Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 23: JKPCC President Prof. Saif-ud-din Soz-today said that Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Vice President Rahul Gandhi are taking keen interest in resolving the problems of different sections of the society in the State especially the issues of refuges and displaced persons.
Addressing a public meeting at Vijaypur in Samba district today, Prof. Soz said that Congress is committed to resolve the issues of refugees of 1947, 1965 and 1971, as the Congress leadership is taking keen interest in this regard.
Explaining Rahul Gandhi’s interest in resolving the problems of refugees in J&K, Prof. Soz said that the greatest thing about Rahul Gandhi is that he wants to connect himself with every section of the society and understand problems on first hand. He described Rahul Gandhi as a beacon of reforms and progress and announced that Rahul Gandhi would soon visit Jammu also.
JKPCC Chief said that he (Soz) accompanied by a delegation of Senior Congress leaders from the state including MPs and Ministers met the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Union Home Minister Susheel Kumar Shinde, on August 22 last year, regarding the problems of refugees of different categories and residents of border areas. The same day our memorandum was forwarded by both Prime Minister and UPA Chairperson to the Union Home Minister of India and an exercise has been continuing at various levels to find solution to their problems.
The State Government has also been asked to workout the demands and put up a package to the Central Government in this regard. He said that concrete result will come out in the matter.
JKPCC President said that Congress party is committed to maintain the unity and integrity of the state and to ensure equitable development, as the party is a vibrant force in all three regions of the State.
Prof. Soz while reiterating the commitment of the party to empower Panchayat Raj System in the state on the pattern of 73rd Amendment, said that Congress has already submitted its report to the coalition over two and half month ago.
Welcoming the decision of the Coalition Government for grant of honorariums to Sarpanchs and panchs, Prof. Soz advocated the enhancement of the same suggesting Rs. 5000 for Sarpanchs and Rs. 3000 for Panhes per month. He also favoured holding of elections to the Block Development Councils at the earliest possible.
Prof. Soz also referred to the demands of labana community for extending benefits of OBC in the central services to them and assured to take up their issues at appropriate level.
Earlier rich tributes were paid to Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh, Sukh Dev Singh and Raj Guru on the martyr day today.
The rally was also addressed by MP Madan Lal Sharma, MoS for Health Shabir Ahmed Khan, Vice President PCC Th. Hari Singh, General Secretary PCC Ravinder Sharma-MLC, Ch. Bashir Ahmed Naaz, DCC President and Ex-MLA Prakash Sharma, Girdhari Lal Chalotra, Dr. Sat Pal, Babal Gupta, Col. Swran Singh, Narinder Gupta, Ravi Singh Salathia, Sanjay Sawhney, Parnav Shagotra, Rashid Choudhary, Satish Sharma, Block Presidents Capt. Amar Nath Batti and Choudhary Bashir Ahmed.
Member Parliament Madan Lal Sharma in his address forcefully advocated for resolving the pending issues of different categories of refugees and displaced people in the state and demanded that a package for their one time settlement be worked out early, as the Central Government is liberal to solving the problems of different sections of people in Jammu and Kashmir including refugees.
Earlier, Manjit Singh in his welcome address highlighted various problems of Vijaypur constituency and demanded creation of tehsils in the newly created Samba district, setting up of a college and higher secondary schools, besides a train stop and widening of the border road and construction of fly over at Gurah. He also highlighted various other issues of the area including the water scarcity in Brig. Rajinder Singh village.
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