Art 370 gone, focus shifts to development in J&K
07 Aug 2019
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The central government is reported be planning some major Infrastructure related announcements in Jammu and Kashmir after abrogating Article 370, which gave special status to the state and barred people and businesses from rest of India.
With the abrogation of Article 370, the laws and provisions that barred people from rest of India from buying land and settling down in the Jammu and Kashmir has gone and businesses can now hope to start operations in the state.
Also, with the proposed reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir. Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir will be made into union territories, making central investments in the region all the more easier.
A Zee Media report said the PMO has asked concerned ministries to prepare a detailed list of infra projects that can be started in Jammu and Kashmir.
The report, quoting sources in the railway ministry said all ongoing railway projects in the state will be completed in a time-bound manner. J&K chief secretary BVR Subramanyam has reportedly been asked to send the project report to the railway ministry every Monday by 11am.
With the Lok Sabha also on Tuesday passing the J&K reorganisation bill with a thumping 370 votes against 70 opposing it, all that remains for the bill to become law for the President to give his approval.
The bifurcation of J&K into two union territories will help to achieve the overall objective of peace, prosperity and progress.
Home minister Amit Shah, who piloted the bill, send a passionate message in Rajya Sabha on Monday, saying that the interest of people is paramount. He reiterated his commitment in Lok Sabha on Tuesday, saying that he is ready to hear the concerns of common Kashmiris but categorically refused to have any discussions with the Hurriyat. "Those who take inspiration from Pakistan, I will not hold any talks with them," he said.
Shah also went the extra mile to reassure that once the ground situation normalises, Jammu and Kashmir would return to being a state. He also withdrew the J&K Reservation Bill a day after he had introduced to extend 10 per cent reservation for the economically weaker people in the state.
Defending the bill, BJP member of Parliament from Ladakh, Jamyang Tsering Namgyal, said the time is now for Ladakh to come out of the shadows and it was possible because of PM Narendra Modi. PM Modi, in turn, appreciated how Namgyal had summed up the dreams and aspirations of the people in Ladakh.
With the reorganisation, India will get two new union territories - Jammu and Kashmir being the largest in terms of area – but with a legislature while Ladakh will be a union territory directly ruled by the centre.
The assembly in Jammu and Kashmir will now have a tenure of five years, instead of six, while there will be 107 MLAs. Of these, 24 seats will be vacant for the Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir.
“I want to assure the people of J&K that the status of state would be restored once the situation normalises. Secondly, PoK and Aksai Chin are an inalienable part of JK and the seats are still part of the legislature. J&K would have a legislative assembly with elected representatives and it is a misnomer that the administration would be run by the centre,” Shah assured the House.
For now, the governor will be replaced by Lt Governors for the two union territories.
In the meantime, the centre has directed the state administration to ensure that common people in the state do not face any hardship and that they be provided with essential food supplies.
No untoward incident has taken place anywhere in Jammu and Kashmir till now even though Pakistan violated ceasefire on Tuesday afternoon, only to be silenced by Indian forces.
Regarding troop deployment and no internet facilities in J&K currently, Shah said there was no reason other than preventing some nefarious elements from instigating violence in the state and no one can stop the government to take precautionary measures to ensure peace inside the country. He made it clear that the government would never talk with separatist elements and those who back cross border terrorism. The government would only talk with anyone once they are committed for peace and development in J&K.
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