New Delhi, April 4: Youths from the Jammu and Kashmir region have responded positively to the Modi government’s development initiatives and have shown their desire to become a part of the progress and prosperity of New India, Saudi newspaper, Saudi Gazette, reported.
Saudi Gazette, established in 1978, is one of the leading English newspapers of the kingdom. Living upto its theme of “The Tone of Truth and Moderation”, it has carved a niche for itself in the Saudi media industry.
The Saudi newspaper said India’s federal government has unveiled a number of initiatives and programmes in Jammu and Kashmir as part of its developmental push for the region in the aftermath of the abrogation of Article 370.
Youth from the region have responded positively to these development initiatives and have shown their desire to become a part of the progress and prosperity of New India. Even the local militants who gave up arms after August 5, 2019, have been rehabilitated and have become a part of the national mainstream, the report said.
“Most of the local leaders of Kashmir who used to claim that ‘if J&K’s special status is revoked no one will be left in Kashmir to hold the tricolor” have been proven wrong as one can visit Gulmarg and witness how much Kashmiri youth have draped themselves in tricolor and are holding it close to their heart,” it added.
The initiatives that are being taken by the Indian government to boost sports in the Union Territory include recently organised programmes like the second edition of the ‘Khelo India’ winter games at Gulmarg in north Kashmir which ended this month.
Recently, PM Narendra Modi, in his inaugural virtual address, pointed out that holding such an event is a step toward making India’s presence felt in the international winter games arena and also make Jammu and Kashmir a hub of winter sports.
As per the repot, the Indian Prime Minister stressed that these games in Gulmarg show that Jammu and Kashmir is eager to reach new heights of peace and development and these games will strengthen the resolve for ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshth Bharat (One India, best India)’ objective.
The government of India’s determination to build optimum sports infrastructure in the UT reflects in the development of two Khelo India Centres of excellence in Jammu and Srinagar and other Khelo India Centres in 20 districts, which will facilitate young players. “The Central government’s special scholarship scheme for Jammu and Kashmir students has helped many youth from poor family backgrounds to get admissions in professional colleges across the country. In fact, many of them have completed their degrees and have even taken up jobs in big corporate houses within the country and abroad. The Indian government has remained firm in its decisions to ensure that the region is pulled from the quagmire of uncertainty,” the report said.
“It is, in this context, very much relevant to point out that the decision to revoke Jammu and Kashmir’s special status and completely merge it into the Union of India, has already started paying dividends in terms of economic growth and development of Kashmir valley,” the Saudi newspaper said.
“The biggest change that Kashmir witnessed was the number of youth becoming a part of stone pelting mobs declined manifold as new avenues being open up for Kashmiri youth at a faster rate,” it added.
The government departments were asked to ensure that the benefits of the centrally sponsored schemes trickle down to youth so that they are enabled to choose a progressive path in life. In addition to the great scope being offered by the high potential tourism industry in the region, many Kashmiri youth have been imparted training under the ‘Himmayat’ scheme and have been benefitted in terms of getting jobs in companies across the country.
“During the past one and half years, hundreds of youth have been placed and they are living decent lives. Recruiting agencies that had almost become defunct in Jammu and Kashmir advertised posts for unemployed educated youth and the process to employ them was expedited. Many of them have been absorbed by different units in the country. The boom in sports activities allowed youth to come forward and showcase their abilities and skills. Youth-oriented initiatives taken by central government has infused new life and enthusiasm in Kashmiri youth, who during the past three decades were being misguided by evil forces to take up arms in a proxy war against a welfare state,” the report said. (IANS)
