Jammu and Kashmir has received its biggest-ever road development package under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) scheme, making the Union Territory the first in the country to get approval under Batch-I of PMGSY-IV.
Under the package, the Centre has cleared 316 road projects worth ₹4,224 crore.
PMGSY is a Union government scheme that provides all-weather road connectivity to villages in rural and remote areas. The roads will help people travel more easily to schools, hospitals, markets, and other essential services in the region.
Under this new package, 390 villages across Jammu and Kashmir will be connected, mainly those with over 250 people.
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A total of 1,781 kilometres of roads will be built or upgraded. This is expected to improve the lives of people living in far-off and hilly areas.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan for the approval.
This project is part of a larger development push launched by the Modi government after the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, which ended Jammu and Kashmir’s special status. Since then, the government has focused on improving infrastructure, healthcare, education, housing, water supply, and digital connectivity in the region.
Key schemes like Ayushman Bharat (for free health insurance), Jal Jeevan Mission (for tap water in every home), PM Awas Yojana (for affordable housing), and Digital India have seen faster implementation in J&K. New highways, tunnels, power projects, and industrial estates have also been built or are underway.
The aim, according to the Centre, is to bring peace, development, and jobs to the people of Jammu and Kashmir and ensure they benefit from the same rights and progress as the rest of India.