New era begins in Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh: PM Modi

New Delhi: Addressing to the nation on Thursday evening, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that a new era has begun for the people of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh with the revocation of Article 370.

The Prime Minister said, the dream of Sardar Patel, Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, Dr Shayam Prasad Mookerjee, Atal Bihar Vajpayee and crores of patriots has now been fulfilled.

Modi said, We as a nation, as a family, have taken a historic decision. The people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladhak were not able to avail benefits of various rights which was a major obstacle in their development. He congratulated people of Jammu, Kashmir, Ladakh and the whole nation.

The Prime Minister said, when some things are there forever, it is presumed that they will never change or go away and Article 370 was something similar. He said, no one was discussing the harm inflicted due to Article 370 on the people of Jammu and Kashmir and nobody could tell the benefits it was providing to the people of this region.

The decision to keep Jammu and Kashmir directly under Central administration for a brief period was a well thought over decision, said the Prime Minister.

Modi said, in other States of the country, the Minority Act is in force to protect the interests of minorities, but this was not the case in Jammu and Kashmir. He said, likewise, the Minimum Wages Act is in force to protect the interests of workers in other states, but in Jammu and Kashmir it was available only on paper.

The Prime Minister said the process of filling the vacant posts of centre and state in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh will be started soon which will provide employment opportunities to the local youth. He said Center’s public sector units and private sector companies will also be encouraged to provide jobs. He said, in last three decades, around 42000 people have been killed in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Prime Minister also urged the filmmakers to shoot their films in Jammu and Kashmir as to promote tourism in the region.

“Ladakh has the potential to become the biggest centre of spiritual tourism, adventure tourism and ecotourism.  Ladakh can also become a major centre of solar power generation. Now the potential will be used properly and new opportunities will be created for development without discrimination. ” Modi said.

“Come, let us all together, build a new Jammu and Kashmir and a new Ladakh with a new India.” With that the Prime Minister concluded his address.

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