Kashmir, June 11,2026- Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday called for greater investment, institutional support and enhanced infrastructure development for Jammu & Kashmir while addressing the 11th Governing Council Meeting of NITI Aayog in New Delhi.
The meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was held under the theme “Inclusive Human Development for Viksit Bharat @2047.”
Addressing the council, Omar Abdullah highlighted Jammu & Kashmir’s development achievements and presented a series of proposals aimed at accelerating economic growth, improving human development indicators and strengthening infrastructure across the Union Territory.
The Chief Minister said the people of Jammu & Kashmir have overwhelmingly embraced peace, democracy and progress, laying a strong foundation for sustained development. He pointed to major advancements in education and healthcare, including the operationalization of IIT Jammu, IIM Jammu and AIIMS Jammu. He also noted that the number of medical colleges in J&K has increased from three to ten, while over 90,000 youth have been trained under the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana.
Highlighting the geographical challenges faced by the region, Abdullah emphasized that development financing mechanisms should adequately account for difficult terrain and scattered habitations. He urged the Centre to extend the SASCI “Pride of Hills” Special Development Assistance to Jammu & Kashmir on the same principles applicable to other hill states.
The Chief Minister also underscored the success of Mission YUVA, describing it as a transformative initiative that has mapped entrepreneurial potential across 24 lakh households, identified more than 5.5 lakh prospective entrepreneurs and contributed to a significant rise in startup registrations across the Union Territory.
Speaking about economic diversification, Abdullah said Jammu & Kashmir recorded 2.36 crore tourist arrivals in 2024, reflecting the region’s growing appeal as a tourism destination. He also highlighted the impact of the ₹5,000-crore Holistic Agriculture Development Programme, which has benefited over 6.5 lakh farmers, and noted the contribution of nearly 8.5 lakh MSMEs in generating employment and driving economic activity.
On infrastructure and energy, the Chief Minister stressed the need to fully harness Jammu & Kashmir’s vast hydropower potential of 14,867 MW. He called for strengthening and extending the J&K-Centre Joint Venture hydropower model beyond 2028 to maximize the resources of the Chenab and Jhelum river basins.
Referring to the recently operationalized Udhampur-Srinagar railway link, Abdullah described it as a crucial all-weather connectivity corridor and a lifeline for Kashmir’s apple industry. He urged the Union Government to augment railway services ahead of the apple harvesting season to facilitate faster transportation of produce to national markets.
Among the key proposals presented during the meeting were the extension of the “Pride of Hills” package to J&K, approval of ten new tourism circuits under a proposed ₹5,500-crore tourism development plan, expansion of hydropower partnerships, institutional support for medicinal and aromatic plants, apple cultivation and wool production, enhanced railway connectivity and the establishment of Government Medical Colleges in the eight districts currently lacking such facilities.
The Chief Minister also submitted additional proposals focused on handicrafts development and disaster resilience measures.
Concluding his address, Omar Abdullah reaffirmed Jammu & Kashmir’s commitment to contributing to the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047, stating that the Union Territory seeks stronger partnership and convergence with the Centre to transform its resilience, natural resources and human capital into a greater contribution to national development.
