Union Minister of Minority Affairs Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Thursday (10 September) said that abolition of Article 370 has demolished the “speed breaker” of redundant laws which had obstructed the development process in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, an official release said.

Naqvi, who is on a two-day visit to the union territory of Ladakh, said that after the abolition of the Article 370, J&K and Ladakh are also getting benefits of various socio-economic-educational empowerment schemes of the central government.

Naqvi said that scrapping of Article 370 in 2019 has removed the political and legal obstacles in development of Jammu-Kashmir, Leh-Laddakh and the UTs are witnessing significant development along with other states of the country.

"After abolition of the Article 370, more than 75,000 youths of Jammu-Kashmir, Leh-Kargil have been provided employment oriented skill development training; 50 new colleges are being set up; 25,000 seats have been added in existing colleges; lakhs of students have been provided various scholarships; one new medical college, one engineering college and National Skill Training Institute is being established in Ladakh," the release said.

The minister said that Minority Affairs Ministry has prepared a roadmap for large-scale development in Jammu-Kashmir, Leh-Kargil. In the coming days, Union Minority Affairs Ministry will construct school, college, ITI, hostel, residential school, polytechnic, Hunar Hub, Common Service Centre, SadbhavnaMandap and other health facilities.