Jammu, March 16: National Conference (NC) Provincial Joint Secretary, Ankush Abrol on Sunday reiterated his demand for the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. He urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to fulfill his promise at the earliest.
Addressing youths during a meeting, Abrol said that statehood is not just a political necessity but a constitutional and moral obligation to the people of J&K that must be fulfilled without delay. “The time for delays and empty promises is over as the people demand positive action,” he asserted.
Interacting with the youth, the NC leader said the Central government must understand that without the restoration of statehood, ensuring development, peace, and prosperity in Jammu and Kashmir would remain a “daydream.”
Abrol said the J&K government would create thousands of job opportunities in various sectors, ensuring merit-based and transparent recruitment. He lauded the proposal of launching special training initiatives to equip youth with modern skills, enhancing their capability for employment both in government and private sectors, besides extending universal health insurance coverage for BPL families to receive free medical treatment.
He described as a game-changer the considerable fund allocation by Omar Abdullah’s government for the modernisation of government schools, colleges, and technical institutes, which would boost the quality of education. He also highlighted the expansion of road networks, with a special focus on building new highways and rural roads to improve connectivity across Jammu and Kashmir.
The NC leader hailed initiatives for urban development to enhance drainage, water supply, and sanitation in urban areas, making cities more attractive and lively.
Abrol urged the people to strengthen the National Conference, enabling it to continue serving the people and fulfilling their hopes and aspirations. “The National Conference-led government under Omar Abdullah is dedicated to holistic development and pro-people governance,” he said.
Dr Vikas Sharma, in his address, said, “BJP is adopting policies that are anti-poor, anti-youth, and anti-downtrodden, pushing the region into economic degradation, administrative chaos and developmental apathy. The people of Jammu had high hopes from the BJP, but the party failed on all fronts and insulted its mandate by breaching the trust of the common masses in Jammu.”
Referring to the growing unemployment crisis, Sharma said that the youth of J&K are suffering due to a lack of job opportunities and a scandal-ridden recruitment process under the “Double Engine Sarkar.”
He said several recruitment scams have shattered the dreams of many educated youths aspiring for government jobs. “The recruitment process in various departments has been marred by irregularities, corruption, favouritism, and nepotism, leaving deserving candidates hopeless and disillusioned,” he said.
Sharma demanded stern action against the drug mafia by tackling the source of narcotic dens and sought compassionate intervention in addressing the issues concerning the youth.
