SRINAGAR: Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Ramdas Athawale, today hinted that the Central Government might restore Statehood to Jammu and Kashmir before October this year, alongside conducting long-anticipated Assembly elections.

Speaking at a press conference, the Minister said that, as promised by Home Minister Amit Shah during the abrogation of Article 370 in Parliament, the Central Government is likely to restore Statehood for Jammu and Kashmir and conduct the much-awaited Assembly elections.

Athawale said that the Modi Government is poised to fulfil its commitment by restoring Statehood to Jammu and Kashmir and conducting elections. “When Article 370 was revoked and Jammu and Kashmir was bifurcated into two Union Territories, the Home Minister assured that Statehood and elections would follow. I believe both could happen before October,” he said.

The Union Minister highlighted the return of peace to the region, attributing it to the Government’s actions since 2019. “There is a sense of relief among the people. With the revocation of Article 370, tourism has seen a resurgence. Before this, tourists were hesitant to visit Kashmir, but now, the region has welcomed over 2 crore visitors this year alone,” he said.

Athawale accused Pakistan of trying to destabilize Jammu and Kashmir by pushing terrorists through Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). He urged Pakistan to return PoJK to India and seek Indian assistance for its development. “Pakistan needs to understand that supporting terrorism will not lead to progress. They should focus on building good relations with India if they wish to move forward,” he said.

He also underscored the Government’s focus on youth employment, mentioning various initiatives aimed at generating jobs. “We are creating new employment opportunities, particularly through the hotel industry, which is expected to create thousands of jobs. The Lieutenant Governor has made youth employment a priority, and recruitment drives are ongoing to address any backlogs,” he said.

Athawale expressed pride in the high voter turnout during the recent Lok Sabha elections, with nearly 60 percent of voters casting their ballots. “The sight of the tricolor flying in Jammu and Kashmir is a moment of pride for us. The Modi Government stands firmly with the people of this region,” he said.

Athawale also detailed the Government’s efforts to support marginalized communities in Jammu and Kashmir, including the distribution of over 2 lakh pre- and post-matric scholarships to Scheduled Caste (SC) students and more than 84,000 scholarships to Other Backward Class (OBC) students. He pointed out that while SC and OBC communities each make up 8 percent of the population in J&K, there is not a single SC family in Kashmir.

The Union Minister further revealed plans to expand social services in the region, including the establishment of an old age home in each district. “Currently, there are 16 old age homes in J&K, and we plan to increase this number,” he added.

Athawale also announced that his party, the Republican Party of India, will field 10-15 candidates in the upcoming Assembly elections in J&K.

Agencies