PM in J&K, discusses peace, development

In what could be his last visit to the state as Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, arrived on a two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday afternoon during which he is scheduled to address Indian Science Congress (ISC) at Jammu University on Monday.

An official spokesman said the prime minister was received at Jammu Airport by Governor N N Vohra, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand and other senior politicians and bureaucrats of the state. He went straight to Raj Bhavan.

Reports said tight security arrangements had been made across Jammu city for the prime minister’s visit. Police and paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) had erected barricades at several places carrying out thorough checking of vehicles. On Airport road, police had erected several barricades. 

However, commuters faced a tough time during the prime minister’s arrival as the traffic on the roads, remained halted for around one hour on Airport Road, reports added. On Monday the Prime Minister is expected to inaugurate the ISC in sprawling lawns of Jammu University. A total of 8,000 delegates besides Vice-President Hamid Ansari, former president APJ Abdul Kalam, Nobel laureates Y Lee and Ferid Murad are expected to take part in the Congress, which will be held from February 3 to 7. 

During his last visit to the state on June 26, 2013, the prime minister had inaugurated a train service between Qazigund in Kashmir and Banihal in Jammu. The track provides an all-weather surface link to the Valley that often gets cut off from rest of the country in the winter due to heavy snowfall.

The latest visit to the state can be Singh’s last as prime minister as recently he announced that he would step down after elections in April-May. 

Meanwhile, sources said: “Omar briefed Prime Minister about the peace and development scenario prevailing in the State. The chief minister also apprised the prime minister of the achievements registered by the coalition government during the last five years in the State.”