Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 4: Expressing concern over the plight of Gujjars and Bakerwals in the State, Shamsher Hakla Poonchi a prominent Gujjar leader today said that the steps taken by the Union Government from time to time have not reached them in the State as the successive State Governments failed to take concrete steps in ameliorating their lot.
Addressing a meeting of the Gujjars and Bakerwals in Poonch today, he expressed the hope that the Governor and his administration will take concrete steps in improving the lot of the community by providing them all the benefits under Schedule Tribe status granted to them about three decades back.
Hakla said the Gujjars and Bakerwals constitute a sizable population of the State and they are settled in all the districts of Jammu region and Kashmir Valley. Their needs and demands are different than other communities due to their peculiar living style. He urged the Governor to take concrete measures in settling the long pending demands of this nationalist peace loving community whose population is over 34 lakh in the State.
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