Minority affairs ministry’s team to visit Valley Aug 27
New Delhi, Aug. 25: A minority affairs ministry team will visit the Kashmir Valley for two days from Tuesday to identify the areas to implement centrally-sponsored development projects after provisions of Article 370 was abrogated, Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi has said.
He also asserted that those opposing the government’s withdrawal of J&K’s special status, acting as per their “political prejudice”, will also come around to support the move after seeing its impact. The team will look at all possibilities of social-economic development projects, he said.
New Delhi, Aug. 25: A minority affairs ministry team will visit the Kashmir Valley for two days from Tuesday to identify the areas to implement centrallysponsored development projects after provisions of Article 370 were abrogated, Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi has said.
He also asserted that those opposing the government’s withdrawal of J&K's special status, acting as per their “political prejudice”, will also come around to support the move after seeing its impact.
“A team of senior officials, including the Secretary, will be visiting the area (Kashmir Valley) on August 27 and 28. The team will explore development possibilities — where schools, colleges, skill development centres can be opened,” Mr Naqvi told PTI in an interview.
The team will look at all possibilities of social-economic development projects, he said. The minister also said “precautions” taken in J&K are targeted at a “handful of separatists” who can mislead the people.
“It is the job of a responsible government to not allow any misinformation campaign to be run,” he said. Mr Naqvi said the team will also visit Jammu and Ladakh at a later date. The Minority Affairs Minister ruled out reconsideration on abrogation of Article 370 provisions, saying there was no going back.
“It is (Narendra) Modi’s government. Everybody knows that in this government, decision is made after a lot of thinking, but there is no question of a rethink after a decision has been made,” he said.
Asked if people of the Kashmir Valley were supportive of the government move, Mr Naqvi claimed that they were “absolutely supportive”.
The focus of the ministry is now on Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh, Mr Naqvi said, and emphasised that the revocation of Article 370 has opened up possibilities of large scale development there.