Samba: In his first official visit to Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, PM Modi launched projects worth Rs 20,000 crore and promised that the youth in the region would not inherit the problems that their ancestors had faced.
The projects inaugurated include the opening of the Banihal-Qazigund road tunnel to establish all-weather connectivity between Jammu and the Valley. The 8.5 km-long tunnel, built at a cost of over Rs 3,100 crore, will reduce the road distance between Banihal and Qazigund by 16 km, and reduce the journey time by around one and a half hour.
PM Modi also laid the foundation stones for two hydroelectric projects to be constructed on the Chenab River in Kishtwar district and the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway.
‘‘I am here with a message of development. I want to speed up development in J&K; therefore, projects worth over Rs 20,000 crore have been inaugurated today," the prime minister said
"Your father and mother, dada and dadi, nana and nani, lived a life of trouble (museebat). But you will not live such a life. I assure this," Modi said in his message to the Kashmiri youth. He also asked them to trust his word that these initiatives will provide huge employment opportunities to the union territory's youth.
"With the inauguration of a 500-KW solar power plant at Palli in Samba district, it is moving towards becoming the country's first panchayat to become carbon neutral...The people of Palli have demonstrated what 'Sabka Prayas' can do," he said.
Be it democracy or development, Jammu and Kashmir is setting a new example for the rest of the country.
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