Jammu, May 25: Union minister Jitendra Singh said that the abrogation of Article 370 ushered in a new era of development in Jammu and Kashmir and brought about a significant change in the mindset of the people by making them equal citizens of India.

Addressing a training camp under the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Prashikshan Mahabhiyan-2026 at Lakhanpur in Kathua district on Sunday, Singh also highlighted the changes witnessed in the Union territory under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the past 12 years.

The removal of Article 370 not only accelerated developmental activities but also instilled a renewed sense of self-confidence, self-esteem and aspirations among the people of Jammu and Kashmir, Singh, who represents the Udhampur Lok Sabha constituency in J-K, said.

On August 5, 2019, the government of India revoked the special status granted to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of the Constitution, bringing it fully under the constitutional framework of India. It also bifurcated it into two Union territories – J-K and Ladakh.

“Over the last few years, young boys and girls from Jammu and Kashmir have overcome their fears and excelled in various fields across the country,” Singh said.

The minister also pointed out that while interviews for several Central government jobs were abolished across the country in 2016 to ensure transparency, the reform could not be implemented in Jammu and Kashmir due to Article 370.

Referring to the Shahpur Kandi Barrage Project, the minister said it deserved special mention as it remained stalled for nearly four decades despite then-prime minister Indira Gandhi laying its foundation in 1984.

“Successive Congress governments left the project files untouched and failed to take it forward,” he told reporters.

Prime Minister Modi, at a public rally in Jammu in February 2019, announced the revival of the project, which had long been a demand of the people, he said.

“Today, the Shahpur Kandi Barrage Project has been completed. Very soon, another major multipurpose project, which had remained stalled for nearly a century, is also expected to become operational,” he said.

The revival of such projects would not only boost irrigation and agricultural productivity but also strengthen security by checking infiltration routes that had earlier been exploited from across the border, he added.

Recalling the significance of Kathua, Singh said the district has remained an integral part of the ideological journey of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh and later the Bharatiya Janata Party.

He described the region as the “Karmabhoomi” of Syama Prasad Mookerjee and said the movement launched by him for democracy and nationalism had deep roots in the area.

“Kathua has remained the very soul of this journey. Remembering that legacy, we dedicate ourselves to the ideals and development vision pursued under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership,” he said.

Highlighting the development initiatives in the district, the minister said Kathua now has a medical college, an engineering college, and north India’s first homoeopathy college and industrial biotech park.

A biodigester facility has also been established in the district, he added.

Singh also said a statue of Syama Prasad Mookerjee had been installed for the first time in the area, while a gateway dedicated to Maharaja Gulab Singh has also been built.

The establishment of a passport office and other institutions reflected the pace of development in the district, Singh said.

He also claimed that Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed unprecedented infrastructure growth, with nearly 200 bridges constructed jointly by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), including landmark projects such as the Atal Setu and several cable-stayed bridges.

Udhampur, May 24: A robust multi-layered security mechanism is being put in place for the annual Amarnath Yatra commencing on July 3, with security agencies maintaining heightened vigilance across sensitive areas of Reasi and Udhampur districts, senior police officials said on Sunday.

Deputy Inspector General of Police of Reasi-Udhampur Range, Shiv Kumar Sharma, who oversees security and operational areas covering the Mata Vaishno Devi and Shiv Khori shrines as well as the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway stretches falling under the two districts, informed that all necessary arrangements have been finalised to ensure a safe and peaceful pilgrimage season.

The 57-day pilgrimage will commence from the twin tracks — the traditional 48-km Nunwan-Pahalgam route in Anantnag and the 14-km shorter but steep Baltal route in Ganderbal — on July 3 and will conclude on Raksha Bandhan on August 28.

“At present, our biggest focus is security preparedness for the Amarnath Yatra. All necessary arrangements are being put in place, and we are fully prepared. All our teams are actively working, and close coordination is being maintained with the administration, private transport operators and other stakeholders,” Sharma told PTI.

He said that security agencies have intensified surveillance and operational activities in the wake of recent security concerns and are maintaining a close watch on all vulnerable and high-risk areas.

“We are keeping a close watch on all sensitive locations. Based on intelligence inputs and information received from various sources, necessary measures, including search operations and heightened vigilance, are being undertaken,” he said.

The DIG noted that there is seamless intelligence-sharing and operational coordination among the Army, police, CRPF, SPG and other security agencies to ensure comprehensive security cover.

“There is strong intelligence coordination among all security agencies, and all planned security measures have been implemented. The situation is being continuously reviewed, and security arrangements are being strengthened wherever required in Reasi and Udhampur districts,” he said.

Sharma said that police and security forces are actively engaging with local communities and encouraging residents to share information about any suspicious movement or individuals.

“We are communicating with the public in different areas and urging them to report any suspicious activity. Public cooperation remains crucial in maintaining peace and security,” the officer said.

Advising people to remain alert, the DIG urged residents and pilgrims to immediately inform security agencies about any suspicious persons or objects.

“For the safety of everyone, people should remain vigilant during their journeys, avoid unnecessary interaction with unknown persons and promptly report any suspicious activity. Security agencies have intensified surveillance in surrounding areas, while the Army, police and CRPF have been deployed at sensitive locations,” he added.

Referring to ongoing anti-militancy efforts, Sharma said security forces are not only focusing on suspicious individuals but are also working to identify and dismantle support networks operating behind them.

“If a suspicious individual is identified or questioned, efforts are also made to trace and deal with the networks and associates linked to such elements,” he said.

The officer highlighted that awareness and outreach programmes are also being conducted to counter attempts to mislead or radicalise vulnerable sections of society.

“Our objective is to prevent negative influences from spreading within society and to maintain peace, security and public confidence,” he said.

Highlighting preparations for the pilgrimage season, Sharma said deployment of forces has been strengthened in mountainous and vulnerable areas, while coordination among the Army, BSF and other agencies is being maintained round the clock.

He said ambulance services, emergency response mechanisms, electricity supply and other essential facilities are also being closely monitored to ensure the safety and convenience of pilgrims visiting the Amarnath cave shrine as well as the Mata Vaishno Devi and Shiv Khori shrines.

Seeking public cooperation, the DIG appealed to residents and pilgrims to support security agencies and adhere to advisories so that the pilgrimage season passes off peacefully and smoothly.