Centre committed to building developed, prosperous J&K: Home Minister Amit Shah
Jammu, Feb 7: Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah said on Saturday that the Centre was committed to a developed and prosperous Jammu and Kashmir.
Chairing a review meeting in Jammu to assess the progress of development projects in J&K, Home Minister Shah said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Government of India (GoI) remains firmly committed to the vision of building a developed and prosperous Jammu and Kashmir.
The meeting was attended by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, and senior officials from both the central government and the J&K government.
During the meeting, the Home Minister undertook a comprehensive review of key sectors like road infrastructure, power, industry, tourism, 4G, and optical fibre connectivity.
He said that due to the continuous and dedicated efforts being made by the PM-led Modi government to accelerate development, the development projects in J&K had made unprecedented progress.
Home Minister Shah said that J&K needs to develop the full potential of its hydropower projects.
He said that special focus should be laid on achieving 100 percent saturation of the governmentís welfare schemes and ensuring that the benefits of all development projects reach the intended beneficiaries.
The Home Minister said that the enthusiasm of tourists from across the country to visit J&K had not diminished.
He said that there was a need for aggressive marketing of J&Kís tourist destinations in other states of the country to explore the tourism potential available here.
Home Minister Shah said that the Centre would provide all possible assistance in the plan to develop new tourist destinations in J&K.
He said that focus should be given to developing sports infrastructure and establishing sports academies to connect youth with development.
ìIn this regard, efforts will be made to secure an investment of about Rs 200 crore by engaging with various sports bodies,î the Home Minister said.
He said that efforts should be made to promote the dairy sector in J&K through the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB).
Home Minister Shah said that marking a significant step, J&K has been brought under the ambit of the Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) scheme for the first time in FY 2025-26, enabling access to 50-year interest-free loans for capital projects.
He said that strengthened fiscal discipline would assist in stabilising J&Kís fiscal deficit over time.
The Home Minister said that India was steadily progressing towards the goal of ëViksit Bharatí by 2047, marking 100 years of independence, and the Centre would continue to extend wholehearted support to J&K in pursuit of this goal.
He said his visit highlights the Centreís firm resolve to make the development, peace, and security of J&K a foremost national priority.
