New Delhi: Against the backdrop of a surge in terrorist attacks in Jammu & Kashmir, the Centre on Wednesday claimed that the overall law and order scenario in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has seen remarkable improvement after the abrogation of Article 370.
"Post abrogation of Article 370, the UT of J&K has witnessed an era of peace, progress and prosperity. Schools, colleges, universities, hospitals and other public institutions are functioning efficiently without any strikes or any kind of disturbances during the last four years," said Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha.
In the last 2 months, at least six terror incidents took place in J&K where many security personnel and civilians have lost their lives. He said that earlier practice of daily hartals, strikes, stone pelting and bandhs are things of the past now.
"With record voting, the people of Jammu and Kashmir participated enthusiastically in the recently held Lok Sabha elections. Due to improved law and order, Jammu and Kashmir recorded 2.11 crore tourist visits in 2023. Foreign tourist arrivals have increased by 2.5 times. This harmonious law and order situation has helped the Government to initiate and implement socio-economic development," Rai informed.
He said that 21 encounters and counter-terror operations took place in Jammu & Kashmir this year where 10 security force personnel and 14 civilians have lost their lives.
Without giving details about the casualties of terrorists, Rai said that 11 incidents were initiated by the terrorists. There was no organised stone pelting and organised hartal in Jammu & Kashmir till July 15 this year, the minister informed.
In another reply over the efforts of the Centre under 'Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan' (NMBA), Rai said that it has helped in better detection of drug addiction cases in Jammu & Kashmir.
"Government has formulated and implemented the National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR) under which the Government is taking a sustained and coordinated action for arresting the problem of substance abuse among the youth across the country including UT of Jammu & Kashmir," he said. As per government data, 289 cases were registered in 2020 followed by 357 drug cases in 2021 and 394 cases in 2022 in Jammu & Kashmir.
