Minister for Education, Naeem Akhter today informed the House that the Ministry of Tribal Affairs has constructed temporary shelter-sheds for Gujjar and Bakerwal communities who often suffer losses due to rains, hailstorm during their migration. Replying to a question by Choudhary Mohammad Akram, the Minister said that the Government has taken steps after learning that the Gujjar and Bakerwal communities face tremendous difficulties while migrating from Poonch, Rajouri, to Kashmir during summer season via Pir Panchal. He said that Rs 120 crore have been kept under Tribal Sub Plan (TSP) for the up-liftment of tribal community of the State with special thrust on quality education and welfare of their livestock.
As per the Central guidelines, 50 percent allocation under TSP has to be spent on improvement of educational facilities in the State. The State Government has, accordingly, decided that in every Gram Panchayat at least one Secondary School will be taken up for phase-wise upgradation from additional grants under Article 275(1) and TSP with matching grant from J&K Government. The scheme will include creation of library, computer room and additional rooms in schools.“They (Gujjar and Bakwerals) sometimes suffer losses during the course of their travel due to rains, hailstorm in the absence of proper shelter for their livestock,” said Mr Akhtar. He said that however the Tribal Affairs Department out of its meager resources has constructed temporary sheds for the shelter of the communities and their livestock during their migration under Tribal Sub Plan funds in places including Kutmarg, Nadimarg, Tangmarg, Lammed Hall Top, Chiranbal, Waltengoonard, Pancham Nard, Sekjan, Badibahak, Malwan Top Vill, Kadalbal, Zagimarg, Akhall Top, Grown, Sodan Pathri, Nasuu Bahak.Pertinently the Government of India has announced a major hike in the fund allocation to Jammu and Kashmir under the TSP. The almost five-fold increase in allocation under TSP to J&K has been made by the Central on the intervention of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, who also holds the charge of Tribal Affairs Department. Mian Altaf Ahmad, Yawar Mir, GM Saroori, Javed Rana, Shah Muhammad Tantray, Raja Manzoor raised supplementaries to the main question. Later Mian Altaf Ahmad sought a detailed status report of the number of Shelter sheds on ground, to which the Minister assured that a detailed report would be presented before the House at the end of the ongoing Budget session.