Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, June 24: Cabinet Minister Sakeena Itoo today said that the qualification bar for availing marriage assistance will be removed soon.
Speaking to reporters after flagging off the Mobile Integrated Counselling and Testing Centre (ICTC) Vans of the J&K AIDS Control Society (JKACS), the Minister said that having such a bar “does not make any sense” and would soon be done away with.
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“A few years before the election, there was an order, and it was stated that there would be a qualification bar. We opposed it then as well. Now, I am forming a proposal to remove the bar,” she said.
Sakeena further said that the amount provided under the scheme, which used to be Rs 50,000, has been increased in the recent budget to Rs 75,000.
Earlier, she flagged off two ICTC vans, costing Rs 64 lakh each, aimed at strengthening healthcare outreach and raising awareness among underserved and vulnerable communities.
The Minister said the current prevalence of AIDS in J&K is 0.6 percent. “However, it should not even be this much, as the Government wants its people to be healthy,” she said.
Addressing a gathering of health professionals, the Minister emphasized the urgent need to de-stigmatize HIV/AIDS and adopt a support-oriented approach for affected individuals.
“People living with HIV/AIDS need to be handheld with compassion and dignity. It’s not just about medical intervention, it’s about restoring hope and trust through proper counselling, awareness and community support,” she stated.
She remarked that people affected by the virus need to be counselled, sensitized, and properly cared for, so that those who may be hiding their condition due to stigma can come forward and seek appropriate treatment.
The Minister further said that these ICTC vans are high-end vehicles and will play a crucial role in the fight against the virus.
She added that the mobile vans are intended to expand the reach of HIV/AIDS testing and counselling services to remote and underserved areas of Jammu and Kashmir, particularly targeting high-risk groups and marginalized populations.
Secretary Health and Medical Education, Dr. Syed Abid Rasheed Shah; Director SKIMS; Project Director, JKACS; Director Family Welfare and Immunization; Director AYUSH; Principal GMC Srinagar; Chief Medical Officers; senior officers of JKACS; the health department, and other concerned officials were present on the occasion.
Dr. Rasheed called upon all stakeholders to redouble efforts to wipe out the virus from the region, noting that J&Khas minimal cases. He also spoke at length about the role of every individual in eradicating the virus from society.
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