Separatists have called for a shutdown in the Kashmir valley on Sunday to protest the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Jammu and Kashmir.

Separatist leaders Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik -- under the banner of joint resistance leadership -- issued an appeal Thursday asking people to observe a shutdown in Kashmir on Sunday when the prime minister is scheduled to arrive in the state.

"A person who is in his pursuit to crush Kashmiri resistance, hurting Kashmiri economy and other oppressive measures deserves only a protest," the separatists said in a statement.

PM Modi will be inaugurating projects worth more than Rs 41,000 crore and address a public rally and panchayat members during his visit to all the three regions — Ladakh, Kashmir and Jammu — on February 3.

This will be the PM's first visit to the state after the PDP-BJP government collapsed in June last year. PM Modi had last visited the state on May 19, 2018 to lay foundation of Zojilla Tunnel project.

The PM will launch projects worth Rs 35,000 crore in Jammu division alone and projects worth Rs 6,000 crore in Kashmir. Most of these projects were sanctioned during the last PDP-BJP government.

Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone for two AIIMS –one each in Jammu, Kashmir-- IIM, IIT, Jammu-Akhnoor road, Shahpur-Kandi road, Sunderbani College and IIMC in Jammu. Modi will also lay foundation stone for the first University in Ladakh. Prime Minister will inaugurate an Engineering College in Kathua and Jammu Ropeway project.

Prime Minister Modi will also inaugurate Jammu & Kashmir's first BPO on February 3. The Business Process Outsourcing company (BPO) in Bandipora will provide jobs and a better future for young men and women in the state. This is the first BPO in the state ever.

According to initial estimates, the BPO will provide jobs to around 250 youth of the state. Another 600 young people would be provided with IT-related training with the ultimate objective of completely eradicating unemployment in Bandipora.

The cherry on the cake during the PM's visit, however, is the massive public rally being organised in Vijaypur of Jammu. The BJP is mobilising two lakh people for the rally, which is seen as precursor for the forthcoming elections in Jammu and Kashmir.

BJP was the second largest party with 25 seats –all from Jammu division--in the now dissolved 87 member Legislative Assembly. BJP had also won three Lok Sabha seats –two from Jammu and one from Ladakh—out of six seats in Jammu and Kashmir in 2014.