J-K situation improving; violence coming down: Mehbooba

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, who called on Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh here today, said the situation in the state had improved a lot as violence has come down significantly.
After an hour-long meeting, Mehbooba told reporters that "situation in Jammu and Kashmir has improved as violence has come down a lot."
The meeting was called by the home minister to discuss Rs 80,068 crore development package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his first visit to the Kashmir Valley.
During the meeting the chief minister was asked about various development projects in the state and also accelerating the projects aimed at providing jobs to Kashmiri migrants were discussed.

Mehbooba said a detailed discussion was also held on the development package announced by the prime minister in 2015.
"Funds are getting released and many development works are going on. Works on AIIMS in the state is also going on," she said.

In a statement, the home ministry said the government has decided for fast track the projects under prime minister's development package (PMDP) by making encumbrance free land available for the infrastructure projects including road, power and health etc.
Under the prime ministers' development package for Jammu and Kashmir (Rs 80,068 crore) for 63 major projects pertaining to 15 central government ministries, an amount of Rs 62,599 crore (approximately 78 per cent) has been sanctioned and an amount of Rs 22,042 crore (approximately 28 per cent) has been released.

Special emphasis will be given for development of border areas (0-10 km) while selecting projects under the Border Area Development Program (BADP). It was also decided that to ensure safety of these people in border areas, construction of bunkers along the border will be expedited, the statement said.
It was also decided to accelerate the development projects relating to additional jobs to Kashmiri migrants, transit accommodations, transfer of cash relief and honorarium through direct benefit transfer (DBT) mode and providing employment to youth of Jammu and Kashmir.
Apart from the home minister and the chief minister, senior officials of the home ministry and the Jammu and Kashmir government attended the meeting, which lasted for about 45 minutes.

Singh and Mehbooba later had a one-on-one meeting for about 15 minutes.
On Monday, the home minister had announced Sharma's appointment as the government's representative for carrying forward a "sustained dialogue" with all stakeholders in Jammu and Kashmir, in a fresh move aimed at bringing peace to the troubled state.
Singh said on Tuesday that Sharma would decide whom to engage with for a resolution of the Kashmir issue.