Excelsior Correspondent
KATHUA, Nov 19: Former Minister Dr Manohar Lal Sharma sought support of the people to take the Union Territory out of the shadows of ‘fear, unemployment and helplessness’.
“Once the statehood is restored, land and job rights in JK will be given only to the people of JK”, Dr Manohar said while addressing a public gathering in Billawar today.
Former Minister said that people are worried over the delay in restoring Statehood. After delimitation of Assembly seats, Statehood must be restored,” he said.
“The economy of J&K is at the brink of collapse. There is no sector of its economy be it tourism, horticulture, transport, or trade that hasn’t suffered losses in the past two-three years,” Dr Manohar said.
He stressed upon workers to hit the ground and launch a mass contact programme to mobilise public support for the party ahead of the forthcoming Assembly elections. He said that his party is committed to strengthen the communal harmony and social fabric.
“All that is being claimed by the Government in terms of transforming the region in terms of development, infrastructure augmentation and employment generation is nowhere to be seen by the people of Jammu and Kashmir to this day,” he regretted.
“In the erstwhile J&K State, the Scheduled Castes had eight per cent reservation in direct recruitment, Scheduled Tribes 10 per cent, weaker and underprivileged classes two per cent, residents of areas adjoining Line of Actual Control/International Border 3 per cent, residents of backward areas 20 per cent, besides horizontal reservation of 6 per cent to ex-servicemen and 3 per cent to physically challenged persons”, added Dr Manohar.
After rationalization of percentage, the reservation of different categories in direct recruitment, the residents of backward areas were given 10 per cent reservation, Pahari speaking people 4 per cent and Economically Weaker Sections 10 per cent.
According to the population survey of the Pahari speaking people census 2011, they are concentrated in the Poonch, Rajouri, Baramulla, Kupwara, Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian, Pulwama, Budgam and Ganderbal districts, added Dr Manohar.
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