SRINAGAR: Union Minister for Power and Housing and Urban Affairs, Manohar Lal Khattar, on Thursday said that with the arrival of Vande Bharat trains in Jammu and Kashmir, the transportation of fruits and vegetables will become easier and faster.
Addressing a press conference in Srinagar to mark 11 years of the BJP-led Central government, Khattar said the Vande Bharat train has enhanced connectivity between Jammu and Kashmir and the rest of the country, benefiting the region’s horticulture sector.
“Earlier, we relied on trucks to transport fruits and vegetables to other parts of India. Now, this burden will be reduced as Kashmiri apples and other produce will reach every corner of the country by train,” he said.
He added that produce from Kashmir will no longer get stuck midway or at mandis.
Speaking on political developments, the minister said, “After the abrogation of Article 370, the people of Jammu and Kashmir have accepted that we are all equal citizens of India. The gaps left in 1947 have now been filled under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership.”
On the recent Pahalgam terror attack, Khattar said, “The people of Jammu and Kashmir have spoken out strongly against terrorism. I salute their courage.” He reiterated that terrorism would not be tolerated and that anyone involved or supporting such activities would face strict action.
Referring to Operation Sindoor, he said, “Our security forces neutralised nine terrorist sites in 22 minutes. The world has witnessed India’s strength.”
Highlighting the achievements of the BJP-led government over the past 11 years, Khattar said 99 percent of village roads have been connected under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana.
He said that India has become the third country in the world to operate over 1,000 km of metro rail and that the number of airports in the country has risen from 74 to 160 in the past decade.
He added that travel time from Jammu to Srinagar has reduced from 7–8 hours to around 4.5 hours due to the development of the four-lane National Highway.
On healthcare, Khattar said the number of medical colleges has increased by 700 since 2013, along with expansion in MBBS and postgraduate medical seats.
In terms of ease of doing business, he noted that India has moved from 142nd rank in 2014 to 63rd. He added that over 1,500 outdated laws have been abolished and 1.8 lakh new companies registered since 2014.
He said that 54,000 kilometres of National Highways have been constructed in this period, and internet connections have risen from 25 crore in 2014 to over 97 crore now. (KNO)
