Article 370 ‘History’: Amit Shah Declares As BJP Releases Ambitious J&K Poll Manifesto | Key Highlights

The Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) on Friday released its highly anticipated poll manifesto for Jammu and Kashmir. Union Minister Amit Shah unveiled the ‘Sankalp Patra’ during his two-day visit to the state. 

In his address to party members, Shah affirmed that Jammu and Kashmir has always been an integral part of India and will remain so. He added, “I want to say to the country that Article 370 is history, it will never return, and we won't let it happen. Article 370 was the thing that gave weapons and stones in the hands of the youth." 

He highlighted the BJP’s scheme for Kashmiri Pandits and their rehabilitation, saying, "We are towards the completion of rehabilitation of 6,000 people." He added, "We will look for complete rehabilitation. Many Kashmiri Pandits and people from the Sikh community who left when the terrorism was at its peak were forced to sell their properties. We have already started working in this regard—either returning their properties or providing the amount for their properties." 

BJP's Key Promises, Plans For Jammu and Kashmir 

Agriculture 

Farmers will receive an annual grant of ₹10,000 through the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme. 

Agricultural electricity rates will be reduced by half. 

Free electricity through PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, with an additional subsidy of 10,000 to households for solar instrument installation. 

Job\Education 

The plan includes creating 500,000 new jobs. 

The recruitment process will be transparent and equitable. 

College students will be given a ₹3,000 travel allowance each year under the Pragati Shiksha Yojana. 

An additional 1,000 medical college seats will be added to enhance educational opportunities. 

Infrastructure 

All major tunnel construction projects will be finished. 

10,000 kilometers of new rural roads will be built. 

Metro services will be introduced in Jammu and Srinagar. 

Social Welfare 

Each household's eldest woman will receive ₹18,000 annually. 

Ujjwala scheme beneficiaries will get two free gas cylinders every year. 

The Atal Housing Scheme will provide free land to landless families. 

Pensions for the elderly, widows, and disabled individuals will be tripled. 

Religious and Cultural 

Hindu temples and other religious sites will be rebuilt and renovated. 

Healthcare 

The Ayushman Bharat Sehat Yojana will offer an additional ₹2 lakh in healthcare coverage, supplementing the existing ₹5 lakh. 

Rehabilitation 

The process of rehabilitating displaced persons will be accelerated. 

Tourism 

Efforts will be made to reposition Jammu and Kashmir from a "terrorist hotspot" to a prime tourist destination. 

Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Elections

The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections will take place across 90 constituencies, with 7 seats allocated for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and 9 for Scheduled Tribes (STs). In the last elections, the People's Democratic Party (PDP) emerged as the largest party, securing 28 seats, followed closely by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with 25 seats. The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (NC) won 15 seats, while the Congress garnered 12. 

This year's polling is scheduled to be held in three phases on September 18, 25, and October 1, with the results expected on October 8. The Congress has teamed up with the National Conference in a strategic alliance for the upcoming election.