Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Feb 3: JKPCC working president Raman Bhalla today strongly flagged the unresolved and pressing issues confronting the people of Kashmir, accusing the UT and Union governments of being disconnected from ground realities and failing to provide timely relief amid mounting hardships.
Interacting with residents in Kashmir along with senior Congress leaders Thakur Manmohan Singh, Satish Sharma, and other party functionaries, Bhalla said unscheduled and prolonged power cuts during peak winter months have pushed people to the brink.
Residents complained that erratic electricity supply in sub-zero temperatures has made daily life extremely difficult, especially for children, elderly persons and patients. Bhalla asserted that electricity in Kashmir during winters is a basic survival need, not a luxury, and termed the Government’s claims of improved power infrastructure as hollow.
A major concern raised by farmers, orchardists and small traders was the continued non-waiver of Kisan Credit Card (KCC) loans. Bhalla said repeated snowfall, untimely weather events, crop damage, rising input costs and mounting debts have shattered the agrarian economy. He reiterated the Congress demand for an immediate and comprehensive KCC loan waiver.
The Congress leader also highlighted the overall economic slowdown in Kashmir, stating that tourism, handicrafts, horticulture, transport and small businesses have suffered heavily due to frequent disruptions and lack of sustained policy support.
Raising alarms over healthcare and education, Bhalla said rural and far-flung areas continue to face shortages of doctors, paramedics, medicines and basic facilities, while understaffed schools and colleges are affecting students’ futures.
He urged the Omar Abdullah-led Government to immediately restore uninterrupted power supply, announce KCC loan waivers, ensure winter connectivity, strengthen healthcare and ration systems, and roll out urgent relief for snow-affected families.
Earlier, Raman Bhalla and other Congress leaders visited the bereaved family of Hamaad, the young son of senior party leader Arshid Ahmed Tantray, and expressed deep sorrow over his untimely demise in a tragic accident.
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