Last Updated on January 15, 2021 at 6:48 pm
Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said here today that in the recently held District Development Council election, the grassroot development was rewarded by the rural voter in Udhampur-Kathua- Doda Lok Sabha constituency, which had contributed 47 Councillors to the overall BJP tally.
Speaking at a felicitation function to introduce and present mementoes to the party candidates elected from his Lok Sabha Constituency, Dr. Jitendra Singh said, Udhampur, Kathua, Doda had witnessed unprecedented development in the last six years under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which was more than what had been seen in the earlier seven decades.
He said, while our opponents tried their best to underplay these development works and projects, and some armchair critics and analysts commenting from their city – chambers also failed to appreciate it, the common man in the rural areas in whose life this development activity had brought a change came forward to reward us for the same.
Citing instances, Dr. Jitendra Singh said, a network of roads had come up in the most far flung and hilly terrains, particularly upper reaches of Doda, Udhampur and Ramban. This had brought ease of living for the people in the villages and panchayats, and it is they who voted to endorse this change in their lives. Similarly, he said, the rural areas had been given as much attention as the urban areas which was evident from the fact that India’s largest Sports Stadium after Eden Garden, Kolkata was planned for Hiranagar and not for any of the big cities or towns, while a new airport was sanctioned for the remotest district of Kishtwar.
Dr. Jitendra Singh said, the border area people had been provided development with dignity. This was, he said, visible in the form of individual bunkers, nearly a 1,000 modern toilets coming up along the border and 4% reservation for the youth living along the International Border.
Describing the recently held, first ever District Development Council election in Jammu & Kashmir as a turning point in the history of Jammu & Kashmir, Dr. Jitendra Singh said, the new Councillors are blessed to be the face of this new chapter of history, which offers them a huge opportunity to perform and prove themselves.
He said, in the absence of a three-tier grassroot democracy there was a missing link between the Member of Parliament and the grassroot inhabitants for which always an extra effort was required. But, now with a systematic arrangement in place, the unattended local issues will also receive attention.
