New era of peace, security in J&K under PM Modi, LG Sinha: Home Minister

Jammu, Jan 25: Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah Thursday reiterated that J&K was witnessing a new era of peace and security under the leadership of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, following the abrogation of Article 370.

“Organised strikes, stone-pelting resulting in loss of lives…-all are the things of the past. Present is beautiful, enjoying the dividends of peace. Wind of change is blowing all across J&K and no sector has remained untouched. Post abrogation of Article 370, new, empowered Jammu and Kashmir, brimming with confidence, is taking a shape; steadily moving to the path of peace, progress and security, contrary to the perception of naysayers who predicted doom and still could see no change. I reassure you, J&K’s forward march to development will remain unhindered,” he said.

Union Home Minister was addressing the gathering at Jammu Convention Centre virtually from New Delhi after launching e-bus service in Jammu and distributing 1194 appointment letters among the candidates selected through Jammu & Kashmir Combined Examination-2024 and those selected for compassionate appointment.

In Jammu, the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha graced the occasion along with other dignitaries.

POSITIVE CHANGES IN J&K POST ART 370

Referring to changes witnessed by J&K, post Article 370, Shah said that the Union Territory was passing through a phase of change.

“Instead of terrorism, bomb blasts, firing, stone pelting and strikes, it is witnessing a new dawn which can be defined by studies, schools, colleges, upcoming institutions, industries and infrastructure, with the active support of J&K people, mainly youth,” Shah said, while giving sole credit to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his unwavering efforts to bring this “new era of peace and security in Jammu & Kashmir.”

“For those who say that nothing has changed, I reiterate that after the abrogation of Article 370, there has been a 70 percent decline in terrorism-related incidents; 81 percent dip in civilian deaths and a 48 percent decline in the death of security forces. There were 2654 incidents of organized stone pelting in 2010, which were reduced to zero in 2023. Similarly, there were 132 incidents of organized strikes in 2010, while not a single incident took place in 2023. In 2010, 112 civilians died and 6235 sustained injuries in stone pelting, in 2023 not a single civilian died and the number of civilians injured is also zero today,” he said.

The Union Home Minister asserted that the Modi government was strictly cracking down on terror financing and was sealing and freezing assets of terrorists. “Several terrorist organizations have been banned,” he said, adding that the Prime Minister changed J&K, which would be identified with terrorism in the past, into a “tourism hub.”

“In the coming days, under the leadership of Prime Minister, Jammu & Kashmir will continue to move ahead on the path of development at the same pace because now the youth here are taking computers in their hands instead of stones and are becoming intrinsic part of growth story of not just J&K and but entire country,” he exuded optimism.

JOBS BEING GIVEN PURELY ON MERIT ON BASIS OF EXAMS REPLACING “RECOMMENDATION SLIPS” MODE

While referring to 209 successful candidates of Jammu and Kashmir Combined Examination-2024 batch who also received their appointment letters from him virtually, Shah took a jibe at the previous regimes. “Gone are the days when jobs would be procured by the youth on the basis of recommendation slips by ministers or other political persons ignoring merit. But now merit has replaced “Recommendation slips” mode of the years gone by,” he said.

“From today a new beginning is being made in the lives of these officers and their thinking at this point of time will help in paving the way for their entire life. Due to the transparent system under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's regime, these officers have got these jobs on the basis of merit. Now jobs are provided not on the basis of recommendation slip but on the basis of examination papers. Earlier it was impossible to get a job without political recommendation or corruption, now the recruitment process has become transparent,” Shah said.

209 successful candidates of Jammu and Kashmir Combined Examination-2024 batch include 96 officers of the Jammu & Kashmir Administrative Service; 63 officers of Account Gazette Service and 50 officers of Police Service.

885 people also received appointment letters under compassionate appointment. “After the abrogation of Article 370 and 35A since August 2019, 34,440 vacancies have been filled out of which 24,000 have been filled by Jammu & Kashmir Service Selection Board; 3900 by Jammu & Kashmir Public Service Commission; 2637 by Jammu & Kashmir Police and 2436 by Jammu & Kashmir Bank. There was no scope for corruption in filling these appointments,” he said.

FRESH DELIMITATION UNDERWAY TO GIVE DUE RIGHTS TO DEPRIVED

Referring to “National Voters Day”, which was observed today, the Home Minister exhorted all the eligible youth to register their names in the electoral rolls; become part of the democratic process and strengthen democracy in India and Jammu & Kashmir.

He said that fresh delimitation was underway in J&K to ensure reservation for the deprived people so that they could enjoy their due rights.

“Earlier democracy was reduced to a mockery in J&K by select-few. Our country functions in a democratic system and its smallest unit is the voter of the country. After Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister, Panchayat elections were held in Jammu & Kashmir in 2018 in which 74 percent voting took place, Block Development Council elections were held in October 2019 in which 98 percent voting was recorded and 3650 Sarpanches were elected in 4483 constituencies. Thus, the Modi government gave an opportunity to 35,000 Panchs, Sarpanchs and public representatives of local bodies to work and become part of democratic framework,” he said.

100 E-BUSES TO ADDRESS COMMUTING, ENVIRONMENT ISSUES

Union Home Minister, while dedicating 100 fully air-conditioned e-buses to the people of Jammu, said that this project encompassed the operation and maintenance of these buses for 12 years at a cost of Rs 561 Cr.

Of these, 25 buses are 12 meters long and 75 buses are 9 meters long. They will also ply from Jammu to Katra, Kathua, Udhampur besides Jammu city and its outskirts.

“Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has spread environmental awareness throughout the world and best steps in this direction have been taken in India. Central government has implemented schemes for e-buses in the entire country and under the same measure, Jammu is getting 100 e-buses today,” he said.

“This move will offer reliable, comfortable, economical and durable public transport facilities for the people of Jammu. These buses will not only remove the commuting problems of the people in the coming days, but will also be very useful from the environmental point of view,” he said.

J&K’S ECONOMIC, DEVELOPMENT GROWTH TRAJECTORY POST ARTICLE 370

He said that investment of Rs 297 Cr came to J&K in 2019-20, which increased to Rs 2153 Cr in 2022-23.

“Along with this, an investment of Rs 6000 Cr is in the pipeline. GSDP was Rs one lakh Cr in 2014-15, which increased more than 2 times to Rs 2,27,927 Cr in 2022-23,” Shah said.

He reiterated, “Earlier, there were 94 colleges in Jammu & Kashmir, today there are 147, earlier there were no IIM, IIT, and AIIMS, today IIM, IIT, and two AIIMS have been established. Similarly, there were 4 medical colleges, now 7 new medical colleges have been established. There was not even a single nursing college, today there are 15 nursing colleges, medical seats were 500, now they have increased to 1300. PG seats were 367, now 300 more seats have been added and 3000 nursing seats have also been increased.”

Shah also enlisted development projects underway and completed in the past few years.

According to him, 173 projects have been completed here under the Smart City Mission and homes to 1,45,000 people have been allocated within a very short period from 2019 to 2024. “The work of providing tap water to the houses of 13 lakh people has been done and along with this, the entire health expenses of up to Rs 5 lakh of 82 lakh people are being borne by the Government of India and the Government of Jammu & Kashmir. Earlier only 60 services were online in Jammu & Kashmir, which has now increased to 1102, due to which corruption has been curbed. Earlier the number of players in Jammu & Kashmir was less than 2 lakhs, which has now increased to more than 60 lakhs,” Union Home Minister said.