New Delhi, Feb 4 (IANS): Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, G. Kishan Reddy informed Parliament on Tuesday that agri operations have been proceeding smoothly in the Kashmir Valley ever since the revocation of Article 370 and formation of the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

In a written reply to a question regarding the economic impact of the abrogation, Kishan Reddy informed the Lok Sabha that 18.34 lakh MTs of apples were dispatched, up to January, in financial year 2019-20.

Citing information provided by the government of Jammu and Kashmir, Kishan Reddy also said "the sericulture sector recorded a production of 813 MTs of silk cocoon in the year 2019.

"During the 1st three quarters of FY 2019-20, handicrafts worth Rs 688.26 crore were exported. Various tourism promotional campaigns have also been launched."

Members of the House were also informed that "Government of Jammu and Kashmir has informed that as per the Periodic Labour Force Survey, last conducted for FY 2017-18, by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation of Government of India, the worker-population ratio for persons in the age group of 15 years and above for Jammu and Kashmir is 51 per cent."

Kishan Reddy said the full economic potential of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh regions could not be realized for the last 70 years as the people of Jammu and Kashmir have suffered from terrorist violence and separatism supported from across the border for the past many decades.