees from Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, West Pakistan and those who had to migrate from Kashmir to Jammu at the earliest. “We have done better than before on most of the development parameters but home minister emphasized the need to do more,” Sinha told the media after the meeting.

Shah directed starting of the 3000 MW Pakal Dul and Keeru hydroelectric projects and fast-tracking of other such projects. For strengthening of Panchayati Raj Institutions and Urban Local Bodies, he directed officials to immediately organise training for the members, making proper sitting arrangements for them and providing equipment and other resources to the personnel for smooth functioning of these bodies.

Along with this, Shah also directed the panchayat members to visit various parts of the country so that they can get information about the working of developed panchayats of the country. He stressed on increasing the scope of MGNREGA to provide employment to more and more people. At the same time, he spoke about the use of modern techniques in agriculture to increase the income of farmers and to set up at least one agro-based industry in each district. He also said that work should be done to increase the quality and density of apple production in Jammu and Kashmir, so that apple growers will receive maximum price for the crop.

Shah has also directed the Jammu and Kashmir administration to ensure that all farmers are provided benefits of schemes being implemented for farmers, such as Pradhan Mantri Kisan Yojana, under which Rs 6,000 is deposited annually directly into the accounts of farmers, and Kisan Credit Card Yojna, etc. He said that it should be ensured that the benefits of the industrial policy reach small-scale industries.

He appreciated efforts for providing employment to youth and institutional reforms like geo-tagging of all development works that are put in public domain, purchasing through Government e-Marketplace (GeM) and direct deposit of money into bank accounts of almost hundred percent beneficiaries of Gram Swaraj, social security and other individual beneficiary schemes.

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