5 August is a date that can never be forgotten in the history of Jammu & Kashmir. On 5 August 2019, Article 370 and 35(A) were removed in the Parliament. With its removal, the provision of dual citizenship from Jammu and Kashmir ended and the special status of the state also ended.
After this, it was divided into two union territories Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. At that time, the goal of the central government was to bring prosperity to the valley. Today it has been 5 years since it was removed. Let us know what changes have come in this state in the last 5 years and what remained the same. Let us understand through 10 points what is the new picture of Jammu and Kashmir?
1. Education and unemployment: After becoming a union territory from a state, the budget there has increased by Rs 41 thousand crores. However, only after this the picture of education and health there has shown improvement. In the year 2019-20, the unemployment rate in Jammu and Kashmir was 6.4 %, which has now come down to 5.7 %.
2. Issue of terrorism: The issue of terrorism has always been one of the main issues in Jammu and Kashmir. After becoming a union territory, the activity of terror there has reduced but it has not been completely curbed. Terrorism has increased in Jammu and Kashmir in the last two years, in the year 2024 itself, 15 soldiers of the country have been martyred. Threats of attack on devotees have increased it even more.
3. Status of Kashmiri Pandits: After the removal of Article 370, it was believed that the Kashmiri Pandits who were forced to leave Jammu and Kashmir would be resettled. But despite this, nothing like this happened. The situation is such that out of the 60 thousand Kashmiri Pandits who left the valley due to terrorists, not even one has returned till date.
4. Holding of elections: The last assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir were held in the year 2014 and after that till date assembly elections have not been held there. Regarding this, the Supreme Court also ordered that elections should be held there by the year 2024 in any case.
5. Industry and investment: At the time of removal of Article 370, the Center had argued that huge amounts of investment would be made in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, which would also increase industry and business. But till now concrete steps are not visible in this direction.
6. Decrease in separatism: Before 2019, Jammu and Kashmir was burning in the fire of stone pelting and separatism, this idea was constantly getting strengthened there. After this, both of these have been curbed and now incidents of stone pelting have reduced by 99 %.
7. Boom in tourism industry: Tourism is considered a major source of income in Jammu and Kashmir. Every year a large number of people go to the mountains to see the beauty of the valleys. In the last few years, this industry has seen a huge boom. Last year, a total of 2.1 crore tourists visited Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. This figure is increasing continuously, which has also increased employment at many levels.
8. Changed face of entertainment industry: After the removal of Article 370, the Center has implemented the film policy. With this, 102 films and web series were shot in the year 2023. A total of 700 applications have been made in the last 3 years. Due to which the entertainment industry has definitely got a boost.
9. Development work: It is being prepared afresh under the Srinagar and Jammu Smart City Project. Every day a network of about 17.57 kilometers of roads is being laid, which is double than before.
10. Improvement in international image: Let us tell you that many global level programs have been organized in Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh in the last 2 to 3 years. The G-20 summit was also held here, which has established peace in the state and improved its image among the countries.
11. Trade and Investment: Jammu and Kashmir attracted a substantial investment totalling Rs 5,656 crore across diverse sectors following the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. The government notified the New Central Sector Scheme for Industrial Development of Jammu and Kashmir on February 19, 2021, to attract investors to make capital investments.
According to data, 310 companies made investments in 2020-21, followed by 175 in 2021-22 and 1,074 in 2022-23 in Jammu & Kashmir. J&K Lt Governor Manoj Sinha recently informed that Jammu & Kashmir government has received private investment proposals worth Rs 66,000 crore within two years.
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