Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday virtually launched an e-bus service in Jammu Smart City. He emphasised that Jammu & Kashmir is witnessing a positive transformation as unlike previous challenges such as terrorism, bomb blasts, firing, stone pelting and strikes, the state is now focusing on schools, colleges, and infrastructure development in the region.

Shah also handed over appointment letters to 209 J&K candidates selected through combined competitive exams and released 885 compassionate appointment letters on the occasion.

The Union Minister said that today’s programme is important in many ways because 100 fully air-conditioned e-buses have been dedicated to the people of Jammu. He said that this project started with the operation and maintenance of these buses for 12 years at a cost of Rs 561 crore.

Shah said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has spread environmental awareness throughout the world and is making great strides in this direction. He said that the Modi government has implemented schemes for e-buses in the entire country and Jammu is getting 100 e-buses as a part of this initiative.

Shah highlighted Modi’s transparent regime and said that the new appointees got jobs on merit.

“A new era of peace and security has dawned on Jammu & Kashmir due to the sincere efforts of PM Modi. The state has witnessed 70% decline in terrorism-related incidents, an 81% reduction in civilian deaths, and a 48% decline in the death of security forces since the abrogation of Article 370. These statistics show that a new era of happiness and peace has begun in Jammu & Kashmir,” Shah said.

Shah further said that 2,654 incidents of organised stone pelting were reported in the state in 2010, which drastically reduced to zero in 2023. Citing figures, he said 132 organised strikes took place in 2010 but not a single such strike was reported in 2023. Similarly, 112 civilians died in stone pelting in 2010 but not a single civilian died in 2023. While the number of civilians injured in stone pelting stood at 6,235 in 2010, the figure is down to zero today.

The Modi government is strictly cracking down on terror financing and freezing the assets of terrorists and has also outlawed several terrorist organisations to tackle the menace, Shah said.

The Union Minister said that a new era of peace and security has begun in Jammu & Kashmir under the leadership of PM Modi and Lt Governor Manoj Sinha. He further said that the state attracted an investment of Rs 297 crore in 2019-20 and that this figure surged to Rs 2,153 crore in 2022-23. Besides, an investment of Rs 6,000 crore is in the pipeline, he added.

Lt Governor Manoj Sinha expressed gratitude to Shah for giving the highest priority to the overall progress of J&K. He said that the 100 e-buses dedicated to the people of the Union Territory will transform smart mobility in Jammu City and its surrounding areas, thereby improving the quality of life.