Jammu and Kashmir remains divided on statehood, economy 7 years after Article 370

The Story in Brief

Seven years after the Modi government revoked Article 370 and stripped Jammu and Kashmir of statehood, assessments of the move remain sharply divided. The Hindu reports that per capita income in the region has fallen to 76.6% of the national average, from 79.9% in 2013-14, and graduate unemployment stands at 23.9%. The newspaper says emergency conditions, curfews, internet shutdowns, detentions under the Public Safety Act, have not been lifted in seven years, and the elected government has few powers, with the Lieutenant-Governor controlling administration and police.

ABP News presents an opposite picture, reporting that the region's GSDP hit an estimated Rs 2.86 lakh crore in 2025-26, with a 5.82% real growth rate. It says tourism surged to a record 2.35 crore visitors in 2024, though numbers dropped after the Pahalgam attack this year. The outlet credits improved highways, railway links and electrification projects for new economic momentum. The two outlets agree that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's government has projected 9.5% GSDP growth for 2026-27.