Five years after revocation of Article 370, Jammu-Kashmir is at an inflection point of development with a significant reduction in terrorist activities (when seen in the five-year time frame) and residents eagerly waiting to partake in the assembly elections with the normalization of law and order situation.
The guiding mantras of Insaniyat (Humanity), Jamhooriyat (Democracy) and Kashmiriyat (identity of the people of Kashmir) seem to have come a full circle with the UT demonstrating measurable success across indicators.
The Centre on August 5, 2019 revoked Article 370 of the Constitution which provided special status to Jammu and Kashmir within the Indian Union. The Centre also brought the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act that bifurcated the erstwhile state into two union territories of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir.
While most political parties in Jammu and Kashmir denounce the reading down of Article 370, the BJP is holding functions across the union territory to mark the landmark day.
As BJP holds functions to mark the landmark day, one is forced to assess where the region stands post August 5, 2019 across indicators-- tourism, Investments, electoral participation, security situation and trade activities.
Improved security situation:
Although the region has witnessed a sudden rise in terror attacks in recent months, incidents of terror activities have significantly come down since the revocation of Article 370.
The August 5, 2019 momentous decision marked a drastic decline in terror activities in the Valley. Considerable decline in both recruitment of locals into militancy and killing of terrorists in 2024 compared to previous years is another outcome of ending the special status. Stone pelting, strike calls by separatists and violent street protests have almost vanished in the last five years.
Electoral participation:
Earlier this year, Jammu and Kashmir recorded the highest voter turnout in a Lok Sabha poll in last 35 years, with the Kashmir Valley witnessing a "massive" 30 points jump in poll participation compared to 2019. The Election Commission is hopeful of holding the assembly polls before the SC mandate date of September 30. The preparations are long underway.
“This active participation is a huge positive for Assembly elections to be held soon so that the democratic process continues to thrive in the Union Territory,” said Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar in a statement.
The Parliamentary polls of 2024 was the first major election held in the Union Territory after the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution by the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Centre in August 2019. The erstwhile state was also divided into two UTs – J&K and Ladakh.
Tourism in Jammu and Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir's tourism department said the region witnessed an unprecedented surge in tourism when compared to the number of visitors from previous years. The region, the department said, attracted over 21.1 million tourists in 2023, propelling the local economy to new heights.
“We are witnessing a tourism boom post-COVID and after the abrogation of Article 370. Last year we had the highest-ever number which was 21.1 million in J&K and this year we are hopeful for more,” Raja Yaqoob Farooq, director of the Department of Tourism, Kashmir, said.
Trade and Investments
The Home Ministry said that Jammu and Kashmir attracted a substantial investment totalling Rs 5,656 crore across diverse sectors following the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. Replying to a query, Minister of State (MoS), Nityanand Rai said that the government notified the New Central Sector Scheme for Industrial Development of Jammu and Kashmir on February 19, 2021, to attract investors to make capital investments.
According to data, 310 companies made investments in 2020-21, followed by 175 in 2021-22 and 1,074 in 2022-23 in J&K.J&K Lt Governor Manoj Sinha recently informed that J&K government has received private investment proposals worth Rs 66,000 crore within two years.
Despite the positives, the security establishments are encountering a new challenge in the region. While violence has ebbed in the valley, security forces are facing new challenges in the Jammu region while the Centre is running against time to hold elections in J&K before the Supreme Court deadline of September 30.
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