Art 370 abrogation right step for Ladakh, says Shah
NEW DELHI: Union home minister Amit Shah on Sunday said the Narendra Modi government is committed to bring all round development to the newly created Union territory of Ladakh and abrogation of Article 370 was the right step in this direction.
The home minister said new hydro electric and solar power projects planned for Ladakh at a cost of ₹ 50,000 crore will produce 7,500 MW power and will be completed in the next four years.
Shah made the comments as he launched, through video conference, a special winter-grade diesel for the high altitude region which faces sub-zero temperatures during the winter months.
“The NDA government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is committed to bring the Leh-ladakh region, which was neglected for the last 70 years, at par with the rest of the country,” he said. He said when the abrogation of Article 370 was announced, the PM had said it was a right step to accelerate development in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
Shah said by bringing change in the status of Ladakh and enhancing the budget allocation, all-round development of the region has been ensured. He said the newly introduced provisions of local taxation will augment Ladakh’s financial resources.
Referring to a series of developmental measures taken by the Modi government in the last five years including the Srinagar-leh transmission line for electricity, 14 solar projects for Leh and Kargil, Ladakh University, five new tourist circuits and tracks for tourists and mountaineers, Shah said the people of Ladakh, Leh and Kargil now enjoy the same rights and will be equal partners in the country’s development.
He said the hydro and solar power projects to be completed in the next four years will not only bring development in the Ladakh region but will also create employment opportunities.
The winter-grade diesel launched by Shah has been produced by the Panipat Refinery of the Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) for the first time. It has a pour point of minus 33 degree celsius and does not lose its fluidity even in the region’s extreme winter weather unlike normal grade diesel which becomes exceedingly difficult to use in sub-zero temperatures.