While lauding the announcement of a new Medical College at Handwara, Kashmir approved last week by the Govt of India at a whopping cost of Rs 325 crores, NPP chairman Harsh Dev Singh called for appropriate measures to upgrade the fast deteriorating healthcare sector in both urban & rural areas of Jammu region as well. Addressing public meetings at Kulwanta and Bari villages in Ramnagar constituency, Singh said while outdated equipments, lack of infrastructure and defunct machinery ailed the Urban health care, the rural institutions seemed to have been abandoned by the Govt with hardly any doctors and life saving drugs therein. Alleging neglect of Jammu region with regard to development and allied sectors even after abrogation of controversial Article 370, Singh said that the Govt seemed to be completely focused on Kashmir. While it was laudable that the orchardists/farmers of Kashmir were covered under Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) to procure their apples, saffron and walnut, the farmers of Jammu region were ignored despite huge losses sustained by them due to unseasonal rains and hailstorm which largely damaged the crops. He said that Central Govt had involved agencies like NABARD and other high level central teams for supporting the Kashmir farmers, there seemed to be no takers for the woes of Jammu agriculturists who felt ignored and betrayed. Referring further to the mega sports event ‘Khelo Kashmir’ organized in Srinagar last week by the Govt and attended among others by BJP vice president, Avinash Rai Khanna, Singh said it again revealed the biased mindset of the Govt which had failed to provide similar opportunity to the budding talent and sportsmen of Jammu region. He said that any further bias with the youth of Jammu could prove highly counter-productive as the Jammu youth was already seething with rage over their neglect and deprivation in the State level selections, particularly during past 5 years. “Not only that Toll Plazas are being established in Jammu and its vicinity with no takers for the shrill cries of the public. The lawyers are on strike. The transporters have been frequently resorting to protests and agitations. The students are suffering for want of internet connectivity. The general public is resenting the poor delivery of the essential services and civil amenities including un-interrupted power and water supply,” Singh regretted. He appealed the students, youth, traders, transporters and civil society to support the Jammu bandh on coming Saturday (December 7).
