Anantnag pins high hopes on CM

Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Apr 4: As Mehbooba Mufti takes over first woman Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, in her home constituencies of Anantnag, people including woman have high expectations from her that she will work for the development of the State.
Nighat Maqbool, a Government teacher from Anantnag, feels that Mehbooba will resolve the women’s issues as she as a woman will have better understanding of their problems. “I am happy that Mehbooba Mufti has become the first woman Chief Minister of the State. Being a woman, she will understand the problem of women in a better way”, she said.
Nighat hopes that the teachers will get deserved respect in the society under her as Chief Minister. “I am in Education Department as a teacher, we are working hard and I hope teachers will get the honour they deserve. I expect that teachers should get better salaries. I expect that the State would prosper under her leadership in every field. She is a talented woman and I hope she will get better financial package from Centre to address the financial problems the State”, she said.
Ishfaq Killu, a local resident of Anantnag, said that common masses are not concerned about the political issues like Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) but they want their basic issues to be resolved. “We hope the problems faced by people are resolved. Those are political issues. The common people have not so much problem with AFSPA. We want basic day to day issues to be addressed. We want better roads, electricity, drinking water, employment for youth. She did good to form the Government and we hoped there will be accountability now”, he said.
Mohammad Amin, Businessman, from Anantnag says that drug addiction and unemployment are the major issues which need immediate attention of the new Chief Minister. “Unemployment is matter of concern, youth have taken to drugs now. We want development in every sphere. People are suffering for last three decades and they want some assistance. People should get some relief, no matter who is in power. People are fed up with the corruption, rising prices and unemployment. We want relief at these fronts”, he said.
An unemployed youth, Abid Hussain Reshi, from Dailgam Anantnag says that he wants Mehbooba should ensure the safety of Kashmiri students studying in other States. “We want that our children should move out of the State for better education. But our children are feeling threatened everywhere. She should ensure safety of Kashmiri students and business men outside the State”, he said.
Reshi says that Kashmir is facing problem of spurious drugs and spurious pesticides which has caused havoc. “Spurious drugs and spurious pesticides have played havoc. We are being treated worse than animals. If you see the hospitals for animals in other countries, they are better than our hospitals. Our basic needs are education, water and food safety”, he said.
Mohammad Akram a Shopkeeper in Dailgam, Anantnag says that the previous Government led by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed has not done anything for his area and he is keeping his fingers crossed about the performance of Mehbooba.
“PDP had made promises with the people of Anantnag constituency but they have not been fulfilled. As far as our area is concerned, the roads are in dilapidated condition, water supply schemes are defunct. What can we expect from her, when her late father didn’t do anything for our area, what can she do. We are at the mercy of God and if you drive through our area once, you would see the plight yourself. There is rampant corruption. Let us see what she does”, he said.
Mohammad Shafi Lone of Anantnag who is working in Education Department says that he wants that he along with his colleagues should be regularized by the new Government. “I am working in Education Department for past 10 years on meager pay of Rs 2000. I want that we should be regularized. The daily wagers be regularized in all the departments”, he said.
A student, Rumi Nissar, from Puwlama district of South Kashmir says that she is proud that a woman has become Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir. “It is a great pleasure that a woman has become Chief Minister of the State. We hope she will work for women’s rights. She will be a source of inspiration for the women of the State. I hope she will take revolutionary steps so that women are not harassed and are given due respect in the State”, she said.
Perwaiz Ahmad of Pulwama hopes that Mehbooba will fulfill the promises which her party has made and were not fulfilled by the previous Government. “We have a lot of expectations from Mehbooba Mufti. After the demise of Mufi Mohammad Sayeed, she has now taken over as Chief Minister and we are hopeful that the promises that were made by the party and were not fulfilled by the previous Government will be fulfilled by this Government”, he said.
Ahmad hoped that the Government under Mehbooba as Chief Minister will work for the rehabilitation of the 2014 flood victims. “We hope that promises that were made to the flood victims of 2014 will be fulfilled and losses suffered by people in the floods will be compensated. We also hope that the road network that has been damaged in floods will be restored. We also hope that the power situation will also improve. People don’t get enough electricity during winters and we hope power projects will be handed over to the State so that there is no dearth of electricity. We also expect there will be better job opportunities for the youth”, he added.
Ghulam Hassan Talib from Pulwama said that that people want to know what has happened to the commitments she was asking the Centre to fulfill before forming the Government. He says that she has surrendered all this for chair. “She has to show that she can deliver on this promise of getting the power projects handed over to the State. And also to what extent she will be able to get back thousands of kanals of land that are being occupied by the Army”, he said.
Talib said that the unemployment is a major issue which he wants the new Chief Minister to resolve on priority basis. “Youth are confused as they have no avenues and they are now forced to take to arms. It is to be seen now how she addresses the problems of the State and takes up it with the Central Government”, he said.

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