Minister of state for home affairs Nityanand Rai told the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday that the statehood for Jammu & Kashmir would be granted after normalcy is restored.
Jammu and Kashmir lost its statehood following the abrogation of Article 370 and 37A in August 2019. The erstwhile state was then divided into the Union territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.
Rai was responding to a written query of Shiv Sena's Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi who asked if the Centre had any proposal to reinstate the statehood of Jammu & Kashmir in the future.
She also asked if the government was making any effort to end the year-long ban different means of communication.
Jammu & Kashmir lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha told the Hindustan Times on Tuesday that Union home minister Amit Shah had assured in the Parliament of granting statehood to the Union territory at an appropriate time.
"The Prime Minister also said this when he addressed the nation. Recently, when representatives of various political parties met in Delhi on June 24, the question was raised again," he said, adding, "I believe the people of the nation and Jammu & Kashmir must trust them."
Nityanand Rai also informed the Rajya Sabha in response to a separate query that terror-related incidents in Jammu and Kashmir reduced by 59% during 2020 in comparison of 2019 and by 32% till June 2021 when compared with the corresponding period upto June last year.
{{/usCountry}}Nityanand Rai also informed the Rajya Sabha in response to a separate query that terror-related incidents in Jammu and Kashmir reduced by 59% during 2020 in comparison of 2019 and by 32% till June 2021 when compared with the corresponding period upto June last year.
{{/usCountry}}"Shops and business establishments, public transport, government offices, educational and health institutions, etc are functioning normally in the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, " Rai told the Upper House in a written response.
The minister that the Centre adopted a zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism and has taken measures such as strengthening of security apparatus, intensified cordon and search operations to effectively deal with the challenges posed by the terrorist organisation.
"The security forces also keep a close watch on persons who attempt to provide support to terrorist groups," Rai said in his response.