Violent street protests and militancy have declined in Kashmir and youths are getting jobs on the basis of merit and not on political consideration, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on January 25.
“Jobs in Jammu and Kashmir were being given with active support of political leaders but gone are the days when Ministers would give slips to give jobs to youth. Such slips have been replaced by exam papers today and recruitment is taking place in a transparent manner,” the Minister said.
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He was speaking virtually during a function to inaugurate e-bus service in Jammu. Around 100 fully air-conditioned e-buses at a cost of ₹561 crore were pressed into service on the occasion. He also sanctioned 204 appointment letters. He said the youth of Jammu and Kashmir had replaced the stones with laptops and were enjoying the peace dividends.
The Home Minister said the noose on terror financing and the properties of terrorists was being tightened. “Many terrorist outfits are being banned. With active support of the youth, hartals, stone pelting and organised protests are the things of the past. For the politicians who used to say that nothing will change in Jammu and Kashmir if Article 370 goes, there is a 70% decline in terrorism, 81% dip in civilian killings, and 48% fall in killings of security forces,” Mr. Shah said.