Reaching out to the youth of Jammu and Kashmir, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday promised them that they would never face the hardships in life with which their parents and grandparents had to live.
On his first official visit to Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, he said the Union Territory (UT) will write a new story of development in the next 25 years.
“I promise that the youth of J&K won’t see hardships and sufferings seen by their parents and grandparents,” Modi thundered from the stage at Pali Panchayat block in Samba district of Jammu region.
He added that with the inauguration of Rs 20,000 crore worth of projects today related to connectivity and electricity, local youth will get jobs.
The PM said this year’s Panchayati Raj Day, being celebrated in J&K marks a big change. “It is a matter of great pride that when democracy has reached grass-root level in J&K, I am interacting with you all from here,” he said and added that Pali panchayat village will be the first Carbon-neutral Panchayat of the UT.
“Today, I met Panchayat representatives. Heard them, their dreams and mission. I felt happy after seeing their commitment towards development. Today, Panchayat representatives showed me what ‘Sab Ka Prayas’ actually is,” the PM said.
In J&K, there are over 30,000 panchayat representatives who are running governance-related affairs. “For the first time, peaceful three-tier panchayat elections were held in J&K,” he said. “Past two years have seen development in J&K. Almost 200 new laws were extended to J&K and empowered people of this place.”
“Today, sons and daughters of every section of society are able to fulfill their dreams. Those who did not get the benefit of reservation in Jammu and Kashmir for many years, now they are also getting the benefit of reservation,” the PM said while referring to the abrogation of Article 370 which granted special status to the erstwhile state.
“The most benefit reached out to Dalits, women, children and downtrodden of J&K. I feel proud, today after 75 years Walmiki Samaj people are equal to any other citizen of India. These people suffered a lot (but) got freedom after 75 years of India’s independence,” Modi added.
He said that now the central government schemes were being implemented rapidly in J&K which is directly benefiting the villages of the UT.
“There was a time when it used to take two to three weeks for a government file from Delhi to reach Jammu and Kashmir. I am happy that today a 500 kW solar power plant has reached here within just three weeks and started generating electricity,” he added.
The PM said he met a delegation of business leaders from the Gulf and they are quite enthusiastic about J&K. “Corruption is being crushed by the clean administration which has raised the confidence of investors,” he said.
Modi said his government’s focus was on connectivity. “Be it connectivity in terms of language or infrastructure or facilities. The day is not far away when the Devi of Kanyakumari will meet Vaishno Devi with a single road,” he said.
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