Article 370 deprived people of benefits of Central schemes: J-K LG

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor GC Murmu on Wednesday said the Article 370 deprived the people of several of benefits of Central government schemes.

"We are assessing how much did the schemes of Central government benefit you when Article 370 was in place. I think you were deprived of many of them. Now, you have the opportunity to utilise them," said Murmu addressing a gathering at Moori village near Katra in Reasi.

Lieutenant-Governor Murmu was at Moori village near Katra in Reasi district in connection with the programme under flagship scheme -- Back to the Village -- where officers receive the first-hand appraisal reports at the grassroots level about the developmental works at their doorstep.

Under the Back to Village scheme, more than 5,000 Gazetted Officers (GOs) and 657 directorate level officers are scheduled to visit their assigned Panchayats during this week to receive the first-hand appraisal reports at the grassroots level about the developmental works.

After gathering the feedback from the common masses, the officers have been directed to prepare a report card and critical gap analysis at the end of their 2-day visit to a village on a pre-circulated format.

The Lieutenant-Governor was accompanied by BVR Subrahmanyam, J & K Chief Secretary, and other senior officers.

The Central government had in August announced the decision to abrogate Article 370 of the Constitution, which gave special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu Kashmir. It had simultaneously announced the decision to bifurcate the state into two Union Territories.