Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 26: A delegation of Pahari Development Council (PDC) met the Chairman J&K Socially and Economically Backward Class Commission, Justice G.D. Sharma and former ADGP Muneer Khan, and Ex. PCCF Roop Lal Bharti, at Bahu Plaza Jammu today and demanded grant of ST status for an ethnical community of Pahari Speaking People (PSP) to provide parity to this community in terms of Articles 15,16 and 342 of Constitution of India.
The delegation also demanded enhancement of Reservation from 4% to 8% to the PSP of J&K UT in Government jobs till the ST status is granted by the Union Government and 10% reservation in all academic and professional institutions run by the Government, semi Government and Private Sector.
The delegation was comprising of Harbans Lal Chairman (PDC) District and Sessions Judge (Retd), Ashok Sharma, Ex MLA Kalakote, vice chairman (PDC) Ab. Majid Qureshi, general secretary (PDC) and Sayeed Bashir, secretary (PDC).
They said that there is 9.1% population of Paharies in J&K as per 2011 census. District Rajouri tops with 64% population followed by district Poonch with 63%, whereas Baramulla 40%, Kupwara 12%, Anantnag 8%, Ganderbal 6%, Shopian 5%, Bandipura 4%, Pulwama 2%, Badgam and Kulgam 1%. They are 1105713 out of total population 12267103 of J&K.
The delegation said the case of the Paharies was recommended by the then State Government in furtherance of the Cabinet decision No. 159 dated 08-08-1989, J&K Advisory Board for Development of Paharai Speaking People was constituted on 20-10-1989, Gen. K.V Krishana Rao, the then Governor recommended to the Union Welfare Ministry vide his letter dated 26-12-1993, in 1998 J&K Advisory Board for the Development of Pahari Speaking People vide recommendation dated 25-11-1989. Again Principal Secretary, Social Welfare submitted comprehensive report dated 23-06-2003 to the Registrar General of India. The recommendations were made by Interlocutors Group for J&K headed by Dileep Padgaonkar, in his first report in October, 2010, Expert Committee final report with regard to socio economic status and common ethnic characteristics of Pahari Speaking People of J&K forwarded to the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs on 08-10-2016 and the UT Government vide notification No. SO 127 dated 20-04-2020 provided 4% reservation to PSP.
The delegation said in view of these recommendations the Pahari speaking people be given ST status.
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