Srinagar: Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday said the Jammu and Kashmir government should keep a separate provision for development of Old Srinagar city, also known as Shahr-e-Khaas.
The budget session of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly is scheduled to begin on Monday with the address of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, while Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who holds the finance portfolio, will present the annual budget for the Union Territory on February 6.
Addressing a gathering in Babademb-Khanyar area of Srinagar, Mehbooba said, “Shahr-e-Khaas has its own problems and there should be separate budgetary provision that is exclusively used for the development of this area.”
The former chief minister said a majority of people in Shahr-e-Khaas fell in the general category and did not enjoy reservations in government jobs or other institutions.
“Most of the people are either associated with handicrafts or tourism. The handicrafts sector is under attack with the advent of machine-made products, which has resulted in diminishing earnings for the artisans,” Mehbooba said.
“A significant section is associated with roadside vending or transport business, such as cabs. They all put forth their problems and we assure them that we will do everything in our power to help as a political party. When we have more power, we will definitely do more for this area as it was very dear to (PDP founder) Mufti Mohammad Sayeed Sahib,” she added.
Mehbooba lauded the young boys and girls who spoke at PDP’s Kath Baat (Dialogue) on Sunday. She said the Gen Z has proved that they have knowledge about diverse issues the previous generations might not have had.
Pointing to issues flagged during the session, the PDP chief appealed to parents to keep an eye on their children as trends show that more youngsters are undergoing depression before taking to drugs.
“So, if your children are having mental health issues, please do not ignore. Take them to a doctor so that they can be treated before they fall prey to drug abuse,” she said.
Mehbooba said the interactive session was kept away from media glare as people avoid speaking freely in the presence of cameras.
“They are scared that they might face trouble from the state if they speak from their heart. Unfortunately, they (state) wants to put curbs on even free expression,” she said.
