Srinagar/New Delhi: An outreach program by central ministers in Jammu and Kashmir was kickstarted on Friday, with around 70 ministers scheduled to visit the Union Territory in the coming days.
At least 10 ministers will make their visits to the UT over the next seven days, sources said.
The outreach program also assumes significance amid talks of elections in Jammu and Kashmir after the Delimitation Commission submitted its report.
Kick starting the program on Friday, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, and his deputies – Kailash Choudhary and Shobha Karandlaje, met farmers and other stakeholders related to agriculture in the UT.
Speaking during one of the interactions, Tomar said the union government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi is working towards increasing the income of farmers. He also said the center has implemented several schemes to help farmers.
Tomar also visited India International Kashmir Saffron Trading Centre in Pampore, Pulwama, and held discussions with saffron farmers. He said over Rs. 266 crores have already been granted out of Rs. 400 crore proposed under the National Saffron Mission.
“Jammu and Kashmir is the crown of India and the government is committed to its development. There will be no shortage of funds for development of agriculture in the UT,” the Minister said in a tweet.
Under the outreach program, which is the second edition of outreach by ministers in the UT, the leaders will interact with the local people, administration and the representatives of BDC to address the challenges which they are facing.
They will later submit a detailed report to the Home Ministry and the Prime Minister’s Office.
This will be the second outreach programme of the government after the abrogation of Article 370, which gave special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated the region into two union territories– Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
Under the outreach, the development work in the UT will also be evaluated.
BJP co-incharge from Jammu Ashish Sood told UNI that the aim is to push development in Jammu and Kashmir which has been “stalled for 70 years”.
“Under the Jal Jeevan Mission, 10 lakh homes have got piped drinking water connection, Rs. 19,000 crore have been given under as PM Kisan scheme, 90,000 people have got pucca houses under central government schemes,” Sood said.
Earlier, in January 2020, 36 central ministers had visited Jammu and Kashmir, and interacted with the people.
