J-K: Baramulla, once a hotbed of terrorism, now topmost 'Aspirational District'

Baramulla (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], April 25 : Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla, which was a witness to terrorism before the abrogation of Article 370, has now bagged the Prime Minister's Award for Excellence in Public Administration-2022, India's highest award in civil services.
According to a report, Deputy Commissioner Baramulla Dr Syed Sehrish Asgar was selected for the achievement in the category of the Aspirational Districts programme.
The award was given to the Deputy Commissioner by Prime Minister, Narendra Modi in a function held in New Delhi last week to felicitate the civil servants for their excellence in public administration.
"Under the Aspirational District programme Baramulla has achieved the distinction of establishing birth waiting for wards in primary health centres, community health centres, upgradation of diagnostic services at all delivery points and poshan tracker tabs for all Anganwadi workers," the report said.
The administration has facilitated the endeavours of farmers through plant protection, nursery strengthening, robust rootstocks, quality planning material, etc. and organizing a marketing facility established at Sopore which is the second largest fruit mandi in Asia, it added.
A two-year paramedical diploma course has been introduced for 300 border area students to fill up the critical gap in the health sector.
The report said that under financial inclusion, 56,215 PM Jan Dhan Yojana accounts have been opened in the district.
"The government schools in the district have been revamped. These institutions have been equipped with smart classrooms, computer labs, sports facilities and trained teachers," it said.
According to the report, Baramulla had secured third rank in the Agriculture and Water Resources sector in the Delta Ranking released by NITI Aayog under "Champions of Change Segment" in September 2022.
"Eleven Union ministries were working in tandem with NITI Aayog in the Aspirational Districts Programme which was being personally monitored by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. According to the officials during the past three years, areas under micro-irrigation and high value crops have increased in the district. It has led to the improvement in the quality of the cash crops," the report said.
Baramulla district has achieved the target of distributing 20000 soil health cards and registered 17660 farmers under Pradhan Mantri Kissan Mandhan Yojana which is the highest across J-K.
Sopore Fruit Mandi has been linked to the electric market which has enabled the farmers to connect with any mandi/marketplace across the country to determine the rates.
Baramulla often remained in news for infiltration bids as it's close to the Line of Control, encounters, stone-pelting incidents and frequent shutdowns before 2019.
"But in the past three years it has emerged as one of the most peaceful districts in the Union Territory," the report said.
Separatists like the late Syed Ali Shah Geelani used to claim that Baramulla and Sopore are their bastions.
"Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru, who was hanged at Tihar Jail in New Delhi on February 9, 2013, was a resident of Seer Jageer village near Sopore town. Geelani before donning the mantle of a separatist had won Sopore assembly seat thrice," it said.
Another separatist, Nayeem Khan, who has been lodged at Tihar Jail in connection with the terror funding case, also hails from the Baramulla district.