Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, May 22: People’s Democratic Party (PDP) today said the Central Government should take tangible measures to address the “trust deficit and alienation” in the Kashmir valley.
PDP leader Tariq Hameed Karra said “no initiative is going to have an impact on the ground without the involvement of the people”, so the Centre should take tangible measures to address the trust deficit and alienation in the Valley.
Karra, who defeated J&K National Conference president and former Union Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah from Srinagar, said this at a thanksgiving meeting in Ganderbal in Central Kashmir.
He said his party would use Parliament as a forum for debate and dialogue on the Kashmir issue and strive towards seeking a way out for the political and economic issues confronting the State.
“While the overwhelming mandate received by PDP in Lok Sabha polls is a matter of great satisfaction for the party, it has at the same time come with huge responsibilities and enormous expectations,” Karra said.
The PDP leader said the renewed trust that the State’s people have reposed in democratic institutions offers a fresh opportunity to work through peaceful and reconciliatory means towards addressing all the dimensions of the Kashmir issue in a manner that balances and promotes enduring political and economic stability in the State and the region.
“PDP visualises a space of dignity, opportunity and prosperity for the people of the State in the paradigm of friendship and cooperative relationship between India and Pakistan,” he said.
Karra called upon the State’s youths, who, he said, “have been the worst victims of political instability and turmoil”, to play a greater and more vibrant role in the political decision-making.
He said, instead of cosmetic measures, PDP would want new institutions of excellence in the State to build an enterprising human resource base.
He said his party would seek comprehensive review of the Prime Minister’s Special Scholarship Scheme (PMSSS) for the state and the ‘Udaan’ project as both these schemes seem to have failed to realise their desired objectives.
“…Both these schemes are now turning out to be scandalous affairs as complaints of duping by dubious NGOs in the garb of these schemes are piling up day by day,” he said.
Referring to some latest decisions taken by the State Government including scrapping of the new job policy and lifting of ban on SMS, Karra said it seems that good sense has prevailed upon the Government after the poll results.
He said the State Government should immediately slash the power tariff which has been hiked by over 100 per cent during the past five years and also initiate measures for creating job avenues for the educated unemployed youths.
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