J&K has built a fresh development lexicon

One of the biggest transformations for Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) is that people’s lives are no longer weighed down by the diktats of others, especially terrorists, hardliners and their masked sympathisers. People have freedom to live the way they want. That to me is the fundamental change driving the Union Territory (UT). Peace is the fuel that feeds development. It’s the key to shaping a favourable environment for progress and prosperity in a region that had become an example of how not to be trapped by forces that appear libertarian but are actually inimical. For J&K, peace brought dreams, new aspirations, and engineered socio-economic development. In the last four years, J&K set unprecedented records across many development parameters. Due to welfare-oriented policies and governance, development reached neglected areas and took root in villages and mofussil towns.

The democratic dividend has aided the administration to trample the terrorist-secessionist ecosystem. Before August 2019, stone pelting, bandhs and hartals that were camouflaged as instruments of honest protest by people, were actually engineered, financed and forced by separatists-terrorist networks. Because of such manipulated shutdowns, building new infrastructure, arranging new amenities as well as maintaining the existing ones were often casualties to vested interests. The anarchy, orchestrated by the terror ecosystem, established a conflict economy in the UT, and it favoured individuals who were involved in a tradeoff with separatists and terrorist networks. In the end, common people suffered. Today, contaminated institutions have been rescued from sympathisers, with 50 government employees, linked to separatists-terrorists, terminated.

The UT has found a new development lexicon and people a voice to demand faster economic development. The vision of new J&K is the vision of Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi based on the values of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas. The UT, therefore, is dedicated to comprehensive inclusive development of people, unmindful of their religion and region. Over 770,000 young people have benefited from the administration’s self employment schemes, taking entrepreneurial training to start their own businesses.

Safina Mushtaq, a resident of Delina village of Baramulla district, is a flag-bearer of this change. After completing her education, Safina did not look for a job, instead becoming an agri-entrepreneur. Such success stories are aplenty. Payal Sharma, too, has made her family proud in Jammu by joining Hausla for a new innings in her entrepreneurship journey. All this could not have happened without the guidance and support of the PM, who is scripting J&K’s future and ensuring that economic and social justice fully reaches all sections of the society.

Poverty is on the decline. In the last financial year, 252 projects and development works were completed per day. The number of projects executed during a financial year rose from 9,229 in 2018 to more than 92,560 in 2022-23, with approximately the same capital expenditure. More than ₹1.50 lakh crore was allotted to build new roads. The UT witnessed tax revenue growth of 31%. During 2022-23, the GSDP of J&K grew at 8% at constant prices, as against 7% at the national level. J&K is making impressive strides in building a digital society and has brought 450-plus public services online. We have worked with sincerity and determination in giving a boost to the tourism sector, and 300 new destinations are being developed. 18.8 million tourist footfall was recorded in 2022, and this number is set to cross 20 million this year.

Could anyone have even imagined that 16,000 young people would be participating in various sporting events one day? But, it has happened. Six million young people participated in different sports activities in 2022-23, as against less than 200,000 in 2018-19. Women have been empowered too. Out of 95,324 self-help groups (SHGs), 59,697 are women run, and 600,000 rural women entrepreneurs are scripting a better future. Under the leadership of PM Modi, we have made concerted efforts to strengthen health care. Two AIIMS, 7 new medical colleges, 2 state cancer institutes, 3,000 health and wellness centres and several nursing colleges have been set up. The unique milestone of universal health insurance coverage for all families under PMJAY-SEHAT is providing health security for all, without discrimination.

Janbhagidari (people’s participation) is the fulcrum of development. Land to the landless, and social justice and equality to those oppressed for decades has led to a watershed moment. Cinema has returned to the Kashmir Valley after three decades, and people are thronging to new theatres in districts such as Pulwama, Shopian, Baramulla, Kupwara, and Kishtwar.

The successful G20 event, too, reaffirmed that enduring peace is here to stay. It was an opportunity for foreign delegates visiting J&K to see the change first hand. The prestige of India and stature of J&K, I’m sure, grew significantly after the global event.

The peace in what was perhaps the most turbulent region of India has acquired firm legs due to the consistent efforts of PM Modi. It’s not just that the people are at peace but also that J&K is peaceful, broadcasting to the rest of the country and the world not the horror of bandhs and stone pelting but prosperity, harmony and a happier life.

What Mahatma Gandhi famously stated during the freedom struggle is now, perhaps, being espoused by J&K’s people– Be the change that you wish to see in the world.

Manoj Sinha is lieutenant governor of Jammu and Kashmir. The views expressed are personal