Centre may unveil policy roadmap for Jammu & Kashmir today

NEW DELHI: The government is likely to announce a special economic package for Jammu & Kashmir on Tuesday while also unveiling the policy roadmap for the state. Top sources said the announcement would come at a news conference to be addressed by two senior members of the Narendra Modi government — home minister Rajnath Singh and finance minister Arun Jaitley.

While the government shied from revealing details, sources said the Centre may give J&K a comprehensive package to rehabilitate victims of the 2014 floods, which affected over 5,500 villages across the state, damaged around 4.5 lakh structures and damaged crops in an area of over 6.5 lakh hectares.

The interim package for rehabilitation of flood victims, finalized by the finance ministry, has been approved by the PMO. The package aims at development and revitalization of sectors like tourism and handicrafts in order to help traders affected by the floods.

Tuesday's joint presser by the home minister and finance minister may also unveil the government's policy sketch on J&K in terms of security and law and order.

The press conference will come in the backdrop of indications that a school within the government favours an engagement with the separatists for restoration of peace and normalcy in the troubled state.

Of late, the state has seen a spurt in activities of separatists and hardline elements, some of whom have been raising anti-India slogans and waving Pakistani flags at rallies across the valley. Though a strong section within the government seems opposed to any engagement with the separatists as it sees this as a concession to elements raising the bogey against India, the idea remains very much on the table.

The BJP's partnership with PDP in J&K is essentially seen as an effort towards ethnic reconciliation.

At the time of sealing the alliance earlier this year, BJP and PDP signed a document titled "PDP-BJP coalition government in J&K — Agenda of the Alliance" in which points related to the development of the state, Article 370, AFSPA, normalization of ties with Pakistan and power projects were agreed upon.