| News Details |
| ST groups seek special initiatives to eradicate poverty from Gujjars | |
Rajouri, August 28 (Scoop News)-The Scheduled tribe communities of Jammu and Kashmir under the banner of Tribal Research and Cultural Foundation today demanded that a time bound programme may be formulated to eradicate poverty from nomadic Gujjars and Bakerwals . They urged the State government should device a plan to fight "extreme adversities" faced by them due to their migratory way of life and lack of economic freedom.
The community leaders were speaking in a programme organised by the Foundation which was presided over by reputed Gujjar scholar Dr. Javaid Rahi.
Pleading help from national and state bodies against absolute poverty among the tribes, Dr. Javaid Rahi said in his presidential address. "The nomadic Gujjars deserve special attention as they were faced with intense hardship due to their tough standard of living, lack of economic liberty and owing to low income and lack of resources." He of the Gujjar population still live Blow Poverty Line.
'A sustainable poverty eradication programme should be formulated for migratory communities of the state, he said, adding the nomadic groups were facing the brunt of absolute paucity of resources to run daily affairs.
"We demand education and economic security for the nomadic communities in Jammu and Kashmir," the speakers said in the programme held here.
"For the past few decades, the tribal economy of Jammu and Kashmir faced major shakeups due to militancy in upper reaches, rapid development in plain areas and impact of globalisation on their livelihood," they added.
They called for a sustainable approach of the Centre and state governments towards "boosting the tribal economy" which is on the "verge of collapse".
The nomadic groups, mainly Gujjars-Bakerwals, lack the ability to afford basic human needs such as clean and fresh water, nutrition, healthcare, education, clothing and shelter.
The foundation also pleaded for an exclusive national plan to eliminate illiteracy among the nomad Gujjars, Dhodhi and Bakerwals.
Another speaker Ghulam Sarwar Chouhan stated that a big percentage of the total population of nomadic Gujjars and Bakerwals was also facing economic instability.
"Equitable growth cannot be achieved without eradicating poverty and guaranteeing of food security to the marginalised and isolated sections of our society, mainly the Gujjars who constitute 20 per cent of the total population of the state and more than 85 per cent of Jammu and Kashmir's total tribal population,"they said.
Those who spoke on the occasion includes Dr. Ashraf Chouhan, Wariz
Ali Mohammad, Rafeeq Mohammad Banya, Shabnum Rafeeq Bajran , Ali Hussain Khatana, Bashir A Bajad, Haneef Ali lodha and others
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