New Delhi, Jun 11: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday sought greater investment and institutional support for the Union Territory at the 11th Governing Council meeting of NITI Aayog, calling for parity with hill states under the “Pride of Hills” initiative, a long-term hydropower partnership with the Centre, expanded rail services, support for tourism infrastructure and the establishment of medical colleges in districts lacking such facilities.
Participating in the meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Abdullah outlined Jammu and Kashmir’s development priorities under the theme “Inclusive Human Development for Viksit Bharat @2047” and said the true measure of development lay in expanding opportunities and improving the quality of life of citizens.
The CM said the people of Jammu and Kashmir had overwhelmingly chosen peace, democracy and progress, creating what he described as a strong foundation for sustained development.
Highlighting achievements in education, healthcare and skill development, Abdullah said the Union Territory had operationalised institutions such as Indian Institute of Technology Jammu, Indian Institute of Management Jammu and All India Institute of Medical Sciences Jammu. He said the number of medical colleges had increased from three to ten, while more than 90,000 youth had received training under the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana.
Despite challenges posed by difficult terrain and scattered habitations, J&K had continued to register improvements in healthcare, education and social protection indicators, Abdullah said.
He argued that development financing frameworks should adequately account for geographical disadvantages and urged the Centre to extend the Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) “Pride of Hills” Special Development Assistance to Jammu and Kashmir on the same principles applicable to other hill states.
Abdullah also highlighted Mission YUVA, a programme aimed at promoting entrepreneurship and employment, describing it as a transformative initiative.
According to the CM, the programme has mapped entrepreneurial potential across 24 lakh households, identified more than 5.5 lakh prospective entrepreneurs and contributed to a significant increase in registered startups.
Pointing to the diversification of Jammu and Kashmir’s economy, Abdullah said the Union Territory recorded 2.36 crore tourist arrivals in 2024.
He also highlighted the impact of the Rs 5,000-crore Holistic Agriculture Development Programme, which he said had benefited more than 6.5 lakh farmers, and noted the contribution of nearly 8.5 lakh micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to employment generation and economic activity.
On infrastructure and energy, the chief minister said Jammu and Kashmir possesses hydropower potential of 14,867 megawatts and stressed the need to strengthen the Centre-J&K joint venture model beyond 2028 to fully utilise the resources of the Chenab and Jhelum river basins.
He described the Udhampur-Srinagar railway line as a critical all-weather connectivity corridor and a vital lifeline for the region’s apple economy, and sought additional rail services ahead of the apple season.
Abdullah requested the Centre support for extending the SASCI “Pride of Hills” package to Jammu and Kashmir, strengthening and expanding the Centre-J&K hydropower partnership and approving 10 new tourism circuits under a proposed Rs 5500-crore tourism development plan.
He also sought institutional partnerships for the promotion of medicinal and aromatic plants, apples and wool, as well as the establishment of government medical colleges in the eight districts that currently do not have such facilities.
The CM said separate proposals relating to handicrafts and disaster resilience had also been submitted to the Centre.
