Responding to a diatribe launched against him by the Congress party, Prime Minister Narendra Modi  Saturday announced the recently concluded District Development council polls in Jammu and Kashmir have written a new chapter in the region.

Referring to the people's participation and the efficient manner in which the same were conducted across the Union Territory, within one year after the Abrogation of Article 370, the Prime Minister emphatically said it is a “moment of pride” for India.

Attacking the Congress without naming it, he said some people in Delhi offer him lessons in democracy day in and day out, and use “abuses” for him, but they have not carried out panchayat polls in Puducherry despite a Supreme Court order.

In a recent attack on the Modi government over the farmers’ agitation against the three new agri laws, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had claimed that there is “no democracy” in India. The District Development Council (DDC) polls in Jammu and Kashmir have seen people winning due to their work and not names, the prime minister said. 

Launching a scheme via video-conference to extend the benefits of Ayushman Bharat to all residents of the union territory, Modi said the recent local body election in Jammu and Kashmir "strengthened roots of democracy" and congratulated voters for exercising their franchise in the eight-phase election.

"I would like to congratulate the people of Jammu and Kashmir for strengthening democracy. I saw how the young and the old reached the voting booths in the District Development Council (DDC) polls.

The people of Jammu and Kashmir strengthened the roots of democracy in the DDC polls," PM Modi said  The Centre has undertaken all-round development of Jammu and Kashmir, he added.

Modi said a big mistake of those who were in power for decades in the country was to ignore the development of border regions, including Jammu and Kashmir and the northeastern states, but his government has rectified this.

After launching the scheme the Prime Minister also interacted with the beneficiaries from the region.

Talking about the Jammu and Kashmir Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY SEHAT scheme, the Prime Minister said that getting free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh under this scheme would improve the ease of living.

Right now about 6 lakh families are getting the benefit of Ayushman Bharat Scheme. All 21 lakh families living in J&K will get the same benefit after the SEHAT scheme.

Another benefit of this scheme would be that treatment is not limited to government and private hospitals in Jammu and Kashmir only. Rather, treatment can be availed from thousands of hospitals empanelled under this scheme in the country, he added.

The Prime Minister lauded the UT administration for steps of people’s welfare and accentuating overall development in the region.

The Prime Minister termed the extension of the coverage to all the residents as historic and expressed happiness seeing Jammu and Kashmir take these steps for the development of its people. He said that development of the people of Jammu and Kashmir is one of the biggest priorities of his government.

During his address, the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu & Kashmir, Manoj Sinha termed the launch of SEHAT Scheme as a glorious chapter of J&K's history. One crore residents of J&K who were not eligible under Ayushman Bharat scheme would now be benefitted making it a first of its kind scheme in India, he added.

Underscoring the key features of the Health scheme, the Lt Governor observed that the SEHAT Scheme will provide financial cover upto Rs 5 lakh per family on a floater basis to all residents of the UT of J&K with benefits portable across the country, without cap on family size. A beneficiary can avail free and cashless treatment in any public and private empanelled hospitals across the country, he said.

On behalf of the 1.3 crore population of the Union Territory, the Lt Governor extended his gratitude to the Prime Minister for extending the Universal Health Coverage in J&K.

Speaking on successful conduct of the recently held DDC elections, the Lt Governor observed that for the first time in the history of J&K, the 3-Tier Panchayati Raj System in the UT has been established empowering the grass root democracy.

PM’s directions of holding free and fair elections were ensured and the DDC elections were held smoothly and peacefully in the UT, he maintained.