Says UT Touching New Heights Of Development, Breathing Freely After Article 370 Abrogation

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir is touching new heights of development and breathing freely after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said here on Thursday.
Addressing a public rally, Modi also accused the Congress of misguiding not only the people of Jammu and Kashmir, but the entire nation on Article 370 for a long time.
The prime minister extended his “advance wishes” for the upcoming holy month of Ramzan and Maha Shivratri, which falls on Friday.
“Jammu and Kashmir is touching new heights of development after the abrogation of Article 370. Jammu and Kashmir is touching new heights of development today because it is breathing freely. Jammu and Kashmir has broken the shackles after abrogation of Article 370,” he said at the rally named as ‘Viksit Bharat Viksit Jammu Kashmir’ at the Bakshi stadium here.
It was Modi’s first visit to Kashmir since the Centre abrogated the special status given to the erstwhile state and bifurcated it into two Union territories — Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh on August 5, 2019.
After inaugurating development projects worth nearly Rs 5,000 crore for boosting the agri-economy in the Union territory, Modi said he was “elated to be among the wonderful people of Srinagar”.
“The development projects being dedicated today will boost the development of Jammu and Kashmir. A developed Jammu and Kashmir is the priority for a developed India,” he said.
Describing Jammu and Kashmir as the crown of the country, the prime minister said the path to building a developed Jammu and Kashmir will emerge from tourism possibilities and empowerment of farmers.
“Jammu and Kashmir is not just a region but India’s head. A head held high is the symbol of development and honour. That is why a developed Jammu and Kashmir is the priority of a developed India,” he said.
Modi said the power of development, tourism possibilities, empowerment of farmers and the leadership of the youth of Jammu and Kashmir will lay the foundation in building a developed Jammu and Kashmir.
He also asked non-resident Indians to send at least five family members to tour the country under ‘Chalo India’ programme.
With the Lok Sabha elections round the corner, there was renewed political interests among opposition parties about the possibility of an announcement on assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir by the Election Commission. However, the prime minister did not mention anything about polls.
Among the projects the prime minister launched include tourism sector worth more than Rs 1,400 crore under the “Swadesh Darshan” and “PRASHAD” (Pilgrimage Rejuvenation And Spiritual, Heritage Augmentation Drive) schemes and a project for the integrated development of the Hazratbal shrine in Srinagar.
He also launched the “Dekho Apna Desh People’s Choice Tourist Destination Poll” and the “Chalo India Global Diaspora” campaign as well, besides announcing tourist destinations selected under the Challenge-Based Destination Development scheme.
Modi distributed appointment letters to nearly 1,000 newly-recruited government employees in Jammu and Kashmir and also interacted with the beneficiaries of various central schemes, including women achievers, farmers and entrepreneurs.
One of the projects launched — the “Chalo India Global Diaspora Campaign” — aims at inspiring the Indian diaspora to become Incredible India ambassadors and promote tourism in India.
The campaign is being launched based on the clarion call of the prime minister, wherein he requested Indian diaspora members to encourage at least five non-Indian friends to travel to India.
With more than three crore overseas Indians, the Indian diaspora can serve as a powerful catalyst for Indian tourism, acting as cultural ambassadors, officials said.

PM Takes Selfie With Kashmiri Youth, Calls Him ‘Friend’
Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a selfie with Kashmiri youth Nazim Nazeer and also referred to him as a “friend”.
Nazeer, who has set up a successful beekeeping unit, was one of the few achievers selected to interact with Modi after his public rally at the Bakshi stadium here. During their interaction, he expressed his wish for taking a selfie with Modi.
The prime minister later posted a tweet along with the selfie with Nazeer.
“A memorable selfie with my friend Nazim. I was impressed by the good work he’s doing. At the public meeting he requested a selfie and was happy to meet him. My best wishes for his future endeavours,” Modi wrote on X.
While lauding the efforts of the young boy from Pulwama district, Modi said he has brought a “sweet revolution” in the beekeeping sector.
“We have heard of green revolution and white revolution but you have brought about sweet revolution,” Modi said after listening to Nazeer’s story.
Nazeer said he started his beekeeping venture with two boxes as a hobby but soon availed a government scheme to increase the number of boxes to 25.
“The first extraction was 75 kg which earned me Rs 60,000. I took a PMEGP loan of Rs 5 lakh and added 200 boxes. The yield was good and through online marketing, we sold around 5000 kg of honey,” he said.
He said he has now increased the number of boxes to 2000 and added 100 more youths to his beekeeping venture.
“We got FPO membership in 2023. Now we earn Rs 1 lakh per stall at different exhibitions,” he added.
Modi suggested that Nazeer should use online resources to study how beekeepers in Central Asia were using different crops for rearing bees so that they get different flavours of honey.
Central Asia honey is different, study it online. They rear bees in different crops for different flavours, he told Nazeer.
Modi cited the example of Uttarakhand saying this was successful in the Himalayan state.
“You are giving direction to the youth of the country. You are becoming the strength of the country. I thank you,” Modi said.
He also interacted with an all-girls group who set up their own bakery after undergoing a course in food technology.
“We belong to lower middle class families. We were passionate about the bakery. When we got admitted in the food technology course, we got our opportunity,” Ehtisam Majeed Bhat, a Srinagar resident, said.
Asked about the challenges faced by the group in setting up their unit and how the government schemes helped them, Bhat said it was not easy for them to get all the clearances earlier.
“However, the single window clearance set up after 2019 helped us in getting NOCs in one go,” she said.
Modi lauded her for not only taking care of her sisters but linking her friends with her in her self employment venture.
“My best wishes to you and I assure you that the government will provide all possible support to your efforts,” he added. (Agencies)

KR Desk