Jammu, Feb 17 (IANS): Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Monday said violence across the state has declined by 71 percent since the present coalition government came to power in 2009.

During a discussion on the motion of thanks on governor's address to the legislature, the chief minister referred to a number of milestones achieved during the last five years, including the public service guarantee, the constitution of the state vigilance commission, the right to information commission and the proposal to form new administrative units.

Abdullah said the decision to incorporate essential features of the 73rd Constitutional Amendment in the state Panchayati Raj Act will empower the elected village representatives and benefit the people in general.

He made his statement in the legislative council, the upper house of the state's bicameral legislature presently in session here to wind up the discussion on the governor's address.

In the legislative assembly, opposition parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the National Panthers Party (NPP), walked out of the house, protesting the alleged acute shortage of rations and other essential supplies in different areas of the state.

The opposition legislators, however, later joined the session of the assembly to participate in the day's proceedings.

The PDP legislators, led by party leader Mehbooba Mufti, again walked out of the assembly to protest alleged detentions of youths in different parts of the Kashmir Valley recently.