Jammu : Union Home Minister Amit Shah is set to preside over a crucial meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday, focusing on Jammu and Kashmir’s security situation, electoral plans, and economic policies. Attendees include Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, and top intelligence and security officials from the region. The meeting is particularly significant in light of escalating attacks on security forces in the Pir Panjal region, covering the Rajouri and Poonch districts.
One key agenda item is the discussion surrounding the deaths of three civilians allegedly in the custody of security forces after an attack on security personnel on December 21 in Dera Ki Gali, Thanamandi, Poonch. The incident resulted in the loss of four soldiers’ lives and injuries to three others.
The meeting will also address the prospect of conducting elections for Rural and Urban Local Bodies in Jammu and Kashmir. The Urban Local Bodies’ five-year term concluded in November-December last year, while the Rural Local Bodies (Panchayats) are set to cease functioning on January 9. The tenure of Block Development Councils (BDCs) is also nearing its end, with election delays attributed to the inclusion of reservations for Other Backward Classes (OBCs), along with women, Scheduled Castes (SCs), and Scheduled Tribes (STs).
Fiscal matters concerning Jammu and Kashmir will be on the agenda, along with discussions on job creation and expediting recruitment processes. The meeting will also review the J&K Industrial Policy, which has attracted investment proposals totaling nearly Rs 85,000 crore. The focus will be on expediting the implementation of these proposals to generate employment opportunities for the local youth.
