Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 20: Gujjars and Bakerwals today sought a “compact programme for development of tribal communities of Jammu and Kashmir” and asked the Government to strengthen the Tribal Affairs Department as more than 80 per cent posts in the department are vacant.
The demand was raised in a meeting organized by the Tribal Research and Cultural Foundation to discuss latest tribal issues.
The participants stressed upon the Lt Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha to address the issues related to STs includes Gujjars, Bakerwals and Gaddis with regard to rehabilitation of nomadic tribes, enabling them to have access to basic education, health, road, electricity, food and other facilities properly.
The programme was presided over by well-known researcher of the Gujjar community Dr Javaid Rahi and was attended by a number of tribal elders and youth.
The speakers said that key posts in the Tribal Affairs Department of J&K are vacant. It includes 2 Deputy Directors, Tribal Officers in all the districts, Assistant Tribal Officers in 20 districts, Accounts Officer, Assistant Account Officers, Deputy Secretary, Additional Secretary and Special Secretary in Administrative Department in Civil Secretariat and others.
They demanded that these posts may be filled up on priority.
Dr Javaid Rahi said that a number of Acts and Rules extended to Jammu and Kashmir after August 5, 2019 and tribal communities were eagerly waiting for complete implementation of ‘Forest Rights Act 2006, Conservation Act 1980, The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1995 besides a number of schemes, rules dealing with tribal livelihood, rehabilitation, education, health, culture, and other developmental aspects. Such Acts and rules will change the fate of tribes after implementation.
He asserted that only a “compact programme for development of tribal communities of Jammu and Kashmir” would help in eradicating illiteracy, economic instability, cultural ethnic dimension of tribes. “Such programme, if formulated, can pave a way for all round development of tribes,” he opined.
The meeting was informed that a memorandum was submitted to Lt Governor by Tribal Foundation on August 21, 2020 demanded therein to appoint adequate staff in Tribal Department of J&K to run the affairs of this department which is dealing with excluded groups of society.
Other who spoke includes Ishtaq Misbah, Zulkarnain, Altaf Ahmed, Mubashar, Khadam Hussain, Mohammad Hameed, etc.
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