Hiranagar MLA has raised very important issue of the plight of farmers of villages situated on international border. Security forces do not allow them to cultivate their lands close to the border. As far as security is concerned, there is justification with the authorities not to allow cultivation close to the border. But then the farmers have to be compensated either by giving them alternate land for cultivation or by providing them sufficient financial support so that they are able to start some new enterprise to secure their livelihood. The Government has not done anything in this regard and the poor farmers are left to eke out miserable life. To add fuel to fire, it is reported that five crore of rupees sanctioned as compensation to the affected farmers remain with the Deputy Commissioner and has not been disbursed to the families for whom it was meant. This is sheer callousness on the part of the authorities to let the poor border families face the plight which is not of their making. We believe that the Government is fully aware of the plight of the farmers and families on the border and does not want them to suffer more. But at the level of local and subordinate administration, things are not helping. There has also been walkout in the assembly by some of the opposition members. They have also brought instances of discrimination to the notice of the house. While 2375 youth have been recruited in police services from Kashmir region, Jammu has found only 541 youth getting recruited. This was pointed out by the leader of NPP who also walked out of the assembly in protest. We expect the Government not to allow any discriminatory policy to be pursued at any level.
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