BENGALURU: The government will restore and reopen 50,000 vandalised temples in Jammu & Kashmir, junior Union home minister

said on Monday. He also said that the Centre is considering elections in the Valley in a phased manner once normalcy returns.

Reddy said the Centre is aware that these temples, defaced and vandalised over decades, needed restoration. “These temples were vandalised when

and

were driven out of the Valley. We’ll do a survey of these temples and reopen them,” he said.

On elections, Reddy said, “Assembly elections will be held as soon as things are normal… We have successfully held sarpanch elections, now we will conduct block development council elections by November or December and then we will conduct district development council elections.”

The minister also said that the Centre has set up a committee to survey schools in the Valley, and hinted that efforts are under way to reopen them shortly. The government also has plans to conduct a special recruitment drive for Kashmiri youths in its departments and the three Defence wings, he said. Reddy assured that the central government will embark on market intervention for apple growers and ensure 70% profit for farmers.

(With inputs from agencies)