PM Modi's First Rally In J&K UT, Here Are The Key Highlights

PM inaugurated projects in J&K worth over ? 20,000 crore.

Here are 10 developments of PM Modi’s J&K visit:

1 PM Modi inaugurated Banihal-Qazigund tunnel and two hydroelectric projects in J&K.

2 PM Modi addressed a large gathering in Jammu's Palli village, where he addressed all gram sabhas in the country to mark the National Panchayati Raj Day. ?

3 PM Modi announced during his J&K visit that the UT has made huge progress in the last two or three years. He also said earlier governments wouldn't implement central schemes here.

4 PM Modi said in last two years, his government has ?spent 38,000 crore in the J&K UT.

5 For PM Modi’s J&K visit, tight security has been put in place

6 PM Modi laid the foundation for two hydroelectric projects—an 850 megawatt facility on the Chenab river in Kishtwar to be built at a cost of around Rs 5,300 crore.?

7 The other project inaugurated by PM Modi is the 540 megawatt Kwar hydroelectric project, also to be built on Chenab river at a cost of over Rs 4,500 crore.

8 The Banihal-Qazigund tunnel, inaugurated by PM Modi has been built at a cost of over Rs 3,100 crore.?

9 The Banihal-Qazigund tunnel inaugurated by PM Modi is 8.45-km-long and will reduce the road distance between the two places by 16 km, and cut travel time by around one-and-a-half hours.

10 PM Modi also launched “Amrit Sarovar”— an initiative named to develop and rejuvenate 75 water bodies in every district of the country also in J&K.

PM Narendr reaches out to youth of Kashmir Valley:

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi while reaching out to the youth of the Kashmir Valley,spelled out initiatives for peace and development, and assured they will not inherit the problems faced by their parents and grandparents.

In his first visit to Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, Modi inaugurated and laid foundation stones of several projects worth around Rs 20,000 crore for the union territory. These included the opening of the Banihal-Qazigund road tunnel to establish all-weather connectivity between the two regions.

"The youth of the Valley, your father and mother, your dada and dadi, your nana and nani, had lived a life of trouble (museebat). My youth, you will not live such a life of trouble. I assure this," Modi said in a message to the Kashmiri youth.

The prime minister, who was addressing the Panchayat Divas rally here, also said that the youth of Jammu and Kashmir should trust his word, and highlighted the peace and development initiatives taken by the government in the past few years.

"Projects worth Rs 20,000 crore related to connectivity and electricity have been inaugurated here today. In a bid to speed up the development in Jammu and Kashmir, many development initiatives are being taken up in the union territory," he said.

Modi said that these initiatives will provide huge employment opportunities to the union territory's youth.

"With the inauguration of a 500-KW solar power plant at Palli in Samba district, it is moving towards becoming the country's first panchayat to become carbon neutral...The people of Palli have demonstrated what 'Sabka Prayas' can do," he said.

Be it democracy or development, Jammu and Kashmir is setting a new example for the rest of the country. "New dimensions of development have been created in Jammu and Kashmir in the last two to three years," the prime minister said.

Praising Jammu and Kashmir for showing the way forward for Panchayati Raj, he said that it is a symbol of change that this year the Panchayati Raj Day is being celebrated in the union territory.

"It is (a matter of) great pride that I am addressing Panchayati Raj Institutions across the country from Jammu and Kashmir when democracy has reached the grass root," Modi said.

Asserting that the people of Jammu and Kashmir are witnessing such an event after decades, he said that it is proving an example for the rest of the country.

"Jammu and Kashmir will write a new chapter of development", he said, adding that Rs 38,000 crore of private investment has been received in the union territory in two years as compared to Rs 17,000 crore in the last seven decades.

The central laws that empower people were not implemented in Jammu and Kashmir. But now they have been implemented by this government for empowering people, Prime Minister Modi said.

(With PTI inputs)