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Delhi, Jan. 22 (IANS): Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Saturday that elections will soon be held in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) since the delimitation process has already started.
Speaking at the virtual launch of the district good governance index in Jammu and Kashmir, Shah said, "Delimitation has started and elections will soon be held."
He reiterated that he has given assurance in the Lok Sabha that as soon as the situation becomes normal in Jammu and Kashmir, statehood will be given back.
He slammed some leaders for spreading false propaganda and alleged that they are doing so for their own political benefits.
"Many leaders have been doing false propaganda. I want the youth to ask them, crores of investment have been coming, tourists have been coming and they are doing propaganda for their own political benefits. Democracy has reached grassroots level and that is why they do this propaganda and youth should not listen to them."
"Today is an important day also for the country as what has started from Jammu and Kashmir will be going to other parts of the country. I want to say to the people of Jammu and Kashmir that the Union Territory is going through a transformation that Prime Minister, Narendra Modi has always thought of. Hail PM Modi's vision for the Union Territory.
"There has been a change after 2019, there were 87 MLAs in Union Territory and only three families were ruling, but today there is 30,000 public representatives. These families said that after the abrogation of Article 370, the situation in Jammu and Kashmir has worsened, but I want to tell them there has been a 40 per cent decrease in terror related incidents and 87 per cent decrease in killings.
"I want to ask these three families why they were not able to do so in the last so many years. Why are they misinforming people," Shah said.
Shah attacked former chief ministers of Jammu and Kashmir, Dr Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti.
He said now the people are receiving direct benefits from the government schemes in the Union Territory.
Shah said Jammu and Kashmir is among the top five States and UTs in India in implementing Centre Schemes and congratulated Lt governor Manoj Sinha for making the UT a top performer.
"Several development works are being done. Record number of tourists visited Jammu and Kashmir this year. People are receiving direct benefits from the government scheme.
"After the launch of the district good governance index there will be a healthy competition within the districts which will help the development of the area and this will benefit the people.
"With the Prime Minister's initiative tourism has been boosted as 1,13,000 tourists have visited the UT.
"This year record number of tourists have come but these leaders are doing propaganda so that the tourists should not come to Jammu and Kashmir.
"I want to tell those who forced the youth to go to Pakistan for MBBS that nine Medical Colleges have come up in the UT and 1,100 seats have been added. I appeal to the youth of the Valley to come and walk on the path of development and don't listen to the propaganda being spread", he said.
He released the District Good Governance Index for 20 districts of Jammu and Kashmir, a move that will make Jammu and Kashmir the first Union Territory in the country to have an index of this kind.
The District Good Governance Index of Jammu and Kashmir was prepared by DARPG in collaboration with the government of Jammu and Kashmir in pursuance of the announcements made in the "Behtar e-Hukumat - Kashmir Aelamia" resolution adopted on July 2, 2021, in the Regional Conference on Replication of Good Governance Practices held in Srinagar.