Senior Leader J&K Apni Party Rafi Ahmad Mir on Thursday urged the Union Finance Minister for special economic rehabilitation package for J&K. In a letter addressed to the Minister, Mir said “people of J&K have been witnessing financial disruption since months, which the nation is facing today.” He said in 2019, the start of the financial year was discouraging and in August, the government’s decision to bifurcate the state, further affected the economy. Mir said today taxi operators have to pay huge EMIs for vehicles without earning and establishments were facing layoffs. “There are huge numbers of people who are struggling to pay their EMIs on housing/car and student education loans. J&K needs a more workable plan on EMIs besides injecting liquidity in the market,” Mir said. He said members of J&K’s trade fraternity have been vocal throughout in raising an alarm at appropriate forums, including the ministry. “Therefore, I assume that your office is in the knowledge of the economic turbulence in J&K. After today’s press conference, it is expected that the Centre rolls out a general economic package for the country but J&K deserves a special economic rehabilitation package as the economy here is already in shambles and till date, the government has failed to deliver on its promise,” Mir said. He said as the lockdown amid Covid-19 poses serious challenges for everyone across the country but in J&K, the consequences can be more dangerous, if the government does not act in time. “We, therefore, demand a special economic rehabilitation package for J&K, with economic measures in loans and EMIs impacting the most vulnerable,” Mir said.
