Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday announced a package of Rs. 80,000 crore for the all-round development of Jammu and Kashmir.
"To fulfil the dreams that I have for the state, I have decided to give the package of Rs. 80,000 crore for the development of Jammu and Kashmir," Prime Minister Modi said while addressing a rally at the Sher-i-Kashmir cricket stadium.
"My friends, my heart wants that this Rs. 80,000 crore be spent in a manner that changes your fortunes and gives strength to your youth to build a modern Kashmir," he added.
The Prime Minister who was on his first visit to the state after the PDP-BJP coalition came to power, emphasised on the employment of youth and the improvement of infrastructure in the state.
"There should be a model of development in the state which should provide employment to the youth. Kashmir has tourism, but if we don't change its infrastructure then it won't prosper," Prime Minister Modi said.
"We want to improve the agricultural sector; this land has a huge opportunity. We want to give importance to the infrastructure," he added.
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Prime Minister Modi also said that his government has allotted Rs. 34,000 crores for a new roadway between Jammu and Srinagar.
"This roadway would reduce the time taken from Jammu to Srinagar from 12 hours to four hours. And due to the tunnel construction, this highway would be reduced by 60 to 70 kilometres," he added.
Stressing on the importance of information technology, the Prime Minister said that he wants both the highways as well as the 'I-ways' (information ways) for the state.
"We are aiming for both highways as well as the I-ways as information ways, optical fibre network, digital network are important. We must have the technology in our mobile phones to be connected with the world" he added.
However, former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah lashed out at the 80,000 crore rupee package announced by Prime Minister Modi, saying he had repeated his mistake of trying to solve the 'Kashmir issue' with money.
"PM Modi has made the same mistake of weighing the Kashmir issue in Rupees & Paise!!!! I will address a press conference at 3 PM today on behalf of @JKNC to respond to the PDP BJP rally in Srinagar," Omar tweeted.