Kickstarting Kashmir's economy will be PM Narendra Modi's next challenge

Greater influx of labour and capital from rest of India will enable Kashmir and Kashmiris to come out of their economic rut

With Article 370, which gave special status to Jammu & Kashmir, now abrogated, the doors to development in the troubled Union Territory that has long been stuck in an economic rut despite its abundant natural resources, business potential and tourism avenues could finally be thrown open to one and all. An average Kashmiri earned just about Rs 5,000 a month in 2016-17, almost half of what an average Indian earned every month. While there is no visible poverty in Kashmir owing to strong community bonds, the state has been stuck in an economic rut if Reserve Bank of India (RBI)