Excelsior Correspondent
KUPWARA, Aug 29: Minister for Social Welfare, Sakina Itoo alongwith Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Mir Saifullah on Thursday inaugurated Government girls hostel for Pahari students at Kupwara.
Vice-Chairman of State Advisory Board for Development of Pahari Speaking People, Kafeel-ur-Rehman and MLC, Kupwara, Sayeed Rafiq Ahmad Shah were also present.
Speaking on the occasion, Ms. Sakina said that since Omar Abdullah took the reins of the present dispensation, a lot of new welfare schemes have been launched for weaker, downtrodden, SC, ST, Gujjar, Bakerwals and the people of Pahari community living in the far flung and remote areas.
She said that presently five lakh people are being benefited by many welfare schemes including Old Age Pension, Widow Pension, scholarships and said that by opening of Second Pahari hostel in Kupwara, the number of its have gone to nine and added that the Government is considering establishment of more such hostel in other district headquarters also.
The Minister said that this hostel is providing accommodation facilities to one hundred children from class 6th to class 12th, however, presently only 50 Pahari girls of the 6th class have been registered in the hostel and they are being provided all facilities including boarding, lodging, uniform, books and other stationary articles free of cost. She said that monthly expenditure on diet and other items would be Rs.1.50 lakh and the Government kept funds to the tune of Rs.11 lakh each for establishment of Pahari Hostels.
On the occasion, she asked Pahari community leaders, including DDC, Kupwara to identify State land for construction of its own building. She said that the present dispensation have fulfilled near about 80 percent promises made in his manifesto.
Addressing the gathering, Mir Saifullah said that children of this sect are very intelligent, but unfortunately they have not been provided any platform till date so that they may be able to prove their metal. However, he hoped, that by providing hostel facilities to these remote areas children, they will be able to prove their intelligence and qualify for higher posts like KAS and IAS posts.
On the occasion, Kafeel-ur-Rehman and Syed Mohammad Rafiq Shah also spoke.
District Development Commissioner, Kupwara Itrat Hussain Rafiqui, MD, WDC, Nahid Soz, Mission Director Rehabilitation Council, Hafiza Muzaffar, MD, SC, ST Corporation, District Social Welfare Officers and other senior officers of district administration were present on the occasion.
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