Films, tourists, jobs, social inclusion: Centre lists gains on Article 370 anniv

Aditi Tandon

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Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 5

On the fifth anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370, the Centre on Monday listed progress across 11 sectors in the union territory — from constitutional-social inclusion, local governance, jobs and industry to tourism, education and J&K heritage’s global reach — to cite its post-August 5, 2019 legacy.

Watershed moment in indian history

A watershed moment in our nation's history... It meant that the Constitution of India was implemented in these places in letter and spirit. Narendra Modi, Prime Minister

Empowerment of the marginalised

This transformative decision has ushered in a new era of empowerment for marginalised sections and strengthened grassroots democracy in J&K and Ladakh. Amit Shah , Home Minister

No respect for kashmiriyat

BJP's policy on Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh neither respects 'Kashmiriyat' nor upholds 'Jamhuriyat (democracy)’. Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress party president on X

Among the outcomes it counted were the extension of key national legislations to J&K — Right to Education Act 2009, Forest Rights Act 2013, Juvenile Justice Act 2015, among others — and passage of laws in Parliament that enabled social inclusion.

“The Jammu and Kashmir Local Bodies Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024 provides reservation for Other Backward Classes in the Panchayats and Municipalities in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir; The Constitution (Jammu and Kashmir) Scheduled Castes Order (Amendment) Bill, 2024 included the term ‘Valmiki’ in the list of Scheduled Castes in J&K; The Constitution (Jammu and Kashmir) Scheduled Tribes Order (Amendment) Bill 2024 included the communities of Gadda Brahmin, Koli, Paddari tribe and Pahadi Ethnic Group among STs in J&K. All progressive laws of the country are now applicable in J&K,” top government sources said today.

Earlier in an X post, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the fifth anniversary of the abrogation. “Today we mark 5 years since the Parliament of India decided to abrogate Articles 370 and 35(A), a watershed moment in our nation’s history. It was the start of a new era of progress and prosperity in Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. It meant that the Constitution of India was implemented in these places in letter and spirit, in line with the vision of the great men and women who made the Constitution”.

“With abrogation came security, dignity and opportunity for women, youth, backward, tribal and marginalised communities who were deprived of the fruits of development. At the same time, it has ensured that corruption, which plagued J&K for decades, has been kept at bay,” he said, assuring fulfilment of the aspirations of the people of J&K and Ladakh in the coming times.

Government sources flagged J&K’s transformation post-2019 listing the empowerment of Kashmiri migrants who bagged 2,720 among the 3,000 new government jobs created; approvals to shoot 300 films with 120 completed and a considerable rise in tourist influx — from 1.88 cr in 2022 to 2.11 cr in 2023.

Data show Kashmiri Pandits have reclaimed over 3000 kanals of land by way of property dispute redressal mechanisms in J&K. Nearly 10,000 complaints were registered on the related portal and 8000 resolved.

Silent on the recent terror attacks in Jammu region, the sources spoke of deepening democratic roots in the region with 34,260 representatives handling local governance issues.

On J&K’s rising soft power, government sources mentioned the world’s first QR code-based mechanism for GI authentication of Kashmir carpets; GI tagging of ten includes pashmina, carpet, sozni, walnut wood carving, Kashmir paper mache, Kani shawl, Khatamband, Basholi painting, Basholi Pashmina and Rajouri Chikri Wood and GI tagging also of Doda’s famed Gucci mushrooms.

Going forward, the government said ambitious infrastructure targets had been set for the UT with an aim to reach 5000 MW power generation capacity in five years and expected the early completion of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link.