Jammu: Union Home Minister Amit Shah reviewed the progress of development projects in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, highlighting the need to utilise the full potential of hydropower projects in the Union Territory.
Chairing a high-level review meeting at the Lok Bhawan here, Shah said under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, the Centre is firmly committed to the vision of building a developed and prosperous Jammu and Kashmir.
The meeting continued for nearly two hours and was attended by Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, Chief Secretary of the Union Territory Atal Dulloo and Director General of Police (DGP) Nalin Prabhat, among others, officials said.
“Due to the continuous and dedicated efforts of the Modi government to accelerate development, the development projects in Jammu and Kashmir have made unprecedented progress. Jammu and Kashmir needs to develop the full potential of its hydropower projects,” the home minister said.
Shah arrived here late on Thursday evening and kicked off his two-day visit to the region by touring the forward outposts of the Border Security Force (BSF) at Gurnam and Bobiyian along the International Border in Kathua district on Friday.
On his return from Kathua, he chaired a security review meeting, which, among others, was attended by Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi, with a focus on freeing Jammu and Kashmir from terrorism.
During the meeting on projects, Shah undertook a comprehensive review of key sectors, such as road infrastructure, power, industry, tourism, 4G and optical-fibre connectivity.
He said a special focus should be laid on achieving 100 per cent saturation of the government’s welfare schemes and ensuring that the benefits of all development projects reach the intended beneficiaries.
The home minister stressed the importance of developing sports infrastructure and setting up sports academies to connect youngsters with development.
“In this regard, efforts will be made to secure an investment of about Rs 200 crore by engaging with various sports bodies,” he said.
Shah also said efforts should be made to promote the dairy sector in Jammu and Kashmir through the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB).
Marking a significant step, Jammu and Kashmir has been brought under the ambit of the Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) scheme for the first time in Financial Year 2025-26, enabling access to 50-year interest-free loans for capital projects.
Shah underlined that strong fiscal discipline would assist in stabilising the Union Territory’s fiscal deficit over time.
“India is steadily progressing towards the goal of Viksit Bharat by 2047, marking 100 years of Independence, and the government will continue to extend wholehearted support to Jammu and Kashmir in the pursuit of this goal,” he said.
Shah’s visit highlights the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Centre’s firm resolve to make Jammu and Kashmir’s development, peace and security a foremost national priority, an official spokesperson said.
During his two-day tour, the home minister met the families of several police personnel who were killed fighting terrorism and handed over job letters to them.
A BJP delegation also called on the home minister on Friday.
“I held meetings in Jammu with the state office-bearers and MLAs and MPs of Jammu and Kashmir BJP. The BJP will continue working to ensure the ground-level reach of Modiji’s development initiatives, while expanding the organisation to realise the vision of a developed Jammu and Kashmir, a secure Jammu and Kashmir,” Shah said in a post in Hindi on X.
Amid a setback to the tourism industry due to last year’s Pahalgam terror attack, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Saturday that the enthusiasm of tourists from across the country to visit Jammu and Kashmir has not diminished.
Shah was addressing a review meeting in Jammu to assess the progress of development projects in the Union Territory.
“The enthusiasm of tourists from across the country to visit Jammu and Kashmir has not diminished. There is a need for aggressive marketing of Jammu and Kashmir’s tourist destinations in other states to explore the tourism potential available here,” he said.
Shah said the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Centre will provide all possible assistance in the plan to develop new tourist destinations in Jammu and Kashmir.
Pakistani terrorists affiliated with the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) targeted tourists at the famous south Kashmir hill resort of Pahalgam on April 22 last year, killing 26 people and dealing a severe setback to the tourism industry in Jammu and Kashmir.
