New Delhi, September 3: Union Home Minister Amit Shah met a Kashmiri delegation at the North Block on Tuesday. During the meeting, Amit Shah assured the delegation that communication blackout in Jammu and Kashmir will end in 15 days. This was the first delegation from the Kashmir Valley to meet the Home Minister after the abrogation of Article 370, which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir. Jammu And Kashmir: Omar Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti Allowed to Meet Families Nearly Month After Abrogation of Article 370, Says Report.

The Kashmiri delegation was comprised of 22 sarpanchs from the Valley, who bravely contested the panchayat elections in spite of the threat to their lives from terrorists. Shah also announced Rs 2 lakh insurance for all panchs and sarpanchs. On Agust 5, the Parliament scrapped the special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 and passed the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act which bifurcates the state into two union territories. Omar Abdullah Works Out at Gym And Watches Hollywood Movies in Detention, Mehbooba Mufti Confines Herself to Books.

Since then, the state has been under unprecedented communication blackout and security lockdown. On Monday, the government said over 90 per cent of Kashmir Valley was free of daytime restrictions as authorities eased curbs in 92 police station areas in view of the improving situation. "Relaxation in daytime restrictions is up from 81 police stations to 92 from last week," said Rohit Kansal, Principal Secretary, Jammu and Kashmir.

Detailing about the restoration of landlines in Kashmir, Kansal, who is also the state government spokesperson, said that 29 more telephone exchanges were made functional, increasing it to 76 out of 95 exchanges and over 26,000 landlines have been made functional in the Valley. He further stated that all the landlines and mobile phones are fully functional in the Jammu and Ladakh regions.

The government offices are fully functioning and are witnessing usual attendance of the staff, Kansal said. Primary, middle and high schools are functioning with a good attendance of staff and students, he added. Some detained political leaders were now being allowed visits by their families.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 03, 2019 03:14 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).