Srinagar: National Conference Member of Parliament (Retd) Justice Hasnain Masoodi on Monday called upon party workers to work for the future of Jammu and Kashmir saying the party has the responsibility of its present and future.
Masoodi said this while addressing scores of delegations here at Party Headquarters Nawa-e-Subha. The visiting delegations comprised from Kulgam town, Behibagh block, Safai Karamchari Union, including people from all walks of life. The delegations were led by Party Spokesperson, Constituency in Charge Kulgam Imran Nabi Dar. The meeting saw a huge participation of party’s block and Halqa level functionaries of Kulgam.
Masoodi in his address said the party has been living up to its commitments since 1931 by giving voice to every single citizen of Jammu and Kashmir in an inclusive manner. He said the party has given space to the weakest voices of voices in its fold saying that the collective challenge of the party is shaping our party to the current scenario to face the emerging situation at all levels.
He said the prevailing situation in J&K is a product of the measures taken under the cold hand of reason on August 5, 2019, have confirmed to our fears about its ramifications which we had cautioned against, Masoodi said adding, “NC has long been functioning as an institution comprising experience and energy and as a bridge between the past, present and the future. The need of the hour calls for increasing our efforts to improve our base on ground to face the challenges ahead. The need of the hour is to make it more inclusive, diverse, dynamic and representative.”
Referring to the development needs of people in Kashmir, he said the party has not shied away from its responsibility to raise the issues concerning people at every level. He said the MPs of NC including him, has been raising predicaments of local people in Lok Sabha and other forums as well very effectively.
Masoodi said that he in his personal capacity raised the health care issues and strengthened tertiary health care and suggested that new maternity hospitals be set up in south Kashmir areas. “I have sought maternity hospitals at Narbal and Pampore to cater requirements of north and south Kashmir. I also sought Nursing Colleges at Kulgam and Shopian,” he said.
Masoodi said that he also took exception to the import of apples in LS demanding increase in commercial processing and cold storage facilities across south Kashmir areas to prevent loss of fresh fruit due to frequent road blockades. “Not just horticulture , I also raised the failure of Saffron Mission and refuted the claims that there was bumper saffron and labeled it as a conspiracy to get the saffron from other places introduced as produced in Kashmir to the detriment of local crop,” he said
Remarking on the acceleration of work on road and tunnel projects, Masoodi said the he has also demanded concrete steps for construction of Dessa-Kapran, Simthan, Razadan, and Sadhna pass tunnels and release of 3000 crore rupees CRF to facilitate improvement in road connectivity.
He said that he has also sought proper and efficient implementation of National Education Policy 2020 on ground to make benefit reach the beneficiaries across Kashmir in particular south Kashmir.
He also stated that he also raised the appalling situation of nearly sixty one thousand consolidated and daily wagers due to pay anomalies in SR0-202 job policy and asked the GOI to bring wages of employees engaged under it at par with other government employees.
He said that, keeping in view the pro- workers and pro farmer ideology of the party he also remonstrated the government from washing its hands of its responsibility to provide succor to the horticulture in Kashmir. He said that he has also sought establishment of cold storage facilities across Kashmir in particular the apple producing regions of south and north Kashmir.
On the occasion Imran said, “The claims of the government on fast tracking of the slew of development projects in south Kashmir areas have fallen flat. The thrust areas it was made known will have IT technology, Infrastructure, Renewable energy, Education, tourism sector and manufacturing. The ground realities however give ditch to the claims of the government. Major inter district roads, and intra district arterials present a grimy tail of neglect. Power infrastructure merits special attention of government for it has seen no substantial expansion, up gradation since 2015. Likewise the government owned academic institutions are awaiting a major flip to increase their capacity to meet the demands of increasing student count and contemporary academic demands,” he said.
“In addition to that, people in various hamlets of south Kashmir particularly in Behibagh area continue to use untreated water for drinking purposes. Agricultural activities in various belts of south Kashmir have come to a grinding halt due to shortage of electricity and availability of water for irrigation. The region waits on to have more lift irrigation and water treatment plants to cater to the agricultural and household requirements of people,” he said.
On the occasion the visiting delegations brought various issues concerning them to the notice of Party MP Hassnain Masoodi. The visiting Safai KaramChari Association in particular apprised the MP about the initiative of the government to engage sweepers on contract rather than employing them. The visiting delegation said the step is aimed to snatch livelihood of scores of locals who have been effectively engaged by the administration to carry out the sanitation. The MP gave a patient hearing to the delegation members and assured them that he would take up the issues at all appropriate forums. He said the step seems to be part of the plan to disenfranchise Kashmiri and snatch their livelihoods as was done previously by giving sand extraction contracts to the non locals.
Later the visiting delegations called on party general secretary Ali Muhammad Sagar who impressed upon the delegation t6o ensure that party programme reaches to one and all. On the occasion he laid emphasis on the party membership drive and asked workers to take part in it actively. Among others Adv Shabir Ahmad, Ahsan Pardesi and other functionaries were also present on the occasion.
