Era of progress and peace in J&K since 2019: Govt to SC over Article 370 move

“The flow of benefits resulting from the decision dated 5th/6th August, 2019 has started showing its impact on the common man of the region who is now getting accustomed to peace, prosperity and stability with substantial income,” the government said. “For the first time, after independence, the residents of the region are enjoying the same rights which the residents of other parts of the country are enjoying. This has resulted into bringing the people of the region into the mainstream and thereby inevitably frustrating the sinister design of secessionist and anti-national forces.”

Opposing the petitions challenging the Article 370 move, the Centre said it “would not only be against the very interest of the people of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh but would also be against the security and sovereignty of India due to very peculiar geographical situation of the region and peculiar security challenges arising therefrom”.

The government said that “after the said historic changes, the UTs of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh has witnessed profound ameliorative, affirmative and progressive changes in last four years encompassing its entire governance—including the developmental activities, public administration and security matters which has positively impacted every resident irrespective of caste, creed or religion”.

‘Parliamentary wisdom exercised prudently’

Outlining the changes made in various fields, it said they “depict a comprehensive growth, development progress and stability in all spheres of life in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh” and were “testament to the fact that Parliamentary wisdom, both as Parliament of India representing the will of the nation and in capacity of legislature of the State representing the will of residents of the region have been exercised prudently and such democratic constitutional step is changing the entire spectrum of social and economic life of residents of the region irrespective of caste, creed and region”.

‘Street violence and stone-pelting declined’

The government said that street violence was “the defining characteristic of the security situation in the region” and had “a direct bearing on day-to-day life of common citizens…” It was a “methodical and regular phenomenon…engineered and orchestrated by terrorists and secessionist networks…” but “has now become thing of past”.

The affidavit said that “organised stone pelting incidences connected with terrorism-separatist agenda, which were as high as 1,767 in the year 2018 has come down to zero in the year 2023 till date. In the year 2018, there were 52 incidences of organized Bandh/Hartal, which has come down to zero in the year 2023 till date. In addition, resolute anti-terror actions have resulted in dismantling of the terror eco-system which is reflected in a significant drop in terrorist recruitment from 199 in the year 2018 to 12 in the year 2023 till date”.

These bandhs and stone-pelting “engineered, financed and forced by the separatist-terrorist networks had tremendous negative ripple effects on economy and the society as whole” and “resulted in closure of schools, colleges and universities, trade, industries and businesses on a regular basis omen intermittently, which in turn inflicted severe loss of income, especially upon the poor and those who worked in the unorganised sectors of the economy”.

The government said that it “has adopted a policy of zero tolerance against terrorism” and “adopted various counter measures to neutralise the efforts and capabilities of terrorists to disturb peace in the region. It has also encouraged policies to mainstream the youth, including by providing employment opportunities to wean them away from militancy.

Industrial development

On industrial development, it said a new central sector scheme was notified in February 2021 for this with an outlay of Rs 28,400 crore and that “investment proposals worth Rs 78000 Cr have been already received online by the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir”.

“During 2022-23, a record investment of Rs.2153 Cr has materialized on ground…All the investments are coming due to the aforesaid after effects of the decision dated 5th/6th August, 2019”.

Among other developmental measures, it said the hydro-electric potential of the UT, which was “highly under-utilized till this time, has been realised by starting work on 3 Projects i.e. 1000 MW Pakal Dul Hydro Electric Project, 850 MW Ratle Hydro Electric Project and 624 MW Kiru Hydro Electric Project….All the projects are expected to be completed by the year 2025-26. In addition, Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for 4 new projects worth Rs. 29,600 Crore have been signed which will add to the power generation capacity of 3,284 MW in the Union territory”.

Tourism growth

The government also submitted that “work on transit accommodation for the Kashmiri Pandits for their safe return to the valley is in the advanced stage and is expected to be majorly completed in the next one year”.

The “improved security scenario” has also led to the UT witnessing the “highest ever footfall of tourists viz. 1.88 Cr tourists…only during 01.01.2022 to 31.12.2022…”

The government also termed the “hosting of G-20 Tourism Working Group meeting at Srinagar in the month of May, 2023” as “a watershed event in the history of valley tourism” and added that “the country proudly displayed its resolute commitment to the world that secessionist/terrorist region can be converted into a region where even international dignitaries can be invited and global events can be held”.