Govt committed to socio-economic uplift of tribal population: Zulfkar

Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Choudhary Zulfkar Ali addressing Gujjar-Bakerwal Conference in Jammu on Saturday.
Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Choudhary Zulfkar Ali addressing Gujjar-Bakerwal Conference in Jammu on Saturday.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 18: Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Choudhary Zulfkar Ali today said that Government is striving hard for socio-economic development of State’s tribal population.
Speaking at Gujjar-Bakerwal Conference (GBC) held here, the Minister said people in the past only thought about tribal population during election times to fetch votes from them. After coming to power the community was conveniently ignored to receive any kind of development, he added.
The Minister said it was only after Mufti Mohammad Sayeed became Chief Minister that a separate Tribal Ministry came into existence. He said before late Mufti no one was bothered about welfare of Gujjars and Bakerwals. “This is the reason for why it took 40 years for Gujjar community to get Scheduled Tribe status in J&K,” he added.
Referring to the tribal population as true nationalists, the Minister said the history bears witness to the sacrifices the community has made for the defense and welfare of the country.
Recalling Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s slogan of “Sab Ka Saath, Sab Ka Vikas,” Zulfkar Ali said the holistic development of country is only possible when every section of the society is taken on board and developmental strategies are formulated for each and every section, irrespective of their region, religion, caste, creed or gender.
He said Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti keeps on urging that no one has a right to say that State is on path of development if the developmental aspirations of every community, irrespective of its size, are not taken into consideration.
The Minister said instead of thinking on regional lines, the present Government is keen for the holistic development of all three regions of the State. He said the beauty of democracy is that people have power to decide whom to choose to form a Government.
Enumerating the initiatives taken by the Government for the welfare of the tribal population, the Minister said while the Government is busy in formulating rehabilitation policy for tribal population. Meanwhile, separate “nomadic ration policy” has already been implemented so that the mobile community does not face any inconvenience in getting their quota of ration. He further informed that the Government is forming a “dairy farming policy”.
He advised the community members to beware of miscreants who with their nefarious designs are trying to disrupt the State’s peace and harmony. He said some unwanted elements in the society would try their best to derelict the community members from their righteous path.  However, such moves should be immediately scuttled, he added.
Director, FCS&CA G S Chib, GBC leaders Haji Yusuf, Choudhary Hussain Ali Waffa, Choudhary Yaseen Poswal and other leaders were also present in the function.

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