KL Desk
Baramullah
Accusing state government of humiliating people at the hands of various authorities of the central government as well as the oil companies, the Kashmir Centre for Social and Development Studies lambasted the government for its wrong approach and gross mishandling of LPG issue that instead of bringing relief to the people has brought humiliation and dishonor to them.
In a daylong conference held at Baramulah on Monday, the members blamed the government of portraying the entire Kashmiri society as beggars while making repeated appeals for increase of cap in the subsidized cylinders during their meetings with various central ministers including the prime minister.
The KCSDS members also blamed the central government for being insensitive to the ground realities of hilly state of Jammu and Kashmir ever since they had tied forcible nuptial knot with the state in 1947.
The members informed the gathering that Jammu and Kashmir as an independent entity was self reliant till 1947 with balance of trade three times advantageous to the state but today the trade deficit of the state has reached to 33000 crores out of total inter-state trade of 40000 crores. Because of the insufficient financial support from GOI, the successive state governments failed to invest in the areas that could have generated enough resources for the state.
“In fact the super imposed state governments as well as the central governments, over past 65 years, have miserably failed to plan for state’s growth and development in consonance with and matching to the growing demands from the society”, the KCSDS members said.
The KCSDS members further said that the state has borne enormous losses on account of plunder of resources including water, mineral and forest resources.
“Had the rulers paid serious attention towards harnessing the hydro power potential of the state during past 65 years, our annual revenue generation from only this sector today would have been around 70000 to 100000 crores”, the KCSDS members informed the gathering.
They said that instead of taking any benefit from the water resources, the successive governments have allowed loot on these resources by NHPC that has grown on the profits earned from JK projects alone. “The present dispensation despite their tall claims has failed to remove the illegal and unconstitutional occupation of NHPC over 4 major power projects that can fetch the state around Rs. 5000 crores annually” the KCSDS members said adding that out of this revenue the state can very well afford to extend subsidy of Rs. 500 crores to the weaker sections of the society on LPG cylinders and there is no need to go with a begging bowl before the central ministers.
The daylong conference was attended by KCSDS chairperson Prof Hameedah Nayeem, Shakeel Qalander, Z.G Mohammad, Dr. Mubeen Shah, Advocate Irfan Hafiz besides cross section of society from Baramullah and its adjoining localities.