Excelsior Correspondent
RAJOURI, Feb 25: Residents from Badaal- B Panchayat of Kotranka Block staged a sit-in protest at the Block Development Officer (BDO) office in Kotranka today, expressing strong resentment against the Rural Development Department.
The protesters accused the authorities of negligence and indifference to their long-standing issues related to MNREGA job cards and the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY).
Javed Iqbal, one of the protesters, alleged that job cards of many MNREGA workers from the {anchayat had been deleted without any valid reason. “Even after completing all formalities to apply for new job cards, our applications are being ignored,” he stated.
Another protester, Mohd Nazir, highlighted the administrative apathy, saying that affected villagers are being sent back and forth between BDO offices in Khawas and Kotranka, with neither office resolving their grievances. “People are being forced to shuttle between Kotranka and Khawas without any resolution, adding to their frustration,” he said.
Adding to the distress, Mohd Shakeel stated that many residents, already suffering from an unidentified illness, are struggling to get their voices heard. “We had no choice but to protest so that the administration takes note of our plight,” he added.
Zakir Hussain pointed out that several underprivileged and BPL families had constructed houses under the PMAY scheme. However, due to the department’s failure to geo-tag their homes on time, the promised financial assistance was not disbursed. “People had borrowed money to build their houses, but due to the negligence of officials, they are now burdened with debt and struggling to survive,” he lamented.
Responding to the protest, Tehsildar Kotranka, Sahil Ali Shah, assured that the concerns of the villagers had been recorded by the Naib Tehsildar. “The matter will be addressed as soon as the BDO reaches Kotranka,” he said, promising a prompt resolution.
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