After the Abrogation – Sustainable Growth and Positive Transformation Mark Kashmir’s Landscape

On 1 August, 2024 the second season of Kashmir Women Cricket League 2024 commenced at Sher-I-Kashmir Cricket Stadium. Organized by 31st Sub Area under the aegis of Chinar Corps, the tournament has drawn 12 teams from across Kashmir, featuring 160 talented women cricketers.

In March the prominent cricket grounds at the Magam neighbourhood of Budgam district of Kashmir became host to a month-long cricket tournament which saw the participation of hundreds of youths from various parts of the valley competing for a $3,000 cash prize.

Two cricketers from South Kashmir, Shakir Yassir (14), a wicketkeeper-batsman from Gopalpora village of Kulgam and pacer Farhat Ahmad (29) from Khiram, debuted for Bombay Strikers and Chennai Singams respectively, at the Indian Street Premier League (ISPL) earlier this year.

Fostering competition and camaraderie, cricketing fiestas such as this were unimaginable for the youth of J&K until a few years ago.

Five years ago, on 5 August 2019, the Home Minister Amit Shah introduced the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill, 2019 in the Rajya Sabha. Its result was that Article 370 which provided special status to Jammu & Kashmir, was revoked and article 35A which prevented non-Kashmiris to purchase property in the state, became automatically null and void and the state was bifurcated into the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir (UT of J&K) and Union Territory of Ladakh. Five years on the situation for the people in Jammu and Kashmir has transformed. Politically a strong grassroots democratic system commenced with genuine participation of people at the lowest rungs of governance in rural and urban local bodies.

From investment opportunities, infrastructure development, sustainable tourism, skill enhancement, improving infrastructure, ensuring ease of doing business, and fostering innovation the Government of India has undertaken the mission to enhance opportunities for youth, promote sustainable development and bring positive growth in Jammu and Kashmir on a priority basis. For too long the people have suffered the consequences of a cross border fuelled insurgency that has negatively affected every household in J&K. The terror sponsored by Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) sponsors and enabled by overseas separatist militant groups in Kashmir had disrupted the daily lives of the locals creating an atmosphere of constant fear, violence and death, in addition to destroying local infrastructures.

Now five years since the abrogation of Article 370 Kashmir has begun to feel normal.

Massive infrastructural development has commenced by way of a New Industrial Policy (NIP), which came into effect in Jammu and Kashmir on Apr 1, 2022. Both the centre and UT of J&K are laying out attractive schemes for the global investors to come and invest. The purpose of the Jammu and Kashmir Industrial Policy (JKIP) 2021-30 is to provide an industrial ecosystem in J&K, in line with the national economic trajectory, removing the artificial legal and economic barriers between J&K.

With a total spending outlay of Rs. 28,400 crores i.e., 3.7 Billion USD up to the year 2025, the largest incentive to date, the new industrial policy will also focus on equitable development through a graded incentive structure that rewards both manufacturing and service sectors in remote areas of J&K.

Steps are being undertaken by the union territory of J&K towards reducing compliances on “Ease of Living” and “Ease of Doing Business” which has received tremendous response from various potential investors. All of this has started to show its result and the UT of J&K is now emerging as an investment hub. Officials indicate that thousands of investment proposals have been received with an anticipated investment of about Rs 66,000 crore in near future. J&K’s arts, handicraft and handloom sector has recorded an unprecedented growth registering Rs.729 crore worth exports.

As part of a broader strategy to stimulate economic growth, attract investment, and generate employment opportunities in Jammu and Kashmir in July this year the government approved the transfer of nearly 104.5 acres of land to the Industries and Commerce Department for the development of industrial estates in the Kashmir division.

Earlier this year the J&K administration had approved the setting up of seven new industrial estates for Rs 304.51 crore. These estates spread over approximately 661.25 acres across six districts, are expected to attract an estimated investment of Rs 8700.16 crore and create employment potential for 28,376 people.

Since the launch of the New Industrial Policy, J&K has witnessed a remarkable influx of industrial investment proposals, with 6909 applications received through its single-window system till July 2024. High-profile investors include cricket legend Muttiah Muralitharan’s Ceylon Beverages, setting up a Rs 1600-crore facility, and Dubai’s Emaar Group, investing Rs 500 crore in shopping malls and IT towers.

The union territory of J&K has undergone significant positive changes in the last five years with 7 lakh students enrolling in national scholarships, agricultural advancements being shared through fairs, financial literacy initiatives supporting MSMEs, and character-building programs like capacity tours for children.

Because almost 70 per cent of the economy is based on agriculture in J&K, plenty of planning and investment is going towards increasing agri efficiency, production, productivity, and profitability. Private firms have been permitted to undertake cluster farming of specific horticulture crops, just like other crop clusters across the nation. In 2023 the government launched an ambitious Sensor based Smart Agriculture project with an initial investment of 30.40 crore for 29 projects, which will integrate agriculture with technology driven by Artificial Insemination and IoT, bringing transformative innovation for J&K’s agri-economy.

The biggest indicator of the new normal has been the growth of tourism. 2023-24 is said to have broken all previous records with tourists' arrival having crossed over one crore, the highest so far, beating by far even the pre-turmoil period record. This has generated employment for thousands of people. With a significant increase in foreign tourist arrivals, travel agents anticipate further global promotion of Kashmir’s tourism. The prospects of foreign tourists from Thailand, Europe, and the Gulf visiting in large numbers have raised hopes for a robust tourism season in the coming months. Going forward, the situation looks set to only improve further.

On 6 March 2024 Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Srinagar, his first since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, generated tremendous excitement in the Kashmir valley. Kashmir has come a long way since the revocation of the Article 370. Security-wise also, the situation has transformed to a large extent. This has happened incrementally over the period with violence declining sharply, reaching its lowest last year.

Jammu and Kashmir are indeed undergoing a transformative experience. The aim to uplift every individual and community across J&K by providing economic opportunities and political inclusion is striking a chord among the locals. The swelling public support from all the communities signifies ever growing trust in the Government of India and faith capable of bringing positive change across the region