Amit Shah Reviews J&K Development Projects, Vows Strong Push For Tourism

Chairing a high‑level meeting with senior officials here, Shah assessed progress in critical sectors including road and power infrastructure, industrial growth, digital connectivity, and welfare schemes under the ongoing development push.

Shah reiterated the Central Government’s commitment to accelerating economic growth in J&K, identifying tourism as a major pillar of future development. He directed officials to expand tourism infrastructure, promote emerging destinations, and ensure that safety, accessibility, and connectivity remain top priorities. Enhanced road networks, stable governance, and improved digital services, he said, would enable J&K to realise its potential as a global tourism hub.

Addressing concerns following last year’s terror attack in Pahalgam, which had dealt a blow to the tourism sector, Shah noted that the enthusiasm of domestic travellers to visit the scenic Himalayan region “has not diminished.” He called for aggressive promotion of J&K’s tourism offerings in other states to fully tap the region’s vast potential. The Centre, he assured, would extend all necessary support to develop new tourist circuits and strengthen existing ones.

The Pahalgam attack of April 22 last year had claimed 26 lives and temporarily disrupted the tourism industry. Shah’s remarks sought to reaffirm the government’s resolve to restore confidence and revive the sector.

During the development review meeting—attended by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, the Union Home Secretary, and senior officials from both the Centre and the J&K administration—Shah examined progress in expanding 4G services and optical fibre connectivity across the region. The discussions also covered industrial investments, power projects, and measures to strengthen last‑mile delivery of welfare schemes.

Earlier, the Home Minister distributed compassionate appointment letters to the next of kin of security personnel who laid down their lives in the line of duty. At a ceremony held at Lok Bhawan, he interacted with the families, acknowledging their courage and reaffirming the government’s commitment to honouring the sacrifices of fallen soldiers.

Shah also held a separate meeting with BJP office bearers, Members of Parliament, and MLAs from J&K. He reviewed organisational matters and ongoing political activities, urging party workers to ensure that Central welfare schemes reach the grassroots. He emphasised the need to strengthen the party’s organisational structure across the Union Territory and reiterated the BJP’s resolve to work towards a “Viksit Jammu and Kashmir” and a secure, stable region.

The Home Minister’s two‑day visit came amid heightened security operations across J&K. In the fortnight preceding his arrival, security forces had neutralised four Pakistani militants affiliated with Jaish‑e‑Mohammad in nearly a dozen encounters across Kathua, Udhampur, and Kishtwar, reflecting intensified efforts to dismantle terror networks.

Shah’s engagements began on Friday with a visit to forward areas along the International Border (IB) with Pakistan in Kathua district’s Hiranagar sector. At the Gurnam and Bobiya Border Outposts, he reviewed the Border Security Force (BSF)’s frontline arrangements to counter infiltration, arms and narcotics smuggling, and cross‑border terror activities. At the ‘Ajay Prahari’ memorial in Bobiya, he paid tribute to fallen soldiers.

Addressing BSF personnel, Shah praised the force’s six decades of service and highlighted recent successes, including operations along the J&K frontier that resulted in the destruction of 118 Pakistani border posts and three terrorist launch pads. He commended the BSF’s performance not only in J&K but also in challenging theatres such as Manipur, the Northeast, and Maoist‑affected regions of Odisha and Chhattisgarh. “Wherever the BSF is deployed,” he said, “it hoists the flag of bravery and commitment.”

From Bobiya, Shah inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for six welfare initiatives aimed at improving infrastructure and support systems for BSF personnel and their families.

On Friday evening, he chaired a high‑level security review meeting at Lok Bhawan here. The meeting was attended by Lt. Governor Sinha, Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi, senior police and intelligence officials, and top paramilitary commanders. Shah reviewed ongoing anti‑terror operations, the anti‑infiltration grid, and measures to counter drone‑based threats amid intelligence inputs suggesting attempts by terrorists to infiltrate.

He directed security agencies to ensure “zero infiltration” and to choke the supply lines of militants hiding in the upper reaches of the Jammu region. All necessary resources, he said, would be provided to achieve the goal of a “terror‑free Jammu and Kashmir,” a priority of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Shah commended the security forces for their firm action against militants and their supporters, and for maintaining peace and stability in the region.

This was Shah’s second security review meeting on J&K within a month, following a similar session held in Delhi on January 8. The Union Home Secretary had also conducted a review during his visit to the UT on January 14–15.

Throughout his engagements, Shah stressed the importance of timely execution of development projects and effective coordination among agencies to ensure sustainable growth and improved public service delivery. His visit, marked by a blend of development oversight, security assessment, and political outreach, signalled the Centre’s renewed thrust to strengthen stability and accelerate progress in J&K.