By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR/NEW DELHI: In 2020, 244 terrorist incidents took place in Jammu and Kashmir with 62 security personnel and 37 civilians lost their lives. In 2021, 229 incidents, 42 security men and 41 civilians were killed in terror attack.
In total 104 Security Personnel and78 Civilians lost their lives in Kashmir Valley during 2020-21. During this period, only 1 incident of terror attack reported from rest of the Country.
Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri Nityanand Rai in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha said on Tuesday that combating terrorism is a continuous process. The Government has taken various steps in this regard including strengthening of legal framework, streamlining of intelligence mechanism, setting up of National Investigation Agency (NIA) for investigation and prosecution of terror related cases, having various hubs of National Security Guards (NSG), stepping up border and coastal security, modernization of police forces and capacity building of state police forces etc. Due to concerted and coordinated efforts of all the stakeholders terrorism related violence has been contained to a large extent in the country.
The Government has a policy of zero tolerance against terrorism and the security situation has improved significantly in J&K. There has been substantial decline in terrorist attacks from 417 in 2018 to 229 in 2021. The Government has taken various measures to normalize the situation in the Kashmir valley. These include a robust security and intelligence grid, proactive operations against terrorists, intensified night patrolling and checking at Nakas, security arrangements through appropriate deployment and high level of alertness maintained by the security forces. Moreover, the Government has taken several steps for all round development of Jammu and Kashmir including implementation of PMDP, 2015, Flagship programmes, establishment of IIT & IIM, two new AIIMS and fast tracking of infrastructure projects in roads, power etc.
Besides, a new Central Scheme is being implemented for industrial development of J&K with an outlay of Rs. 28,400 Crores which would provide employment to 4.5 Lakhs persons. Furthermore, the Government had constituted a delimitation Commission, which has notified Orders on 14th March, 2022 and 5th May, 2022 on delimitation of Parliamentary and Legislative Assembly Constituencies of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Thereafter, the Election Commission of India has initiated revision of electoral rolls of voters of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The decision to schedule elections is the prerogative of Election Commission of India.
