Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 11: Union Minister of State, Home, Hansraj Gangaram Ahir, during his one day visit to Jammu today, discussed the prevailing situation on borders, progress of various centrally sponsored schemes and ongoing development projects with State BJP leaders.
The Minister chaired a high level meeting of office bearers of the Party, MPs, MLAs and senior leaders. BJP State president & MLA Sat Sharma, Lok Sabha MP Jugal Kishore Sharma and Rajya Sabha MP Shamsher Singh Manhas were also present in the meeting.
The Minister was apprised of the problems being faced by the people residing on borders, who have migrated to safer places due to shelling and firing on civilian areas after the conduct of surgical strikes by India on terrorist launching pads in PoK.
Sat Sharma, Jugal Kishore and Shamsher Singh briefed the Minister about the prevailing scenario of the State and their frequent visits to the borders which have been targeted by Pakistan.
The Minister was told that the unemployed youth residing in borders of Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts are discriminated in matters related to recruitment in the Army and other forces as they are required to be having 50 percent marks in 12th class while in other parts of the State the criteria is 33 per cent marks in the said class.
It was also highlighted before the Minister that the refugees from West Pakistan are made to suffer as they face problems in getting the domicile certificates from the State Government.
The party leaders further highlighted the need for setting up of sheds at safer places for the cattle and adequate compensation for losses of standing crops and livestock by the firing from across borders.
Led by local sarpanch, a deputation of Chhamb residents also submitted a memorandum to Union MoS highlighting their problems and stressed on meeting the genuine demands of the area.
The Minister, while speaking in the meeting, said that some of the problems as highlighted in the meeting, are already under the serious consideration of the Union Home Ministry and every effort is being made for their redressal at the earliest.
Besides Speaker, J&K Assembly, Kavinder Gupta, the meeting was attended by Karan Singh, Yudhvir Sethi,Bharat Bhushan, Mamta Singh, Rajni Sethi, Dr. Narinder Singh, Harinder Gupta, Pawan Khajuria, Chander Mohan Gupta, Rajinder Sharma, Vikram Randhawa, Ghulam Ali Khatana, Rajesh Gupta, Brig (retd) Anil Gupta, Prof. Virender Gupta, S.S.Bijral, Arun Gupta, Balbir Ram Rattan, Virenderjit Singh, Munish Sharma, Arvind Gupta, Dr. Gagan Bhagat and Dr. Krishan Lal Bhagat MLAs and Sanjay Khanna.