Development will win over guns and bombs in J&K, says PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that the process of development would succeed over guns and bombs in Jammu and Kashmir and warned that those involved in spreading violence in the state would never succeed in their designs.

Modi also assured the people facing difficulties because of floods and flood-like situation in various parts of the country that the Union government, along with the state government and various departments, would provide help.

“The strength of development would always win over guns and bombs (in Jammu and Kashmir). People who want to stop the process of development would never succeed in their nefarious design. The people of the state want good governance. The process of development is stronger than guns and bombs,” Modi said in the second edition of his monthly radio talk Mann Ki Baat after returning to power in the recently concluded 2019 general elections.

The Prime Minister also said that the “Back to Village”programme which was conducted in Jammu and Kashmir for a week saw several senior officials visiting villages, trying to understand the problems of the people, and the reasons for the benefits of development not reaching people.

Modi said this was the first time in Jammu and Kashmir that government officials reached the door steps of villagers and tried to help them become part of the development journey.

Modi also added that these officials also tried to understand how to strengthen the panchayats in the villages and means to increase the income of the villagers.

“In the ‘Back to Village’ programme, officials were asked to spend at least two days and one night in villages but some officers were so overwhelmed by the hospitality of the people that they decided to stay a bit longer. Some of the issues that came up for discussion before the government officers were electricity shortage, drinking water problems, education and schools. The officials visited all the 4,500 panchayats in Jammu and Kashmir, even those panchayats which are prone to cross-border firing,” he said.

Modi also announced a quiz contest for school students on India’s space missions and science, and asked school authorities to take part in it. The PM said winners of the contest would go to Sriharikota in September to witness the lunar landing of Chandrayaan-2.