Pulwama, Jun 19 (KNO): Minister Sakeena Itoo on Friday said the government is committed to safeguarding the interests of farmers, assuring that cultivators who have been working on agricultural land for decades would not be deprived of their legitimate rights.
According to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the minister made these remarks while addressing a public grievance redressal camp (Awami Darbar) in the Koil area of Pulwama district, where a large number of residents participated and highlighted various civic, developmental, and welfare-related issues before the government.
During the interaction, locals raised concerns regarding infrastructure, public services, development projects, and land-related matters. Listening to the grievances, Itoo assured the gathering that the government remains committed to addressing public concerns and accelerating development works across the region. She directed the concerned departments to take prompt and serious measures to resolve the issues raised by the people.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the event, the minister strongly defended the government's position on the ongoing concerns regarding the identification and retrieval of certain land parcels. Referring specifically to farmers who have been cultivating land for generations, she said the government would not allow injustice to be done to those whose livelihoods depend on such lands.
“We stand with the farmers whose land is being identified for retrieval. Those who have been cultivating these fields for the last several decades to support their families will not be deprived of their rights,” she said.
Itoo said the people who have remained in possession of agricultural land for nearly five decades cannot simply be dispossessed. “Those who have been cultivating and depending on the land for the past 50 years cannot have their land taken away. Our government stands firmly with them and will ensure that their rights are protected,” she added.
Taking a dig at opposition parties, particularly the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the minister said, "They are playing politics on everything. By accompanying them in the paddy plantation, you cannot give them rights."
“The opposition is busy seeing ‘Mungeri Lal ke haseen sapne’ and imagining that the government will collapse tomorrow. Instead of engaging in constructive politics, they are waiting for the government to fail,” she added.
Itoo asserted that the present administration, led by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, has focused on governance, public welfare, and development during its tenure. She said several initiatives aimed at improving public services and addressing people's concerns have been undertaken over the past 19 months.
The minister said the matter concerning the pending salaries of employees working under the Samagra Shiksha Scheme in the Education Department has already been taken up with the concerned authorities.
"The issue is receiving attention at the appropriate level," she said, expressing confidence that the salaries of the affected employees would be released soon—(KNO)