Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for a series of development projects, totaling over Rs 32,000 crore, in Jammu. Among the initiatives were projects in education, railways, aviation, and road sectors. The PM also flagged off the first electric train in the valley and inaugurated the train service between Sangaldan station and Baramulla station.
During the event, PM Modi distributed appointment orders to around 1500 new government recruits in Jammu and Kashmir and interacted with beneficiaries of various government schemes as part of the ‘Viksit Bharat Viksit Jammu’ program.
The Prime Minister arrived in Jammu, the winter capital, to launch these multiple development projects. Amid heightened security, he was received at the Jammu technical airport by Lt Governor Manoj Sinha, Union Minister Jitendra Singh, and prominent BJP leaders, including J-K unit president Ravinder Raina.
A significant number of people from across Jammu and Kashmir gathered at the Maulana Azad Stadium for the event. This visit is PM Modi’s second to Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019 and holds significance ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.
Furthermore, PM Modi’s visit is noteworthy as it marks the first visit since the Supreme Court’s ruling last December, validating the abrogation of Article 370 and directing the restoration of statehood, with instructions for the Centre to conduct Assembly elections by September 2024.