'Honourable' rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits, refugees most important task: Narendra Modi
Srinagar: Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, said on Saturday said that his government is committed to ‘honourable’ rehabilitation of the erstwhile West Pakistan refugees and Kashmiri Pandits who fled their homes and hearth in the Valley following the outbreak of insurgency in 1990. He termed it as the most important task for his government.
The Prime Minister while inaugurating the phase-II of the Baglihar power project over Chenab River at Chanderkote in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ramban district said the package of Rs 80,000 crore for the State announced by him earlier in Srinagar will address "all problems" faced by the state. He said, “There are lakhs of refugees here since 1947 and about 15-20 per cent population of the state is displaced. This is not a small pain but a huge distress. It is high time that the 1947 refugees and displaced Kashmiri Pandits are provided an honourable come back to home.” He added, “All problems faced by the state, including the migrants and displaced, will be addressed by this Rs 80,000 crore package announced today."
The 450 MW Baglihar Hydroelectric Project Stage-II has been executed by Jammu and Kashmir Power Development Corporation Ltd.
The Baglihar HEP Stage-II has the capacity of 450 MW with the design energy of 1,302 million units. Expected to generate annual revenue of Rs. 450 crore, the total cost of the project is to the tune of Rs.3,113 crore.
He also laid foundation stone of four-lanning of Udhampur-Ramban and Ramban-Banihal sections of Jammu-Srinagar National Highway.
The four-laning of Udhampur to Chenani and Nashri to Ramban & Ramban to Banihal has been sanctioned at a cost of Rs. 4306 crore. Once completed, it will not only benefit the state of J&K with respect to overall socio-economic development of the region but will also be instrumental in boosting local trade and tourism. It will also considerably reduce the journey between the two capital cities of Jammu and Srinagar.
Governor, N. N. Vohra, Union Minister for Roads and National Highways, Nitin Gadkari, Deputy Chief Minister, Nirmal Kumar Singh, Minister of State in the PMO, Dr. Jitendra Singh, and several other functionaries of the government were present on the occasion.
Chief Minister, Mufti Muhammad Sayeed, thanked the Prime Ministerfor announcing the package of Rs.80,000 crore. He also expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister “for reposing faith in his leadership to put J&K firmly on the path of development”. He said, “I am grateful to Narendra Modiji for announcing the unprecedented development package for J&K, which I am sure, will go a long way in strengthening the core sectors of our economy.”
He hailed the statement of Prime Minister about India being incomplete without Kashmiriyat. He also praised the Prime Minister for taking the Vajpayee route in strengthening the pillars of development in J&K by focusing on Kashmiriyat, Jamhooriyat and Insaaniyat.
Download the all new Deccan Chronicle app for Android and iOS to stay up-to-date with latest headlines and news stories in politics, entertainment, sports, technology, business and much more from India and around the world.
