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| Kashmiris say valley is ignored, demand Special Task Force | | Counterpoise To Jammu's Just Aspirations -- IV | | NEHA
EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, Dec 30: The votaries of Special Task Force for Kashmir say that the Valley youth suffer on account of unemployment problem. They are not speaking the truth. The fact of the matter is that the rate of unemployment in Kashmir is less than 30 percent, as against the unemployment rate of over 69 per cent in Jammu province. These are the official figures and can be verified from the Assembly records.
They say that the "Valley's share in the Gazetted services has fallen to 37 per cent." The question to be asked is: Who occupy the remaining 73 per cent Gazetted services in the state? The people of Jammu don't. The People of Ladakh don't. Then who? Non-state subjects. No, they do not. Then who? Of course, the people of Kashmir. They occupy all or nearly all the Gazetted positions in the Valley. Besides, they occupy a substantial number of Gazetted posts in Jammu province as well as Ladakh region.
A reference here to the position in the Civil Secretariat would be enough to nail the falsehood as preached by certain vested interests in Kashmir. According to the report, which the state government placed on the floor of the Assembly on January 22, 2007, the number of employees from Kashmir, who were working in the Civil Secretariat, was three times that of Jammu.
Some other glaring regional disparities: (1) The Congress-led Government in the state increased the number of districts in Kashmir with one stroke of pen from the existing 6 to 10 in 2007, one each for 1585.3 sq km on an average, with a couple of districts just one-tehsil district (for example, Shopian). The State Government created 4 more districts in Kashmir despite the fact that there was no such demand anywhere in the Valley. It also increased the number of districts in Jammu from 6 to 10, but one each for 2629.3 sq km.
(2) Chenani in Jammu Province is the only State Power Plant with an installed capacity of 25 MW. The remaining State Power Plants with an installed capacity of 335.36 MW are in the Valley. These include Upper Jhelum, Lower Jhelum, Mohra, Ganderbal, Upper Sindh. Besides, there are a number of gas turbines in Kashmir, which also cater to the needs of its people. On the other hand, the Kalakot Thermal Plant in Jammu has been virtually become dysfunctional.
But the story of Jammu's complaint that the State Government, which in pursuit of its political and economic policies has all long been directed by the interests of the Valley, does not end here. Statistics on the tourism development, educational institutions, admission in technical and professional institutions, healthcare centers, schemes of public utility, canals and bridges and so on all indicate colossal regional disparities. It can be said without any hesitation that the authorities in the state have made invidious, humiliating and unjust distinctions between Kashmir and Jammu at all levels.
It is strange that the state government is not doing anything to clear the confusion created by certain vested interests in Kashmir in order to create a powerful counterpoise to the Jammu's just hopes and aspirations, notwithstanding the fact that the people of Jammu expect nothing from the Task Force constituted for this neglected province. For, it would surely base its findings on the information to be supplied by the state government.
It is time for the state government to publish a white paper containing information regarding what Jammu province and Kashmir region got between 1951 and 2010 so that things are put in perspective. This is imperative in order to set the record straight and silence those who nourish a grudge against the otherwise highly discriminated Jammu province. (Concluded) |
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