Farooq meets Governor; discusses challenges to J&K

JAMMU FEB 28: Jammu and Kashmir National Conference President and former Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah on Wednesday met the Governor Mr N N Vohra and discussed challenges facing Jammu and Kashmir.
Expressing concern over growing threat to communal harmony, Dr Farooq Abdullah said a collective effort is needed to strengthen the bonds of unity and brotherhood among the people.
Dr Abdullah also took up issues pertaining to Nowshera, Kalakote and Sunderbani areas. Accompanied by Provincial President Devender Singh Rana, the National Conference President urged the Governor to use his good offices to resolve the stalemate arising out of people’s agitation in the area and the state government’s abject failure to resolve the crisis.
Supporting their demand Dr Farooq Abdullah referred to the backward and border status of Sunderbani – Nowshera-Kalakote areas and sought carving out of a separate district comprising these three constituencies, which had peculiar problems and so needed special dispensation. “It is important to have holistic and balanced development of these areas”, he emphasised. The deputation also demanded that Additional District Development Commissioners should be posted at Sunderbani, Nowshera and Kalakote immediately for focused development of these areas.
Dr Abdullah said the people of these areas have been agitating due to accumulated problems and developmental deficit coupled with mis-governance. “To assuage the aspirations of the far flung areas of the state and to respect the sentiments of the people, immediate cognizance is needed to be taken with particular attention to their needs”, he said.
While welcoming activation of various administrative units at several places vide Government Order No 42-Rev(s) of 2018 dated 20.02.2018 the deputation stressed the need for showing similar expediency in making the units functional, which had been sanctioned by the previous National Conference-Congress government vide Cabinet Decision No 187/14/2014 on 21 October 2014. As per the decision, nine Sub-Divisions, 50 Tehsils and 99 Niabats across the state which have been created but not activated.
The delegation, however, sought early measures for making all the administrative units functional on immediate basis. While the delegation welcomed the steps taken for making functional the Vilgam and Qalamabad tehsils in Kupwara district, Singhpora and Narwaw in Baramulla district besides Ramsu in Ramban district, it expressed serious concern over selectivity and urged the Governor to impress upon the Government to activate all 50 Tehsils sanctioned by the Government in October 2014.
The Governor assured Dr Farooq Abdullah that the issues raised by the delegation would be taken up with the State Government.