Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, Oct 26 : Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said here today that as a Union Territory, Jammu & Kashmir will get equitable benefits after October 31, cutting across all sections of society and regions, regardless of any extraneous considerations. The same would also apply to the Union Territory of Ladakh, he said.
Speaking to media, on the eve of J&K and Ladakh turning into Union Territories, Dr Jitendra Singh said, over the last seven decades, a constant complaint and grievance across the entire State had been that certain regions and certain sections of people were feeling discriminated against. While Jammu always complained of the lion’s share going to the Kashmir valley, Ladakh also felt neglected, he said.
Even in Kashmir valley, while certain families made a quick fortune over- night without any known sources of proportionate income, the common man suffered in silence and was caught between terrorism on one hand and state indifference on the other hand, he added.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, with the Union Territory Jammu & Kashmir coming directly under the control of Union Home Ministry, there will not only be an equal distribution of Government resources but there would also be accountability for the same. He said, one of the greatest misfortunes of J&K has been the lack of transparency in governance and this too would gradually change for the better.
The needless interference in the maintenance of law and order and the role of the vested interests would also gradually recede , said Dr Jitendra Singh.
The most important benefit, Dr Jitendra Singh said, that he visualizes is the change in the mental attitude and mind-set with a greater degree of self- confidence and sense of belonging as citizens of India. The benefits in terms of new breakthrough in higher education, professional colleges, industry and self-livelihood opportunities are going to gradually unfold with the passage of time and their ultimate magnitude is perhaps too difficult to imagine right now, he said.
At the social level, particularly for women, Dr Jitendra Singh said, there is going to be an end of the medieval legacy with the introduction of progressive laws like Triple Talaq, Child Marriage Act and Dowry Act, in addition to the right to parental property which already strands restored after the abrogation of Article 370.
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