Senior BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Ghulam Ali Khatana met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday and stressed the need for a comprehensive audit and effective monitoring of budgetary allocations, central support and centrally funded projects in Jammu and Kashmir.
This would ensure transparency, timely execution and also that public money reached the intended beneficiaries, MP Khatana said, while holding an extensive discussion with the PM on the present situation, development priorities and aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
The BJP MP, as per a press statement, appreciated the major transformation witnessed in Jammu and Kashmir under the Modi government—from bloodshed to classrooms and sports fields, from hartals to business and productive activity, and from people fleeing the region to people participating confidently in every walk of life.
He said that peace restored hope, security and dignity and must now be firmly converted into sustained prosperity. The MP highlighted the need to further strengthen opportunities for youth, employment, entrepreneurship, skill development, sports and self-employment, so that the younger generation could become a principal force behind the development of Jammu and Kashmir and the mission of Viksit Bharat.
He appreciated the expansion of rail connectivity, including the Srinagar connection and stressed that connectivity must be matched by modern tourism infrastructure, including facilities for religious, spiritual, cultural and adventure tourism.
Khatana urged renewal and strengthening of the industrial package for Jammu and Kashmir to attract investment, expand manufacturing and generate employment. He also raised issues concerning farmers, horticulture, traders and the business community, emphasising the need to move decisively from disruption to productive fields, markets and enterprise.
He advocated greater promotion of GI-tagged products of J&K, enabling farmers, artisans and entrepreneurs to secure better markets, stronger branding and improved incomes.
BJP MP stressed the importance of preventing leakages, misuse and embezzlement of development funds.
Khatana also discussed the issue of alienation and resentment among sections of the population, stressing that democratic institutions and elected representatives must remain connected with the masses, listen to people’s concerns and restore complete confidence in the political and administrative system.
With regard to minorities, Khatana conveyed the enthusiasm and appreciation expressed by minority communities towards the development and welfare initiatives of the Modi government. He emphasised that minorities must be empowered through education, employment, enterprise and equal opportunities, rather than being reduced to a vote-bank constituency.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasised the importance of minorities contributing their capabilities and services to the larger national mission of Viksit Bharat. The discussion also covered greater engagement of the minority diaspora in projecting India’s development, culture and achievements abroad and in building stronger economic, educational, cultural and people-to-people linkages between India and their respective countries.
Khatana emphasised that the next phase of Jammu and Kashmir’s transformation must combine peace with prosperity, security with dignity, development with accountability and opportunity with participation.
He appreciated Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s continued personal focus on Jammu and Kashmir and expressed confidence that sustained efforts would enable the people, particularly the youth, to become equal partners in building a peaceful, prosperous and developed Jammu and Kashmir and a Viksit Bharat.
“J&K has moved from violence to hope; now it must move from hope to prosperity—where every young person chooses a classroom, a sports field or an enterprise over a street of conflict,” he asserted.
