Congratulates CM, Sajjad Lone for remarkable public welfare initiative

JK News Today

JAMMU, Feb 10: Minister for Education Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari today congratulated Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and Sajjad Gani Lone the Minister for Social Welfare for six per cent reservation that will significantly benefit the poorest of poor and underprivileged sections of Srinagar city seeking jobs and other benefits in the State.

Terming the move historic, Bukhari observed that by way of extending this reservation, a long pending demand of economically poor sections of the society living in Srinagar has been met by the present dispensation. “This reservation will ensure greater opportunity for the inhabitants Srinagar who seek jobs and other benefits in government sector which were sofar not available to them,” he remarked.

He said that the Srinagar city is inhabited by thousands of families having annual income of Rs 1 lac or less and now with this reservation accorded to them they will fall and get immensely benefitted under the category of ‘weak and under privileged sections.

Bukhari observed that the decades old turmoil in Kashmir badly impacted the economy of Srinagar city turning it as an abode of poorest of poor and underprivileged category. “Granting reservation to this weaker section is a major initiative towards social integration and saving the future of economically downtrodden sections of our City.”

The Minister said that a vast chunk of population in Srinagar who would deal with different traditional trades and crafts were hit by the vagaries of conflict and are not in a position to earn their livelihood in a dignified manner.

 “The reservation has come as a sigh of relief for such economically downtrodden sections and this initiative would go down as one of the biggest welfare initiatives by any government in recent times,” he added.

The Minister also hailed Ms. Mufti and Mr. Lone for approving three per cent reservation in jobs to Pahari speaking people in the State. Bukhari remarked that by granting three per cent reservation the PDP led coalition government has fulfilled its commitment to Pahari speaking Community in Jammu and Kashmir.

He said the revolutionary and bold initiatives taken by the Chief Minister will yield long-term results and will take Jammu and Kashmir on the path of peace, progress and economic growth.

“The Chief Minister Ms Mehbooba Mufti under whose vision the social welfare department led by Sajjad Gani Lone deserve accolades and appreciations for conducting an extensive exercise that has resulted into approval for this bold public welfare initiative,” Bukhari remarked.

He said that earlier in the past the successive governments only discussed and debated these significant issues but never came out with a definitive solution to these unrelieved economic imbalances in the society.

“Extending reservation to economically weaker sections and Pahari speaking people was only being debated and left without any concrete solution on different ruses but PDP led coalition government has shown the will and determination to be the first State in extending these reservations in the entire country,” Bukhari said.