Jammu: Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh on Friday said that the Modi government has changed the face of Udhampur which has emerged as one of the most developed constituencies of the country in the last 10 years.
“There are certain critics and cynics who say they cannot see any development in 10 years but at the same time shamelessly avail the utility of all the new projects set up in the last 10 years,” Dr Singh said addressing a public rally in Udhampur district.
Dr Singh took a dig at the Opposition, saying that if according to them there has been no development in this constituency, they should neither send their wards to the Medical Colleges established here nor should they use the Mukerjee tunnel from Chenani to Nashri to shorten their travel time by road nor draw benefits of numerous development schemes and initiatives undertaken by the Modi government in the last decade.
The Minister said that earlier, Udhampur was known to be a “place of pedestrians” and there were Dogri folk songs written on “Udhampure diyan Takkiyan”, but under the Modi government, Udhampur has emerged as country’s top three districts in PMGSY road construction even in remotest areas.
He said, “Among over 700 districts in the country, Udhampur has become one of the top three districts which has the most number of roads built under PMGSY”.
Dr Singh informed, adding that the district now has its own radio station for which a demand was raised in 1965, but this genuine demand was never fulfilled by the earlier government. Not only this, Udhampur has a passport office now, he said.
“For the first time, a 9.5 kilometre national tunnel named after Shyama Prasad Mukherjee has been constructed in this district, and North India’s first river rejuvenation project undertaken at River Devika undertaken here”, the minister said.
Dr Jitendra Singh said this constituency is in near future all set to become a tourist-cum-religious pilgrim destination as well as a centre for learning.
Dr Jitendra Singh underlined that rising above narrow considerations of caste, creed and region, Narendra Modi government’s first term was focused on overcoming the shortcomings of the previous governments. In the second term, the government dedicated itself to laying the foundation of a developed India. Now, in its third, the government will solidify its gains and march ahead in the journey of realising Narendra Modi’s vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047.
Talking about the success of Lavender revolution in Bhaderwah area of district Doda, Dr Singh said its cultivation is now being taken up in Basantgarh-Dudu area of Udhampur given its success.
He said this region was unknown to the concept of start-ups, but in the last few years it has emerged as a hub of agri start-ups. More and more youth are giving up their secured government jobs and are now joining the Aroma Mission which offers lucrative opportunities to increase their income through the sale of perfumes which sell at high costs not only in the country but also abroad.
The Minister exuded confidence that while in the upcoming general elections, Narendra Modi will return to power, with 400 seats, the voters of Udhampur-Kathua-Doda Lok Sabha seat are going to script a new record by bestowing a 5 lakh plus record margin on Dr Jitendra Singh, and tumble the previous record voter turnout here.
In the last election, this constituency had a record victory margin since Independence, which was the highest in the history of Jammu and Kashmir in 2019”, Dr Singh said.
