STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: BJP Senior leader and MLC Vibodh Gupta met Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti and requested for expediting the process for the grant of Scheduled Tribe Status to the Pahari speaking community of Rajouri, Poonch, Uri and Karnah.
During the meeting Vibodh informed Chief Minister that for the overall development of this poor and marginalized community ST status will play an important role. He stressed that since the grant of ST status to the Pahari speaking people is also there in the Agenda of Alliance of the present Coalition Government so all sincere and concerted efforts must be made to meet this long pending demand of the community.
While highlighting the other demands, Vibodh informed Mehbooba that at present in Thanamandi, Taryat and Kotrenka areas of Rajouri, there are community health centers without any specialist doctor and other basic facilities. He demanded that these community health centers need to be upgraded to sub district hospital with necessary manpower and infrastructure as this will also ease pressure on the District Hospital at Rajouri. Vibodh also demanded early release of Rs. 1 crore already agreed for the face lifting of Rajouri town.
Mehbooba Mufti gave a patient hearing to these demands of MLC and said that the final ST status is to be granted by the Central Government. She further added that government will send a recommendation on this to the Central Government so that ST status can be granted to the Pahari speaking people of J and K.
