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Updated: Mar 15, 2020 18:41 IST

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday told delegation from Jammu and Kashmir’s Apni Party led by its founder Altaf Bukhari that the NDA Government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take all steps for the overall development of Jammu and Kashmir.

He expressed confidence that visible changes will be seen on the ground in the next few months, according to an official statement.

He told the 24-member delegation which raised about 40 issues, that the government does not intend to change the demography of the region and “all such talks have no basis at all”.

“The Government will work with all sections of the society to realize the hopes of statehood for Jammu and Kashmir at an early opportunity,” Shah said.

Allaying the apprehensions of the Apni Party delegation on restrictions, Shah said all decisions on relaxations are based on ground realities and not due to any pressure.

He referred to steps like release of people from preventive detention, restoration of internet, relaxation in curfew and added that even political prisoners will be freed in times to come as the main objective of the government is that not a single person should die, be it a common Kashmiri or security personnel.

On Friday, the government freed former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah from house arrest, seven months after he was put under detention. His son Omar Abdullah and another former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti continue to be under detention.

“The Home Minister assured the delegation that Jammu and Kashmir will have a better domicile policy than other states in the country and said that a reasonable Economic Development Policy will be drafted soon after widespread consultation,” the statement said.

He emphasised that there is no discrimination in implementation of Central Laws in Jammu and Kashmir and interests of all sections will be taken care of.

The Home Minister told the Apni Party delegation that an Industrial Policy will be announced soon for rapid economic development and a land bank has already been created.

He said, for the last 70 years, Jammu and Kashmir attracted Rs 13,000 crore and expressed hope that by 2024 three times more investment will come in the region as there is huge potential for the same and investors are also willing to come forward. This will also solve the problem of unemployment in the region, he said.

On the issues of reservation, the Home Minister said that a Commission will be set up soon and reiterated that no injustice will be done to Gujjars, nomads and other communities.

Altaf Bukhari who was the finance minister in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government launched the Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party in Srinagar on March 8. The new party which enjoys the Centre’s backing, has politicians from the PDP, the Congress and the NC.