Jammu: Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of 263 development projects worth Rs.1960 crore in Jammu today.
A statement issued by Press Information Bureau (PIB) said that these include the inauguration of 82 projects of around Rs 500 crore and foundation stone laying of 181 projects of around Rs 1460 crore.
Speaking on the occasion, Amit Shah said that the country can never forget the contributions of Shri Syama Prasad Mookerjee and Shri Premnath Dogra because if it were not for the two of them, Jammu &Kashmir would never have had a permanent association with India.
He said that Syama Prasad Mookerjee was the first person to sacrifice his life for abolishing the Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and the strong movement led by Shri Premnath Dogra on the issue had shaken the government in the region.
He said, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken forward the movement led by these two great personalities to its logical end.
The Union Home Minister said that due to the rule of three families, Jammu and Kashmir had been left far behind other states in terms of development, but after 2014, Prime Minister Modi has ensured that Jammu and Kashmir is developed and move together with other states of the country.
The Home Minister said that today people in Jammu and Kashmir have 24 hours power supply in their homes and this is a big change. He said that democracy becomes strong only when the people welcome the change.
The Union Home Minister said that 14 projects of Urban Development Department costing Rs 31 crore, construction of 48 roads costing Rs 402 crore, Jal Jeevan Mission costing Rs 168 crore and 41 schemes worth Rs 1112 crore have been launched to connect every village of Jammu with road. He said that about 77 lakh cards under Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana have been issued. Under the Saubhagya scheme, Prime Minister Narendra Mod has worked to provide electricity to 8 lakh 57 thousand such houses where electricity was not available even after 75 years of independence.
He said that this journey of development is an answer to those who used to ask what has happened after the abrogation of Article 370. He said that it is a great achievement to have one thousand PACS in Jammu and Kashmir because it is beneficial for farmers. He said that those who want development have faith in the developmental journey, while those who are involved in corruption have nothing to do with development.
The Home Minister said that for the first time, it is Prime Minister Modi, who has worked to recognize Kashmiri, Dogri, Urdu and Hindi as official languages because if the language of governance is local then the administration becomes more accountable.
The Union Home Minister said that under the Prime Minister’s Development Package, about 63 projects have been initiated in Jammu at a cost of Rs.80,000 crore.
The work of Kiru Project in Hydro Power Electricity at a cost of Rs 4,287 crore is under progress. Work on the Kar scheme worth Rs 4,633 crore , Rs 2,793 crore for Shahpur Kundi and the Rs 11,908 crore Poonch power project will start soon.
“We do not make empty promises, but want to end corruption and terrorism and ensure that Jammu and Kashmir reaches top position in the race for development in the country,” he said.
Several dignitaries including the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha, Union Minister Jitendra Singh and the Union Home Secretary were present on the occasion.
