On August 5, 2 years are being completed since the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. The reduction in terror, stone-pelting, and strikes here in these two years has caught the attention of investors across the country. The local administration is trying its best to capitalize on the brand J&K by taking advantage of this opportunity. In April this year, the administration has released a new industrial and land allocation policy with a flexible and single window system.
According to officials, its effect is also visible. In Jammu and Kashmir, in a high-level meeting under the leadership of Principal Secretary, Industries and Commerce Department, Ranjan Prakash Thakur, the land was allotted for 15 projects worth Rs 1548 crore in the Jammu division last month. This will create 5 thousand jobs. Apart from this, a project worth Rs 20 thousand crores in Jammu and Kashmir is in the process of approval. This is expected to generate 84 thousand jobs.
Thakur considers this achievement a historic moment for the industrial development of Kashmir. Also, more than 3375 acres of the land bank has been created in new and old industrial areas in Jammu and Kashmir to speed up the development works in the state. It is noteworthy that the new industrial policy is for 2021-30. Under this policy, all industrial units will be eligible for incentives till March 31, 2026. These units will get an incentive of 100% reimbursement of SGST for life.
The administration is receiving a large number of applications from investors. Hence the investment target has been increased from 30,000 crores to 50,000 crores. Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha told the media that initially, our assessment was that the state can get an investment of about 25 thousand crores, but in view of the response received from industrialists across the country, we have increased the target to 40 to 50 thousand crores.
This will generate 7-8 lakh jobs in the next few years. According to him, investment proposals worth 20 thousand crores have been received so far. The committee has started approving such proposals and some have been given land to set up factories.
A total of 2,357 projects worth Rs 7,111.78 crore have been approved so far. Of these, 1100 projects worth Rs 1,555.16 crore have been completed. Out of 54 projects worth Rs 56,261 crore approved under PM's development package in November 2015, 7 projects were completed till June 2018. Now, 21 have been completed. 12 more may be completed this year.
Work has started on 2 new AIIMS, 7 new medical colleges, 5 new nursing colleges, two cancer institutes, Metro, IT Park in Jammu and Srinagar, a project worth Rs 7,500 crore. In the state, 5 projects are pending for 20 years, 15 projects for 15 years, and 165 projects for 10 years. The target was to build 8,000 km of roads in 2021-22, 2,200 km has been completed.
The demand for full statehood is also increasing in the Union Territory of Ladakh. Here the Leh Apex Body and the Kargil Democratic Alliance have agreed on a joint struggle for four demands. In this, giving full statehood to Ladakh, recruitment of 10-12 thousand vacant posts arising after becoming a union territory in a month, privileges on property and job under the Sixth Schedule or Article 371 of the Constitution and Lok Sabha for Kargil and Leh. There was a demand to give two seats each in the Rajya Sabha.
The representatives of these parties said that if the lieutenant governor does not start the recruitment process in a month, then be ready for agitation. Also, the provision of domicile to Ladakh on the lines of Jammu and Kashmir is not acceptable at all.
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