Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Apr 26: Senior National Conference Leader, Former Minister and MLA Kangan Mian Altaf Ahmed lashed out at the PDP-BJP Government for trivializing the needs and demands of the tribal community in the State and said the Tribal Affairs Ministry had amounted to precious little as tribal communities in all three regions of the State continued to suffer because of the Government’s apathy towards them.
After a meeting with Party President Dr. Farooq Abdullah in Srinagar, Mian Altaf Ahmed said funds for the Ministry of Tribal Affairs were not released until March and almost all the specified funds lapsed just a few days after being released. “No money was utilized on the ground to improve the quality and standard of lives of the Tribal Community either in Kashmir, Jammu or Ladakh. Government and especially the Chief Minister should explain where these funds have gone in the absence of any utilization on the ground level. Tribal communities have never been neglected in such a brazen fashion in the past and there seems to be an underlying and deep-rooted motive behind this marginalization”, Mian Altaf Ahmed said.
National Conference leader said Central schemes meant for the welfare and prosperity of the tribal Community lay in disarray and ruin throughout the State as the Government had shown a spectacular level of indifference towards the Tribal community. “Funds meant to be utilized for quality education, good healthcare and affirmative action facilities for the tribal communities are not being utilized by the Government and despite repeated pleas from the community, there is absolutely no cognizance at the highest levels of the Government”, Mian Altaf Ahmed said.
Mian Altaf Ahmed said he discussed the issues being faced by the tribal communities with Party President Dr. Farooq Abdullah who assured him that the party would constitute a special forum to address the needs and demands of the Tribal Communities in the State.
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