Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah on Monday presided over a meeting of Party’s constituency in-charges of North Kashmir’s Baramulla District here at party headquarters Nawa-e-Subha, Srinagar.
Party General Secretary Ali Muhammad Sagar, Provincial President Nasir Aslam Wani, North Zone President and MP Baramulla Muhammad Akbar Lone, Provincial Secretary Showkat Ahmed Mir were also present in the meeting. The Constituency in charges who attended the meeting included Javed Dar from Rafiabad, Muhammad Ashraf Ganaie of Sopore, Ghulam Hassan Rahi of Baramulla, Farooq Shah from Tangmarg, Reyaz Bedar from Pattan, Dr. Sajad Shafi Uri from Uri, and Muhammad Yaqoob Wani from Sangrama. Irshad Ahmed Kar was also present in the meeting.
Besides party affairs, issues concerning the public dominated the interaction in the meeting. The Constituency in charges also gave the estimation of the political situation prevailing in their respective areas to the vice president. In addition to that the in-charges also gave detailed appraisal of the ravaging impact of ongoing Covid-19 crises on the varied economic activities in their respective constituencies. Among other issues, soaring unemployment rates, sinking tourism and agriculture sectors and widespread development deficit and unaccountability also dominated the interaction. It is germane to mention that all in charge individually spoke on a plethora of issues ranging from politics to public welfare.
While interacting with the party functionaries, Party vice president expressed concern over the soaring unemployment in Jammu and Kashmir and increased incidents of suicide among youth. He said the increased occurrence of suicides in Kashmir is a physical manifestation of the sordid anti-youth policies of the incumbent government pushing already aggrieved educated and skilled youth towards wall. He said the successive clamp down and Covid induced lock downs have further compounded the woes of J&K youth by choking the already constrained job sector. He said that there are thousands of unemployed Medics, Para Medics, Engineers, Graduates and Post Graduates waiting for job openings. The situation, he said, has become much worse as the industrial sector, which is supposed to absorb the unemployed youths, continues to struggle.
He also said that what little opportunities were provided by local tourism, manufacturing, handicraft and transportation sectors have also been clogged by the predatory impact of tumultuous situations since August 2019 in the shape of successive lock downs and weather vagaries.
“The economy of J&K, it goes without saying, is at the brink of collapse. There is no sector of Jammu & Kashmir’s economy — be it tourism, horticulture, transport, or trade — that hasn’t suffered losses in the past two years. Our local Economy is already on its deathbed due to the ravaging deluge of 2014 followed by the demonetization and then successive lockdowns, the Series of occurrences over the years also had a backbreaking impact on the people. The ongoing crisis has diminished all hopes of economic revival,” he said, adding that the recently announced economic package is insufficient to bring the ailing economy of JK back.
The Vice President also exhorted the party functionaries to give all support to the efforts of Administration in the battle against Covid-19 and asked the party functionaries, workers and delegates to help people in whatever way they could.
Extolling the party functionaries for their efforts against the ravaging impact of Covid on JK economy, he asked the members to deepen their bond with the people by sharing in their worries and taking up the issues faced by them at all appropriate forums.
“We haven’t won the battle against Covid. We are half way towards eliminating it. It requires strengthening of testing, tracing and treatment mechanisms. Stepping up of vaccination drives also holds the key towards improving the herd immunity. Administration is doing its best in combating the virus, a lot needs to be done. But people cannot absolve themselves of their duties. The best the people of JK can do is to follow the required Covid -19 protocol, government advisories and shun vaccine inhibition. I hope the party functionaries will take the lead in getting themselves and their families vaccinated,” he said.
