Infiltration up but security scenario in J&K has improved: Prez

President Pratibha Patil said on Monday even though the infiltration of terrorists from across the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir has gone up, security situation has "significantly" improved in the state.

President Pratibha Patil said on Monday even though the infiltration of terrorists from across the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir has gone up, security situation has "significantly" improved in the state.

HT Image

Addressing both the houses of the Parliament on the first day of the Budget session, Patil said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's reconstruction plan for Jammu and Kashmir has been working well.

She said construction of roads, colleges, industrial training institutes and Anganwadi centres have been taken up on an urgent basis under this initiative in Jammu & Kashmir.

"Infiltration of terrorists from across the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir has gone up. Even then, the security situation has improved significantly in Jammu and Kashmir," Patil said.

She said an additional 500 megawatts of power has been provided to the state during the winter months.

Patil said a National Youth Corps Scheme has been introduced to enable men and women between the age group of 25 to 35 years, to serve for two years in nation-building activities.

"In the first phase, 20,000 volunteers would be deployed and they would be utilised in several creative social activities like cleaning the Dal Lake," she said.