J&K new epitome of democracy: PM Narendra Modi

Palli (Jammu and Kashmir): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said Jammu and Kashmir is presenting a new example of "democracy and determination" as numerous development initiatives were undertaken in the last two to three years.

Visiting Jammu and Kashmir for the first time for a public engagement since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, he also said that Rs 38,000 crore of private investment has come to the union territory (UT) in the last two years, besides it witnessing a heavy flow of tourists.

Modi was speaking in Palli village in Samba district, around 17 km from Jammu, on the occasion of the National Panchayati Raj Day. The speech was relayed to all gram panchayats across the country. The prime minister also inaugurated and laid foundation stones for multiple development initiatives worth Rs 20,000 crore for Jammu and Kashmir. Modi said that his government has implemented as many as 175 central laws and the Panchayati Raj system for the UT's people who were "deprived" of these benefits when Jammu and Kashmir had special status under Article 370. "Jammu and Kashmir is presenting a new example of democracy and determination as numerous development initiatives were undertaken in the last two to three years," he said. Modi also expressed happiness that it was for the first time that elections for the three-tier Panchayati Raj system were conducted peacefully sometime back in Jammu and Kashmir. The last two to three years have seen a lot of development initiatives being undertaken in Jammu and Kashmir and about 175 central laws were implemented here that gave due rights to the people of the UT, he said.

The prime minister said he was happy that when democracy has reached the grassroots in Jammu and Kashmir, he was talking to gram panchayats across the country from here. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government has directly provided funds worth Rs 22,000 crore to panchayats of the union territory for "strengthening grassroots democracy" as compared to the Rs 5,000 crore allocation made under this head earlier, he said.

"The private investment in Jammu and Kashmir for the last seven decades has been about Rs 17,000 crore but in the last two years, it is Rs 38,000 crore...private companies and investors are coming here now," he said. The prime minister said that Jammu and Kashmir will write a new chapter of success in the next 25 years which is the 'Amrit Kaal' period of Indian independence.

The youth of the region will get employment with the rapid pace of development, he said.