Excelsior Correspondent
RAMNAGAR, July 28: Lambasting the Coalition Government in the State for its gross neglect and deprivation of rural and remote areas of the State, Harsh Dev Singh, JKNPP Chairman and former Minister, stated that people inhabiting such far-flung areas were facing the worst ever development crisis with a Government completely averse to their woes and problems.
He regretted that despite a colossal Rs 80,000 crore package announced by PM Modi in 2015 for the State, the inhabitants of hilly and remote areas continued to be deprived of basic amenities including power, potable drinking water, ration and transport and communication facilities. He was addressing huge public meetings in various villages of Ramnagar constituency today including Sunater, Marta, Dheeran, Satrairi, Battal besides others.
Addressing several meetings, Singh lambasted the coalition particularly the BJP for failing to translate any of its election time promises into reality. He said that BJP had not only ignored its election manifesto but had inflicted the biggest dent upon Dogra pride by its successive surrenders on Jammu centric issues.
On local issues, Singh strongly condemned the smuggling and black marketing of ration by unscrupulous officials of CAPD in various villages, and sought initiation of appropriate criminal proceedings against offending officials who had been caught red handed but escaped unpunished due to political patronage and corruption plagued system.
Harsh Dev Singh sought full implementation of the High Court orders regarding enhancement of pensions to a minimum of Rs. 1000 p.m for widows, old aged, Handi-capped besides other under privileged. He expressed concern over the gradual failure of MG-NREGA schemes and diversion of funds under the scheme to PMGSY schemes which amounted to an irregularity of a grave nature.
Prominent among those who spoke on the occasion included Pt Shiv Ram Sharma, Dev Singh, Shiv Dev, Pushpinder Singh, Yog Raj, Babu Ram, Des Raj, Sikkim Singh, Bishan Dass, Arun Dev, Akash Kharka, Ashok Malkan, Uttam Singh, Mohit Mankotia besides others.