Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation , Shri Amit Shah inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of 84development projects of about Rs.586 crore in Srinagar, today.

In his address, Shri Amit Shah said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi,  a new milestone has been achieved in the development journey of Jammu and Kashmir today. He said that the foundation stone and inauguration of various development works of about Rs.586 crore have been done here today which will benefit about 22 lakh people and will make their daily life easier. Shri Shah said that when pure drinking water reaches a house, it not only removes the problem of the woman who has to fetch water from far away, but also bring a qualitative improvement in the health of the whole family. Similarly, 100 schools are being modernized at par with the rest of the country so that the children of the valley are not deprived of modern education. He said that the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has decided to bring watershed changes in Jammu and Kashmir to giveright of a happy life to the people of Jammu and Kashmir, especially the Valley.

Shri Amit Shah said that the government led by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is taking care of the health expenses up to Rs. 5 lakh of any citizen of Jammu and Kashmir. He said that this scheme has been implemented only for the poor across the country but for Jammu and Kashmir, Prime Minister Modi has covered every citizen of UT by linking Pradhan MantriAyushman Bharat Yojana with SEHAT. He added that in the last 5 years, under the leadership of Shri Modi a people-oriented governancehas been putat the grassroots level in Jammu and Kashmir.

Union Home Minister said that during the rule of the previous governments in Jammu and Kashmir, democracy was limited to 80- 85 people only and 3 families had taken control over the democracy. He said that these people did not allow panchayat elections, did not allow panch-sarpanch to be elected and did not allow tehsil and district panchayats to be formed. Shri Shah said that there is democracy in Jammu and Kashmirnow because 35,000 elected representatives are deciding the future of their village, tehsil and district themselves. He said that in the coming days, the MPs, MLAs and new leaders willemerge from these people only. He said that the government led by PM Modi has done the work of percolating democracy and strengthening it by bringing Panchayati Raj to the grassroots level in Jammu and Kashmir. Shri Shah said that it is no longer a Jammu and Kashmir ruled by three families. He said that the introduction of Panchayati Raj in Jammu and Kashmir by Shri Modi has become a forever reality. He said that this change happens when there is attachment towards democracy and with this attachment,Shri Modi has brought changes in Jammu & Kashmir.

Shri Amit Shah said that Incidents of stone pelting, bandh incited by the neighboring country are becoming very rare and terror incidents have come under control in Jammu and Kashmir. He said that today schools, colleges, industries are running, 1.88 Crore tourists visited Jammu and Kashmir in 2022, which is the biggest figure since independence. Shri Shah said that with such a large number of tourists visiting Jammu and Kashmir, in the next 5 years the number of hotel rooms in the region, especially the Valley, would be more than three times the present. He said that this change happens when there is dedication to bring about change. If someone comes to rule and enjoy the power, then he cannot bring about any change. Changes happen if mind is connected with the happiness, sorrow and progress of the people.

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that lakhs of citizens have benefited from various smallschemes in Jammu and Kashmir. He said that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is providing Rs. 6,000 every year in the bank accounts of over 12.45 lakh farmers of Jammu and Kashmir, so that they do not need to take loans. Shri Shah said that under the Pradhan MantriFasalBimaYojana, farmers of Jammu and Kashmir have received Rs. 100 crore in three years. Under the Jal Jeevan Mission, the work to provide fluoride-free tap water to over 11.96 lakh families has been completed. He said that there were over 13.80 lakh families who did not have toilets in their houses even after 70 years of independence, and the construction of toilets in these houses was completed in just 5 years. He said that the government under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is providing 5 kg rice per person per month free of cost to over 65.91 lakh people of Jammu and Kashmir. The government has also provided houses to about 1.86 lakh people. Under the DBT scheme, Rs. 23,000 crore have been transferred directly to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries in past four years. He said that earlier, the money used to get sanctioned but it never reached to the targeted beneficiaries. Shri Shah said that the public should ask how these people have built huge houses in foreign countries, where they go to celebrate summer holidays for 45-60 days. He said that Rs 23,000 crore, which has been deposited directly to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries through DBT, was earlier siphoned off due to corruption, but now nobody can touch it.

Shri Amit Shah said that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi gave AIIMS, IIMs, IITs and IIITs to Jammu and Kashmir. He said that the government want to make Dal Lake the most attractive tourist centre of the country, for which a scheme of about Rs. 85 crore has been formulated on preliminary basis. Children from across the country would like to visit Dal Lake and Tattoo Ground in the coming days. He said that it will help in exponentially increasing the tourism in J&K. Shri Shah said that under the Srinagar Smart City Limited, many projects including multi-level parking, smart lighting, integrated command and development of parks have been initiated with an expenditure of Rs. 345 crore. Many new medical colleges, degree colleges and nursing colleges have also been opened. He said that recently the G-20 conference was successfully organised in Srinagar, and the message of peaceful Jammu and Kashmir reached across the globe. He said that tourists from all over the world will visit the region only when the changes taking place in Jammu and Kashmir are communicated properly and for this purpose, G-20 is a huge platform.

Union Home Minister said that under the Panchayati Raj System, the fundsarenow going directly to the Panchayat, which has given them the right to develop their village. He said that change is coming in Jammu and Kashmir. Appealing to the youth of Jammu and Kashmir to join the change, the Union Home Minister said that there is a future in joining with the development of Jammu and Kashmir and the country by taking a laptop, not a weapon in hand.He said that the whole country and the world is looking towards the youth of the region. The youth of Jammu and Kashmir, especially of the Valley, should come forward and lead the process of change and work towards taking Jammu and Kashmir to new goals and height. He told the youth of the valley that those who put stones and weapons in their hands are not their well wishers. He said that the government is trying to improve their future by providing laptops, electricity, building roads, promoting tourism. Shri Shah said that change is the need of the hour and the youth from the valley should join hands with it. He told the youth that the change is waiting for them, the whole country is ready to take them forward, and the market of the whole world is open for the youth of the valley. He said that they should come forward and be apart of the change and take pledge to fulfil the resolution of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to build a new Kashmir. He said that those who do not seekchange,are against the welfare of the youth. The world has moved ahead and now is the time for Jammu and Kashmir to walk along with the nation and the world.

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