- The whole country never misses an opportunity to keep abreast of the happenings in the Jammu & Kashmir region. Thus, the region always attracts attention in one or the other form is stating the obvious. Over the years, the troubled region known for terrorism-backed disturbances perpetrated from the neighbouring country has caused immense troubles and posed tremendous challenges for the administrators that needs no further elaboration. Efforts at ensuring normalcy sustained in the region are too well known. As you are aware, one such measure was introduced in the form of nullification of Article 370 in 2019 as also reorganizing the region into a union territory of Jammu & Kashmir, and Ladakh, respectively.
PC:
- Since then, the Union Government has left no stone unturned in ensuring the troubled region gradually merges into the Indian mainstream seamlessly by initiating several measures to that effect. In one such big push to the endeavour, the Prime Minister’s first public rally in the region recently since the 2019 abrogation of Article 370 saw him talk up grassroots democracy and a development push. Speaking at Palli, officially described as the country’s first carbon-neutral panchayat, Modi marked the first panchayat day celebration in J&K. Plus, he also green-flagged a raft of projects, worth over 20,000 crores, including the opening of the Banihal-Qazibund tunnel connecting J&K.
- You are aware that optics of any manner is quite important and to give a fillip to the message of new investment, Modi was duly accompanied by business leaders from the United Arab Emirates which was not lost on the occasion. As per government claims, the latter’s proposed investments in the region could top Rs. 3,000 crores in the coming days. Needless to mention, both panchayat focus and new investment are also political signals that Article 370 was holding J&K’s development back and it is only now that the region can enjoy the fruits of prosperity. Of course, the BJP leadership has long argued that the previous system only benefited a few political families in the Kashmir Valley. A thorough dissection of the claims should throw some interesting insights.
PC: Muntha Azhar
- One of the most important points to be noted here is that there’s never been a short supply of central financial support for J&K – 59% of its revenues came from central grants in 2012, which increased to 64% in the last financial year. As such, the real economic test in post-370 nullification will be whether new investment and new political policies can create new opportunities, assuming Pakistan-sponsored terrorism activities can be kept at bay. Valley terror also shows that one big challenge for the Union Government is to win the hearts and minds of the people. Only this can provide a popular shield against Pakistan’s terrorist proxies.
- Moreover, it will also create conditions for actual on-ground private investments. Towards that end, concerted efforts at ensuring assembly elections in J&K are held sooner than later as also eventual restoration of statehood will go a long way in allowing residents have a larger say in their own development. For this to fructify, the delimitation exercise underway presently – which is in the public opinion/consultation stage – must be fast-tracked rather than sit on the all-important measure for eternity. The entire global community is watching with rapt attention how the J&K matter will unfold in the coming days. Suo much is at stake for the Indian leadership.
