Modi govt ensured equitable development of J-K, Ladakh: Union Minister Jitendra Singh

Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Saturday said Narendra Modi government has ensured equitable development of both Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Lakh.

Rejecting claims of regional discrimination by opposition, he asked people alleging this to shed bagg of past and liberate mselves from cynicism that has plagued ir minds for seven deces.

Challenging opposition to prove alleged discrimination against Jammu, Singh said re is absolutely evidence of it, particularly during last one year following historic Constitutional changes of August 5 and 6, 2019.

He said, such allegations and propaganda are being manufactured eir by certain vested interests who h over years thrived on receiving benefits from back door or by certain cynic minds which draw sist pleasure in raising bogey of discrimination even when y can t prove it.

Speaking to media here, Singh said, Modi government has ensured equitable development of both divisions of union territory, but matter of fact is that on account of circumstances prevailing in Valley, during last one year development activities have progressed at a much faster pace in Jammu as compared to Kashmir.

Substantiating his point, he said that Indian Institute of Manment (IIM) has become functional in Jammu while re was IIM in Kashmir and so also was case with Indian Institute of Techlogy (IIT) which has been established in Jammu but t in Kashmir.

Similarly, minister said that work on AIIMS has started in Jammu while in Kashmir even land acquisition is yet to be completed.

construction work on Ring Ro project, widening of National Highway from Pathankot to Jammu to make it six lane from four lane as well as acquisition of land for landmark Katra-Delhi Expressway ro corridor have started in Jammu region, said Singh, Minister of State in Prime Minister’s Office. He is also Lok Sabha member from Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur constituency.

Taking a dig at "inherently habitual critics", Singh said, some of m are so obsessed by thought of discrimination against Jammu that y assume discrimination in everything, and so much so that tomorrow y may even go to extent of complaining why Kashmir got more number of corona positive cases and why Jammu, according to m, suffered discrimination by getting lesser number of corona positive cases.

Out of seven centrally funded medical colleges, he said that Jammu received four and Kashmir only three.

As for recruitment to government jobs is concerned, Singh said that hereafter selection will be me purely on basis of written test, without interview.

Those who are raising hue and cry are ones who h, over years, learnt to secure government jobs through dubious means or through middle men, he alleged.

Singh said, as we complete one year since historic 5th of August 2019, let us shed bagg of past and liberate our mindset from cynicism that h plagued our minds for seven deces.

(Photo Credit: PTI)