JK News Today
JAMMU, DECEMBER 21
Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti Wednesday unfolded a mega project for the welfare of the settling of Gujjar community in different parts of the state and warned the forest department and other authorities against harassment of the tribe anywhere in the state.
Speaking in clear terms, she positioned herself on the side of Gujjars at a meeting of the Gujjar and Bakerwals Advisory Board here on Wednesday . She said the Government intends to promote the concept of cluster villages for extending maximum facilities to members of the Gujjar community without disturbing their culture or lifestyle. She said the Government is taking steps to improve the standard of life of this community and this year the allocation for Tribal budget has been significantly enhanced.
The Chief Minister said the Government would identify a bunch of villages inhabited by the members of Gujjar community and these would be supplemented with all basic facilities like good schools including smart classes, healthcare facilities, clean drinking water, playfields, shops etc. besides adequate rearing and medical facilities for their livestock.
The Chief Minister directed all the Deputy Commissioners that the nomads carrying livestock from one area to another should not be unnecessarily harassed. She also directed the Deputy Commissioners that the members of Advisory Board are taken into confidence while deciding any project regarding the community welfare in their districts. She said the idea behind constructing Mughal Road and other roads was to connect this community with other communities and put them on the developmental track.
Mehbooba Mufti said forests and Gujjars have been living together as per the law of Nature and everything would be done to give them their rightful dues. She said an institutional mechanism would be evolved to determine and quantify the modalities in this regard.
