SRINAGAR, Aug 4: From record investment to highest tourist arrivals and from lowest terror incidents to the Srinagar-Katra train, Jammu and Kashmir has hit a new high in developmental indicators in the last six years.
Terror incidents in Jammu and Kashmir have dropped by 88 percent in the last five years. Data released by the central government revealed that 228 terror incidents were recorded in Jammu and Kashmir in 2018, which fell to 153 in 2019. In 2020, 126 terror incidents were recorded in Jammu and Kashmir. In 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024, 129, 125, 46, and 28 terror incidents were reported, respectively. Overall, terror incidents dropped by 88 percent from 2018 to 2024
“On August 5, 2019, Parliament approved the removal of Article 370 and 35-A, marking a historic correction of a decades-old imbalance. Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh were brought at par with other regions, and over 890 Central laws were applied. As many as 205 state laws were repealed, and 130 modified to align with the Constitution of India,” the central government said in a fact sheet `11 Saal- Vikisit Bharat Ka Amrit Kal’.
Despite the early apprehensions and the clampdown post August 2019, Jammu and Kashmir bounced back to never before numbers on key economic indicators.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha also provided much-needed stability, coupled with iron-fisted action on terror-related activities that steered Kashmir through tricky times.
The only major terror-related incident during the past 6 years was the April 2025 Pahalgam massacre, following which India launched Operation Sindoor, executing precise retaliatory strikes against nine terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
Unlike pre pre-2019 period, Kashmir witnessed zero stone pelting and hartal in the last six years. Schools, educational institutions, and business establishments functioned normally in the last six years. According to JP Nadda, BJP National President and Union Health Minister, stone pelting incidents in Jammu and Kashmir have reduced to zero after the abrogation of Article 370.
“There is only an academic calendar now. After 33-34 years, the Muharram procession is being taken. Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, and Christians are celebrating their festivals together with joy. The economy has doubled. So this is what I think is the New Kashmir,” LG Sinha said in a recent interview.
Jammu and Kashmir has attracted investments worth ₹10,516 crore since 2019.
Industries and Commerce Minister Surinder informed the assembly that ₹3,407.63 crore had been invested in Kashmir, while Jammu received ₹7,108 crore. Breaking down the figures, the minister stated that investment in Kashmir stood at ₹164.37 crore in 2019-20, ₹148.89 crore in 2020-21, ₹125.87 crore in 2021-22, ₹737.36 crore in 2022-23, and ₹1,423.17 crore in 2024-25 (until February 25, 2025).
A record 2.35 crore tourists visited Jammu and Kashmir in 2024. Domestic tourist numbers shot up tenfold — from 25.19 lakh in 2020 to 2.35 crore in 2024. Foreign tourist arrivals also surged, jumping from just 5,317 in 2020 to 65,452 in 2024.
The Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link is fully operational, while major tunnel projects like Zojila and Z-Morh are underway to boost connectivity. Over 9,700 homes have been digitally connected under BharatNet, expanding digital access in remote areas. Education and employment have also flourished.
For the first time, the elections were held peacefully. There was a record turnout during the assembly elections. The 2024 state Assembly elections saw significant youth and women’s participation, reshaping grassroots politics with a remarkable voter turnout of nearly 64 per cent. Tourism, once crippled by conflict, shutdowns, and a series of other actions, including stone pelting, encounters, and others, has rebounded dramatically.