The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is planning mega functions in J&K on the first anniversary of revocation of J&K’s special status.
During a 15-day-long programme from August 5, the Tricolour will be unfurled in all the zonal, tehsil and district headquarters, party sources said. Besides, municipal wards and head offices, with significant presence of BJP members, will organise ceremonies to celebrate the occasion.
“There are a lot of programmes on the cards. We have kept a day to remember all police martyrs and all political workers killed in the past three decades,” said BJP general secretary Ashok Koul.
A number of Union Ministers will also address virtual rallies.
The Centre divided the erstwhile State of J&K into two Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh and scrapped its special status on August 5, 2019.
Development initiatives
Meanwhile, the J&K administration has stepped up development initiatives in the Union Territory (UT). Lieutenant Governor G.C. Murmu on Thursday approved a programme for 100% macadamisation of all roads in J&K, including 11,000 km of fair-weather roads.
A government spokesman said a committee, comprising Financial Commissioner, Principal Secretary (Public Works, Secretary (Planning) and Secretary (Rural Development), has been constituted to prepare a roadmap and complete the work in a time bound manner. The L-G announced the release of the first tranche of ₹200 crore to the Public Works Department.
Green drive
Mr. Murmu also accorded approval to the Forest Department’s proposal to organise an integrated ‘Green J&K Drive- 2020’ to double the plantation target achieved in the previous year.
“With the aim of planting 100 lakh trees, covering 15,000 hectares of degraded forest areas during the year 2020-21, the drive will seek participation from Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), line departments, educational institutions, army, para-military forces, police and the civil society. The Forest Department will provide the requisite tree saplings,” the spokesman said.
The Green J&K plantation drive aims to promote the goals of the National Forest Policy that envisages hill states bringing two-thirds of their geographical area under green cover to ensure stability of the fragile ecosystem.
