Lt Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday said the government will make all efforts for restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir and the constitutional guarantees available to the state.

Sinha, who was addressing the first session of the Assembly in Srinagar, said, “It would be a befitting reciprocation of the faith reposed by the people of Jammu and Kashmir in our democratic institutions.”

He said, “PM Narendra Modi has reiterated the commitment for the restoration of J&K’s statehood at the earliest. My government will make efforts for the restoration of statehood, and create an enabling atmosphere for development.”

He said the council of ministers has recently passed a unanimous resolution calling for the restoration of statehood. It reflects the collective will and all stakeholders have to work together as one team to achieve that.

“The aspiration for a return to the statehood remains strong! The resolution passed by the cabinet reflects the collective will of the elected representatives, echoing the aspirations of the people for the reinstatement of full democratic governance,” Sinha said.

He said the government is fully committed to fulfilling its promises for further political empowerment of the people.

The LG said the high voter turnout in the assembly polls reflected the enduring faith of the people in the democratic process, but the aspiration for the return to statehood remains strong.

Referring to the recent Assembly elections, Sinha said “These elections, the first since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019 and the reorganization of Jammu and Kashmir into a Union Territory, are a critical milestone in restoring democratic governance after a period of political uncertainty.

“The high turnout particularly in regions that traditionally could not participate fully because of separatist sentiments was very encouraging”, he said.

The LG said that “My Government will make efforts to rehabilitate Kashmiri migrants back into the valley with dignity for which a safe and secure environment will be created. Work on transit accommodation projects for Kashmiri Migrants employees will be speeded up for providing them suitable accommodation at designated places”.

Sinha said that the government has launched a war against drugs as the menace in J&K represents a complex challenge intertwined with socio-economic factors and historical context.

He said all vacancies in the Government sector will be identified and filled up on a fast-track basis. The Government is committed to expedite the process of compassionate appointments as well.

The LG said that the government is committed to providing 200 units of electricity per household. The modalities are being worked out. We are exploiting the hydel electric resources, and J&K will be self-sufficient in electricity by 2026,” he added.