Early Times Report
JAMMU, Mar 10: Despite tall claims by the State Government, the farmers of Rajouri and Poonch districts have not been provided free ration from last three months.
This was alleged by BJP senior leader Kuldeep Raj Gupta, while addressing press conference here at party hqrs.
The BJP leader also criticized the state government for not extending the benefits of Indira Awas Yojana scheme to the deserving people in twin districts. He also criticised the government for not implementing NREGA scheme in true sense. He said the funds allocated under this centrally sponsored scheme are misused.
Gupta said that the government had announced to release three months free ration to the farmers of the state as there were less rains which had affected the crops but unfortunately the farmers of Rajouri and Poonch districts have totally been discriminated while releasing the free ration. He further said that government announced 50 kgs of ration per month per family of farmers for 3 months but on ground it was between 25 to 35 kgs only, which was against the official claims. The farmers who were ration card holders in 1990-91, too have been denied the free ration for three months. This speaks the discriminatory attitude of the NC-Congress towards the farmers of Jammu region, he alleged.
He also took the State government to task for not taking any concrete steps for rehabilitation of the farmers, who left their villages situated closer to border and took shelter in Rajouri, Reasi, Talwara and Jammu inorder to protect their lives. These people are farmers and were totally dependent on their crops for their survival but the government has not deemed it necessary to even release free ration in their favour. He said the need is to rehabilitate these farmers but unfortunately the government is more concerned for rehabilitation of those who have taken to gun culture and killed innocent people.