Govt would continue to support weaker sections: Taj

Excelsior Correspondent
BUDGAM, June 9: Minister for Medical Education, Youth Services and Sports, Taj Mohi-ud-Din today said the Government is taking many steps for the betterment and welfare of weaker sections and backward communities of the society in Jammu & Kashmir. He said Government would continue to support weaker sections till they are brought at par with other sections of the society.
Addressing a day long convention organized All India Confederation of SC/ST Organizations here today, the Minister said things have improved considerably since independence and asked members of these communities to take full advantage of the welfare schemes launched by the Government from time to time.
On the needs of Gujjar community, Mr. Taj said decades of struggle ultimately led to granting the community the status of a Scheduled Tribe. He said now there are avenues available to youth belonging to the community and even under Tribal Sub Plan their social and developmental needs are taken care of. He said stress is laid on covering Gujjar areas under the ambit of schemes in drinking water distribution, road connectivity, power distribution, health, PDS etc. He asked the members of the community to stand united and support Government in its endavour to bring and sustain social justice in the society in the State.
On the demands put for by the community leaders, Mr. Taj said the disparity in the amount of scholarships granted to Gujjar students and their counterparts from other communities would be ended. He said time has come when the members of the community can demand these facilities not as concessions but rights duly guaranteed by law. He said he himself went through a struggle of 14 years to grant the community the ST status. This, he said, was a milestone in getting the potential and merit of the community recognized at state and national level.
Terming education as a tool for socio economic transformation, the Minister asked the members of the community to educate their wards so that they in future would chart out their paths themselves.
The convention was also addressed by Arif Irfan, Manzoor Khatana, Noor-ud-Din Noorani and others who put forth the problems of Gujjar community and sought their redressal.

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