SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir’s Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha, lashed out at regional parties that opposed the recent decision to provide homes for the homeless. He stated, “Gone are the days when some people acted as owners of government property and funds.”
Speaking at the National Tribal Festival, Sinha emphasised that the announcement to grant land to 2,711 landless families and homes to the homeless has sparked opposition from certain individuals.
“I want to tell them that gone are the days when they treated themselves as the owners of government property and funds. Gone are the days when they made decisions based on their political interests. They seized state land, built large houses for themselves, and left the poor to suffer. Now, these same people are misleading the public,” Sinha said, referring to figures such as National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, and other regional politicians who criticised the administration’s decision.
While Omar questioned the identity of the homeless in J&K, Mehbooba stated that the move aimed to turn J&K into a slum by settling outsiders.
Sinha highlighted that the Prime Minister’s Awas Yojna was implemented nationwide, except in J&K. He stated, “Now that the scheme is being implemented in J&K as well, some people feel the pain. This is Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dream and it will be fulfilled. Each homeless family will receive 5 malras to build their dream house.”
Commending the Tribal Community for their contributions to a peaceful and developed J&K, Sinha mentioned several measures taken for their welfare, including training programs and buyer/seller meets. He proposed conducting buyer/seller meets specifically for the tribal community.
“Efforts are underway to train tribal youth for prestigious exams and provide free coaching,” Sinha said. He acknowledged the significant sacrifices made by the ancestors of the tribal community for J&K and referred to August 5, 2019, as a historic day that ended disparity for them. Sinha emphasised the collaboration between the Tribal Affairs Department and other administrative departments to ensure the welfare of the tribals.
Sinha announced the development of a fresh web portal to maintain a database of all 4 lakh tribals in J&K, enabling easy tracking. He further stated that free transport and ambulance services would be provided to the tribals during their migration period, reducing travel time from a month to two days. Additionally, primary health services would be established to cater to the healthcare needs of the tribals. Sinha also mentioned the upgrade of the Tribal Affairs Institute (TAI) and the training of youth in herb extraction from forests.
