SRINAGAR, Oct 10:
Legislative Assembly was today informed that Backward Commission will be made functional soon.
Minister for Social Welfare Sakina Itoo said there has been delay in appointing members of the Commission.
She said the members will be appointed soon to make the commission functional.
Speaker Mohammad Akbar Lone had also directed the Government on October 5 to appoint the members to Commission to make it functional at the earliest.
However, she refused to give any time frame when the members will be appointed.
She said she will receive report from the department and later forward it to Chief Minister for nominations of Commission members.
Ms Itoo said as many as 166 villages and habitations have been notified as backward during the last four years.
Communist Party of India (M) member Mohammad Yousuf Targami said it was mandatory to review the Backward areas after every ten years.
But, the Government has not done this so far, he said and wanted to know when the Government will take a review so that it will be known if any backward area has become forward area.
However, Ms Itoo said it is true that review of all areas declared backward has to be taken after every ten years. But, she said let members write to Government that which area in their constituency has become forward and needs no assistance available under this category.
But, Mr Targami said it is mandatory for the Government to conduct the review as to how the members say which area is not now backward.
It is the responsibility of the Government under constitution, he said.
PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti wanted to know why the members belonging to Dardsheen community in Kangan have not been declared backward when in other area the members of the same community are enjoying it.
She was intercepted by Forest Minister Mian Altaf, representing Kangan constituency, who said the survey conducted by revenue and Backward Commission had shown that the community is not backward.
He challenged Ms Mehbooba that there is any court order which says that Government should declared Dardsheen community as backward.
Mian Altaf said the PDP member was unnecessary raising this issue again and again in the house.
However, Ms Mufti alleged that the Minister was not in favour of declaring the community as backward.
Ms Itoo said she had already taken up the matter with the Deputy Commission (DC), Ganderbal.
“I am again writting to DC to conducted fresh inquiry if Dardsheen in Kagan could be declared backward,” she informed the House.
A number of other members also raised the issue of backward in their constituencies and said due to non-functional of the backward commission, no decision was being taken on cases pending for years. (UNI)
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