STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: The Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday directed all the Deputy Commissioners that the nomads carrying livestock from one area to another should not be unnecessarily harassed, besides issuing instructions that DCs should take J&K State Advisory Board for Development of Gujjars & Bakerwals into confidence, while deciding any project regarding the community welfare in their districts.
The CM was speaking at the 35th meeting of J&K State Advisory Board for Development of Gujjars & Bakerwals here.
She further said the government intends to promote the concept of cluster villages for extending maximum facilities to members of Gujjar community without disturbing their culture or lifestyle, adding that, the government is taking steps to improve the standard of life of the community and this year, the allocation for Tribal Budget has been significantly enhanced.
She further said the government would identify a bunch of villages inhabited by the members of Gujjar community and these would be supplemented with all basic facilities like good schools including smart classes, healthcare facilities, clean drinking water, playfields, shops etc. besides adequate rearing and medical facilities for their livestock. All these developments would be made without disturbing their culture and lifestyle for which the community is known worldwide. These works would be done by utilizing the locally available manpower rather than getting it from outside these areas, she stressed.
Mehbooba Mufti, who is also the chairperson of the Board, said the government has also decided to identify some villages as Milk Villages where the facilities of collection, testing and subsequent market distribution of milk and milk products would done on scientific and professional basis so that the community of milk producers is saved from the exploitation of market middlemen.
She informed that the idea behind constructing Mughal Road and other roads was to connect this community with other communities and put them on the developmental track. Forests and Gujjars have been living together as per the law of Nature and everything would be done to give them their rightful dues. She said an institutional mechanism would be evolved to determine and quantify the modalities in this regard, she added.
The CM informed that the funds allocation for Tribal affairs has now been significantly enhanced to Rs. 120 crore from the last year’s allocation of Rs. 45 crore. She also
directed release of Rs. 2.25 crore for the construction of shelter sheds and walking paths on migratory routes and livestock care facilities by the Forest Department.
