J&K statehood may be restored soon, says Ramdas Athawale

Srinagar: Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Ramdas Athawale, said on Sunday that Jammu and Kashmir's statehood may be restored in the near future while asserting that the Union government is committed to the union territory's overall development.

Addressing a press conference in Srinagar, Ramdas Athawale said the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir could take place in the near future. He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah were aware of the commitment regarding statehood to the UT.

He said the Central government was making efforts to develop Jammu and Kashmir and that political differences should not affect the allocation of funds or implementation of development projects.

Referring to the abrogation of Article 370, Athawale said the decision had brought Jammu and Kashmir under the full framework of the Indian Constitution, extending various constitutional provisions and benefits to the region.

He said the situation in Jammu and Kashmir had improved considerably, although challenges remained.

Referring to the Pahalgam terror attack, Athawale said the Central government had taken steps in response to the incident and asked Pakistan to stop supporting terrorism.

“Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India, and Pakistan should focus on improving its own economy rather than interfering in India’s internal affairs," he said.

“The people of Pakistan also want peaceful relations with India, but political interests were preventing the two countries from moving towards normalisation,” he said.

Athawale added that the Central government is ready to extend assistance to Jammu and Kashmir and urged the local administration to formulate proposals to address the region’s developmental requirements.

He said he had visited several districts of Jammu and Kashmir during his previous visits and was continuing to interact with people to understand their concerns. He reiterated that the Centre was committed to the region’s progress and that development initiatives should benefit people at the grassroots level.

Earlier, he said the government wants to create more employment opportunities for the youth of J&K by attracting private sector investment. Many private sector investors have come to Jammu and Kashmir and will invest thousands of crores of rupees for the welfare of the Union Territory, the minister added.

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