Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to make his first visit to Srinagar since the abrogation of Article 370. During his visit on March 7, he will address a rally and inaugurate multiple development projects valued at over Rs 6,400 crore.
PM Modi will attend the ‘Viksit Bharat Viksit Jammu Kashmir’ program at the stadium in Srinagar and unveil nationwide projects related to tourism worth more than Rs 1,400 crore under the ‘Swadesh Darshan’ and ‘PRASHAD’ schemes. These projects include the integrated development of the Hazratbal shrine in Srinagar.
Additionally, the Prime Minister will launch the ‘Dekho Apna Desh People’s Choice Tourist Destination Poll’ and the ‘Chalo India Global Diaspora’ campaign. He will also announce tourist destinations selected under the Challenge-Based Destination Development (CBDD) scheme.
PM Modi will distribute appointment letters to nearly 1,000 newly recruited government employees and interact with beneficiaries of various central schemes, including women achievers, farmers, and entrepreneurs.
Under the ‘Holistic Agriculture Development Programme’ (HADP), PM Modi will launch initiatives to boost the agri-economy of the region. This program will cover horticulture, agriculture, and livestock husbandry, benefitting around 2.5 lakh farmers.
Moreover, PM Modi will inaugurate tourism projects aimed at improving infrastructure and amenities at prominent pilgrimage and tourism sites across the country. These include projects in Meghalaya, Bihar, Rajasthan, Telangana, and Madhya Pradesh.
The Prime Minister will also launch a campaign encouraging the Indian diaspora to promote tourism in India by encouraging their non-Indian friends to visit the country.
Stringent security measures have been implemented for PM Modi’s visit, with schools along his route closed and board examinations postponed. Surveillance is being conducted through drones, CCTV cameras, and intensified foot patrolling by security forces. Marine commandos have been deployed in the Jhelum River and Dal Lake to prevent any subversive activities.
PM Modi’s visit holds political significance amid anticipation of his remarks on assembly polls in Jammu & Kashmir, especially with the Lok Sabha elections approaching.
Posters welcoming PM Modi have ben put up in Srinagar to make the visit a “huge success” which comes very close to the Lok Sabha elections 2024.
Hailing PM Modi for changing the status of Kashmir post abrogation of article 370, Rajendra, a Jammu resident told media, “The situation in J&K is peaceful after the abrogation of Article 370. I am a contractor and we used to work at the India-Pakistan border. Before the abrogation of Article 370, several deaths were happening and our farmers could not work peacefully”.
“Today, the situation has completely changed…Earlier, people used to leave their homes and run away when there were attacks from the Pakistan side but after the removal of Article 370 all this has stopped…,” he said.
This is PM Modi’s second visit to the Jammu & Kashmir in more than two weeks. On February 20, PM Modi during his visit addressed rally in Jammu.
The visit comes at a time when regional parties like Farooq Abdullah’s National Conference and Peoples’ Democratic Party led by former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti have been pressing for holding simultaneous polls in the Union Territory.
Another resident said that militancy has been brought under control in the last ten years since Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister.
“I think this is going to be a great visit of PM Modi because the situation in Srinagar has completely changed. Militancy has been brought under control. 10 years ago, people used to feel scared before visiting there but now the number of tourists has also increased,” He said.
“PM Modi is going there, so I think he will make some big announcements…Overall, after the abrogation of Article 370, terrorism has been controlled…,” he added. During his address, PM Modi is expected to announce a slew of projects related to tourism and agriculture.
Strict security arrangements have been put in place ahead of the visit at Bakshi Stadium, the venue of the rally.
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