Development of Jammu and Kashmir post abrogation of article 370
Omkar Dattatray
There are no two opinions about the fact that after the scrapping of the controversial article 370,Jammu and Kashmir not only fully integrated with India but all round development of J&K took place which is a big favor for the people of the UT who had remained alienated because of the presence and drawbacks of article 370.The flood gates of bulk investment has become possible as the superficial walls created by article 370 stand dismantled and there is big economic activity going on in the union territory .
Because of the abrogation of article 370,there has been unprecedented infrastructure development and the laying of express roads and development of the national highway from Jammu to Kashmir .The investment and infrastructural development resulted in increase in the employment opportunities and the unemployed youth of J&K are benefitted .In fact a dawn of new development is visible in Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of article 370 in August 2019 .After the annulling of article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir ,many changes are visible in the field of development like completion of mega projects ,progress of ongoing works and implementation of different centrally sponsored schemes..
Various developmental initiatives like Jal Jeevan Mission ,Har Ghar Nal Se Jal and many more developmental projects undertaken by the centre government to shape the developmental profile of Jammu and Kashmir in a better direction .Under Khelo India and Fit India initiatives various activities have been organized across Jammu and Kashmir to inculcate moral values and promote sportsmanship among the students as well as the development of infrastructure .All round development is witnessed in Jammu and Kashmir after the scrapping of article 370 in 2019 and there is a sea change in the UT and the bandhs ,hartals ,strikes ,stone pelting ,mayhem ,violence and killings are now a things of paste and schools,collages and universities are functioning normal with the education activity .
During the rule of the previous governments in Jammu and Kashmir ,democracy was limited to 80 -85 people only and the three families of Abdullah ‘s ,Mufti ’s and Gandhi ’s had taken control over democracy but now its future is decided by 35,000 elected representatives .Recently the home minister Amit Shah inaugurated or laid foundation of 84 development projects of about Rs 586 crore .Amit Shah said that the government led by prime minister Narendra Modi has done the work of percolating democracy and strengthening it by bringing Panchayati raj to the gross root level in Jammu and Kashmir and thus the people of the UT have now been empowered and this is very important development .
The incidents of stone pelting in J&K ,Bandhs incited by Pakistan ,bomb blasts and bullets –all these incidents are under control and are now non-existent .Schools, colleges and industries are running,1.88 crore tourists visited Jammu and Kashmir in 2022 which is the biggest figure since independence and all this shows that there is now peace ,normalcy and development in the UT and all this has been attained after the annulling of article 370. .After the removal of article 370,the special rights given to Jammu and Kashmir completely ended .After this decision of the centre government ,the Indian constitution is fully implemented in Jammu and Kashmir and the benefits accruing from it are available to the citizens of Jammu and Kashmir .With the historic decision the geography as well as the politics of J&K has changed .Now any citizen of India can buy property and settle in Jammu and Kashmir .Now there is no separate flag in Jammu and Kashmir .
That is the national flag will remain tricolor .Also like the rest of the country ,every law will be applicable to Jammu and Kashmir .Governor’s office has abolished ,the post of governor will end .Along with this the state police will remain under the jurisdiction of the centre .Since Jammu and Kashmir is now a UT ,article 356 will be applicable to Jammu and Kashmir as well .Article 356 deals with the imposition of presidents rule in any part of India .The dual citizenship of the residents of Jammu and Kashmir ended and now there is single citizenship of the citizens residing in Jammu and Kashmir as well .There is now no separate constitution in J&K .Now RTI act will apply in Jammu and Kashmir .Besides CAG ‘s intervention and interpretation will be applicable to this UT as well .People from outside the state will be able to get jobs here .Moreover under article 360 ,financial emergency can be applied to the UT also .
The discrimination against women of J&K will end .After the abrogation of article 370,now even if a women of J&K marries a temporary resident ,she will get the right to property .There has been a spectacular development in various sectors in the UT after the annulling of article 370.The unprecedented tourist footfall in year 2022 led to the increase in the employment opportunities and it resulted into development in the tourist economy and all those people who are directly and indirectly associated with tourism were hugely benefitted by the great inflow of the tourists .The houseboat owners ,taxi operators ,hotel owners ,restaurant owners ,transporters ,traders like handicraft dealers and wood carving and papier-mâché dealers all were benefitted by the abrogation of article 370 and all these sectors of the economy were positively affected .
The facts about the development and normalcy of Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of article 370 were put forth before the apex court by the centre government while defending its decision of 5th August 2019.On the eve of hearing before the supreme court ,the centre put up a robust defense of the scrapping of the article 370 by virtue of which J&K was enjoying a special status .The centre put before the supreme court the fast paced development work in the two UT’s security to all sections of society and drastic reduction in terrorist violence that had blooded the erstwhile state since 1990’s .The centre government put forward before the supreme court that after the historic decision in August 2019 ,the UT’s of J&K and Ladakh have witnessed profound ameliorated ,affirmative and progressive changes in the last four years encompassing its entire governance –including development activities ,public administration and security matters—which have positively impacted every resident irrespective of caste ,creed and religion ,the ministry of home affairs said in an affidavit .
The home ministry stressed that after the changes carried out on August 5,2019 ,many important features of the constitution which could not be extended to the erstwhile state of J&K because of its special status were now applicable in the UT’s of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh .The three-tier panchayat raj system was established in J&K and more than 34,000 elected members to rural and urban local bodies were representing people’s participation in grossroot democracy .The historic decision set off a major political as well as social makeover of the region ,which had enjoyed special rights since independence .The article 370 was the root cause of separatism and terror in the valley and hindered the economic and social development of the region .Four years since the decision ,things really changed on the ground .The government has informed Rajya Sabha in March 2021 that a total number of 456 MoU’s amounting to Rs 23,152.17 crore have been signed with the potential investors since the creation of UT of Jammu and Kashmir .
All flagship schemes of the Modi government ,including individual beneficiary centric schemes are also being proactively implemented in the UT .The centre has approved a new Industrial Development Scheme for Jammu and Kashmir with an outlay of Rs 28,400 crore to boost industrial activity while nurturing existing industries as well .Moreover ,the J&K administration approved a business revival package of Rs 1,352 .99 crore in September 2020.To conclude it is crystal clear that post abrogation of article 370,there has been all round development in the UT and positive change ,peace and normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir and the winds of positive change ,normalcy and development in J&K can be attributed to scrapping of article 370 in 2019.
(The author is a columnist, social and KP activist)
