Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday arrived in capital Srinagar on a four-day visit to Jammu & Kashmir as a policeman and two terrorists died in separate incidents of violence in Anantnag, Shopian and Sopore areas, highlighting the grim security situation.
As many as 24 delegations, mostly related with trade and tourism activities, called upon the Home Minister on the first day of his visit. The Home Minister has issued open invitation to people to meet him for finding solutions to the problems in the embattled State.
“I am going there with an open mind and I am willing to meet anyone who will help us in finding solutions to problems facing J&K,” Singh tweeted before leaving for Srinagar.
Official sources said that soon after his arrival Singh had an hour-long one-to-one meeting with Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti to discuss the overall security and developmental issues in the State.
He later reviewed the status of implementation of the Prime Minister’s Development Package (PMDP) for Jammu & Kashmir with the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Kumar Singh, Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba, Chief Secretary BB Vyas and senior officers of the Home Ministry and the State Government.
The Union Home Minister asked the authorities to expedite the implementation of the PMDP in a time bound manner. He said it will create jobs for the people of J&K.
The 24 delegations of various organisations including Travel Agents Association of Kashmir (TAAK), Kashmir Hotels and Restaurants Associations, Kashmir Shikara Association, House Boat Owners Association, and various other Tourism sector organisations, youth delegation, Kashmiri Pandit Sangharsh Samiti (KPSS), Sikh delegation, Fruit Growers and Dealers Association, J&K Shia Association, All Gujjar and Bakerwal Conference, Pahari association and self-employed women association called upon the Home Minister. The spokesman said the delegations apprised the Union Home Minister about the varied problems relating to their respective organisations and submitted memorandum and requested for their resolution of issues on priority.
Chairing the review meeting on the progress of the implementation of PMDP project at Nehru Guest House in Srinagar, Rajnath Singh said the Centre has already sanctioned Rs 62,599 crores which amounts to 78 per cent of the total cost of the PMDP package. The total cost of PMDP is Rs 80,068 crores that includes 63 projects.
Rajnath Singh said the four-laning project of Chenani-Nashri section of NH-1A is complete with project cost to the tune of Rs 781 crores. He said PMDP includes assistance for completely damaged or partially damaged houses due to 2014 floods and the project costing Rs 1200 crores is now complete. Home Minister said the rehabilitation package for Jammu migrants has been implemented under the package.
The Home Minister’s visit assumed significance after his repeated statements that the Narendra Modi-led NDA Government would find a permanent solution to Jammu & Kashmir. The visit comes three weeks after Modi’s assertion from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the Independence Day that solution to Kashmir problem would be found by hugging the people rather than using bullets and abuses.
Even as the separatists have not given any positive reaction to the Home Minister’s visit in the backdrop of ground situation, the people are keenly watching the proceedings of the latest visit, which came after more than a year. The Home Minister had last time visited the Valley in August 2016 while leading a parliamentary delegation but there was no breakthrough. The separatists refused to open gates for a detachment of parliamentary delegation that sought to meet them.
The Kashmir watchers are expecting extension of olive branch to the separatists.
Meanwhile, one policeman was killed and two others were injured after terrorists attacked a police party with automatic weapons near a busy bus stand in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district late in the afternoon. One policeman identified as Imtiyaz Ahmad sustained critical injuries who later succumbed to injuries in the hospital. At least two other police personnel sustained grievous firearm injuries who were admitted in the hospital. In another incident a local Hizbul Mujahideen ‘district commander’ Shahid Sheikh was killed in an encounter in Reban village near Sopore in North Kashmir. Reports said the residential house in which the militant was trapped was damaged during the gunfight. Clashes between protesters and security forces were reported near the gunfight site as youth from adjacent villages (like Hadipora and Chetlora) tried to march towards the gunfight site to disrupt the anti-terror operation.
The internet services remained suspended in Sopore and adjoining areas. The work in educational institutions in Sopore and adjacent areas also was suspended as a precautionary measure.
later in the evening, an encounter erupted in Imam Sahib area of Shopian district late in the evening. Unconfirmed reports said that one terrorist was killed in the encounter.