STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Choudhary Zulfkar Ali on Sunday said the government has earmarked Rs 120 crore for infrastructure development in the areas inhabited by the tribal population.
The Minister said this while speaking at the annual Gujjar-Bakerwal conference here.
He said the Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti is working tirelessly for the development and welfare of the State’s tribal population. The present dispensation understands the problems and hardships that the tribal community faces and is keen to take all possible measures to address these at an earliest, he added. During the conference, the Tribal leaders projected their demands including rehabilitation of tribals with permanent settlement policy, implementation of Forest Rights Act, implementation of reservation rules, judicious use of tribal funds, creation of infrastructure in tribal bastis, allocation of funds as per the population from normal fund flow of the state, avoiding misuse of Section-188, preventing frequent dislocation of the community by various agencies, cluster model villages in every Tehsil.
The Minister was also requested that Government should include local representatives from Tribal community while formulating developmental plans for their community, besides, demanding to provide due price to milk and milk products.
Assuring full support to the Community leaders in their pursuit to meet their genuine demands, the Minister said the government is committed for the overall development of the Tribals of the State, particularly Gujjar-Bakerwal community. Tribal leaders including Haji Mohammad Yusuf, Hussain Ali Wafa, Choudhary Sirajjudin, Choudhary Mohammad Shafi, Choudhary Zakir Hussain, Mohammad Yasin Poswal, Choudhary Saif-u-Din, Mohammed Hussain Bhelsa, Choudhary Munshi Khan, Choudhary Gulzar and Choudhary Ibrahim attended the function.