J&K Statehood May Be Restored Soon, Says Union Minister Ramdas Athawale

Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale on Sunday said Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood could be restored in the near future, asserting that the Central government remained committed to the Union Territory’s development.

Addressing a press conference in Srinagar, Athawale said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah were aware of the commitment regarding the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.

He said the Centre was making sustained efforts to promote development in the region and emphasised that political differences should not affect the allocation of funds or the implementation of development projects.

Referring to the abrogation of Article 370, Athawale said the move had brought Jammu and Kashmir fully within the framework of the Indian Constitution, extending various constitutional provisions and benefits to the region.

He also said the situation in Jammu and Kashmir had improved considerably, while acknowledging that challenges remained.

Commenting on the Pahalgam terror attack, Athawale said the Central government had taken steps in response to the incident and called on Pakistan to stop supporting terrorism.

“Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India, and Pakistan should focus on improving its own economy rather than interfering in India’s internal affairs,” he said.

Athawale added that people in Pakistan also wanted peaceful relations with India, but political interests were preventing the two countries from moving towards normalisation.

The minister said the Centre was ready to extend assistance to Jammu and Kashmir and urged the local administration to prepare proposals addressing the region’s developmental needs.

He said he had visited several districts of Jammu and Kashmir during earlier tours and continued to interact with people to understand their concerns. Reiterating the Centre’s commitment to the region’s progress, he stressed that development initiatives should deliver benefits to people at the grassroots level.

Athawale also said the government wanted to generate more employment opportunities for the youth of Jammu and Kashmir by attracting private-sector investment.

According to the minister, several private-sector investors had come to the Union Territory and were expected to invest thousands of crores of rupees for its welfare and development.