Govt indifferent to people’s problems: Congress

JAMMU: Underlining the hardships faced by people in due to lackadaisical attitude of the government, former Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand said due to ineffective and poor delivery of the administration at the ground level, the public had to bear the harassment daily.

Congress leaders take part in a public rally in the Marh area of Jammu on Sunday. Tribune Photo

Tribune News Service

Jammu, February 19

Underlining the hardships faced by people in due to lackadaisical attitude of the government, former Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand said due to ineffective and poor delivery of the administration at the ground level, the public had to bear the harassment daily.

He said people living in border areas and far-off belts were facing huge administrative deficit.

“The ruling BJP should stop being rhetoric and come clear on the issues of Article 370, equalising Assembly constituencies in Kashmir and Jammu regions along with the issue of granting Permanent Resident Certificates to West Pakistan refugees,” he added.

Addressing a one-day convention of party workers at Halqa Marh, he said people living alongside the International Border (IB) were the worst sufferers. “The government should allot plots to them at safer areas along with financial help of Rs 10 lakh for house construction and RBA status,” he added.

The party convention was organised by former MLA and general secretary Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) Balwan Singh to project the problems and issues faced by the residents of the area.

Speaking on the occasion, Balwan Singh said the PDP-BJP coalition had failed on all fronts. He regretted that except tall promises nothing constructive had been done on the grounds and problems of the common masses were compounding with every passing day due to the “anti-people” policies being propagated by this regime.

Singh added that poor people were going through tough times due to the indifferent attitude of the government as the quota of ration and other essential commodities was being denied to them. He said soaring prices had made the life of people extremely difficult and the government should immediately ensure that people get their share of ration.

Raising the issues pointed by Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi, the former MLA said post demonetisation, relevant questions had been asked from the BJP-led government and five points raised bring to the fore the ill-conceived drive launched by the Prime Minister. He called upon party cadres to prepare for the panchayat elections and lambasted the government for playing with the real spirit of the 73rd amendment and the local self-government concept.