J&K

Turmoil

·         On August 15, 2008 Assocham suggested that the ongoing agitation in JK has hit its industry severely with its economy suffering cumulative losses of over Rs 1,500 cr in the past couple of weeks, according to estimates arrived at by industry body.

·         The worst hit industrial sectors include tourism, fruits, hosiery, carpets, handicrafts, dry fruits, tourism, forest-based products and herbs and herbal products. In the last one and half months, the exports from the region have failed to meet its national and international commitments.

·         Exports from the Jammu region suffered by minimum 30 per cent in view of ongoing agitation on account of which movement of goods, particularly fruit and other items have come to virtual halt.

·         The silk industry, handicraft industry, leather products, fruit juice concentration and processed food have also suffered enormously.

·         If the violence continues, the economy of the state will suffer major jolts as the investors that have committed over Rs 5,000 crore worth of investment for fiscal 2008-09 would depart to other destinations in neighbouring states of Punjab, Haryana and HP

·         JK which was returned to normalcy with law and order situation well within the control of its administration had witnessed 10 times increase in investment proposals from around $200 million in 2001 to more than $2,300 million in 2007.

Mission IAS’2009

Delimitation

·         On August 13, 2008 raising the Jammu versus Kashmir valley discord to a higher level, BJP added issue of fresh delimitation for redistribution of parliamentary and legislative assembly constituencies in JK in proportion to the population ratio

·         BJP Leader Naidu pointed out that “of the total population of 51,01,149 of the state, Jammu alone has a population of 28,92,290 as against only 25,46,913 people living in the Kashmir valley. Ladakh, the third region, has a population of 1,72,946”.

·         The strength of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly is 87 where 46 legislators are elected from the Kashmir valley and only 37 from Jammu.

·         Another six are elected from Ladakh. Similarly, of the six Lok Sabha seats in the state, three are from the Kashmir valley, two from Jammu and only one from Ladakh.

·         This demand had frequently been raised by the Jammu lobby arguing that “after delimitation, Jammu’s share would go up to 45 seats and Kashmir’s share would proportionately come down,”

August 15-October 26, 1947. Jammu and Kashmir still a sovereign state.
August 12, 1947: Kashmir’s ruler Maharaja Hari Singh offers a Standstill Agreement, proposing a hands-off policy by India and Pakistan on Kashmir. Accepted by both countries.
October 24, 1947: Tribals from Pakistan invade Kashmir. Responding to Hari Singh’s request, the Army’s 1st Sikh Regiment lands at Srinagar on October 27. Some Kashmiri elders still refer to all Armymen as ‘‘Sikhs’’.
October 26, 1947: Maharaja Hari Singh signs the Instrument of Accession with India.
January 1, 1949: Ceasefire declared between India and Pakistan.
January 5, 1949: UN passes a resolution for holding plebiscite in Jammu and Kashmir. Asks Pakistan to vacate Pakistan occupied Kashmir.
October 17, 1949: Article 370 adopted, confers special status on J&K in the Constitution.