Srinagar, Oct 22: Union Home Minister Amit Shah will address a mega public rally, flag off the first Srinagar-Sharjah direct flight, lay foundation stones of two medical colleges and chair a high level security review meeting during his three-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir which will begin on Saturday.
This will be Shah’s first visit to Jammu and Kashmir after abrogation of
Article 370 and bifurcation of the state into two Union Territories.
Shah will arrive first in Srinagar on Saturday accompanied by the Home Secretary A.K. Bhalla, other senior officials of the Home Ministry, heads of most of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and the intelligence agencies including the IB.
He will lay the foundation stones of two new government medical colleges (GMCs) for Udhampur and Handwara, after which he will flag off the first Srinagar-Sharjah direct flight and address a mega public rally in Jammu city.
He will also inaugurate an IIT block in Jammu on Sunday.
The Home Minister will review various developmental projects under the Prime Minister’s package in addition to a scheduled interaction with Panchayat Raj representatives including Panchs, Sarpanchs, BDC and DDC members.
The Home Minister will also hold a top level meeting in Srinagar which will be the first major security review after the targeted civilian killings by the militants.
Union MoS in PMO, Jitendra Singh and the Lt Governor Manoj Sinha will also attend the meeting.
“He is scheduled to chair a meeting of the Unified Headquarters in the valley on the 23 (Saturday),” a top official J&K administration told Greater Kashmir. “The security review of Jammu, especially Pir Panjal region where an anti-insurgency operation is going on near the boundary of Poonch-Rajouri districts for last over a week, will also be discussed,” the official said, adding that the Home Minister will also meet representatives of various industry bodies in Kashmir.
“He will travel to Jammu the next day and will come back to Kashmir the same evening,” the official said, adding that the Home Minister is likely to meet BJP District Presidents.
“He is likely to meet Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI) representatives in both Jammu and Kashmir divisions,” the official said, adding that some DDCs, BDCs and other Panchayat members are likely to brief Shah about working of the three-tier Panchayati Raj Institutions in the Union Territory.
“On Sunday the Home Minister will also attend a rally in Jammu,” the official said. “Shah is also expected to review the implementation of development schemes in Union Territory during his three day visit.”
The official said that besides an outreach to the people of the UT, there will be cultural and Sufi programmes during the visit. “The Home Minister is also scheduled to lay the foundation stone of some new projects in Kashmir and Jammu through online mode,” the official said.
Union Minister of State (PMO), Jitendra Singh will arrive ahead of Shah’s visit to review the arrangements.
Singh will reach Jammu on Friday and later meet the Lt Governor Manoj Sinha towards the afternoon to finalise the arrangements.
Pertinently several Union ministers that included Nitin Gadkari, Narendra Singh Tomar, G Kishan Reddy, and John Barla travelled to the Union territory as part of the public outreach programme.
Meanwhile, ahead of Shah’s visit, security has been heightened across Srinagar and Jammu cities. Makeshift checkposts have come up in and around the two cities.
CCTV cameras, unmanned aerial vehicles, sniffer dogs etc are supporting the security paraphernalia that has been worked out to the minutest detail in order to secure the Home Minister’s visit.