Bharat Priye voices concern over public issues in J&K

• Calls for urgent action on power, water and unemployment issues

JAMMU: Bharat Priye on Sunday launched a sharp attack on the functioning of the Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory administration, alleging that people across the region are suffering due to poor governance, administrative apathy and failure to ensure even the most basic civic amenities.

Addressing media persons, Bharat Priye said the ongoing unscheduled and prolonged power cuts in both urban and rural areas have pushed the common public into immense hardship, especially during the prevailing hot weather conditions. He stated that students preparing for examinations, patients, elderly citizens, shopkeepers, small traders and farmers are among the worst affected sections due to the erratic electricity supply.

He said that despite repeated assurances by the administration regarding improvement in power infrastructure, the ground situation remains grim, with residents facing frequent outages lasting several hours without prior notice. According to him, the power crisis has disrupted business activities, affected irrigation facilities in agricultural areas and created severe inconvenience for households dependent on electricity for daily needs.

Bharat Priye alleged that the administration has failed to evolve a proper mechanism for power management and public communication, resulting in widespread frustration among the people. He remarked that while government advertisements project a picture of rapid development, ordinary citizens continue to struggle for basic necessities such as electricity, drinking water and proper road connectivity.

The JKPCC Kissan Congress Chairman further expressed concern over the deteriorating condition of public services in many parts of Jammu and Kashmir. He pointed out that several rural areas continue to face acute shortage of drinking water, damaged roads and inadequate healthcare facilities, while unemployment among educated youth is steadily increasing. He said the lack of employment opportunities has created uncertainty among young people, forcing many to remain dependent on their families despite possessing professional qualifications.

Highlighting the plight of the farming community, Bharat Priye said farmers are battling multiple challenges including rising prices of fertilizers, seeds, diesel and pesticides, coupled with erratic weather conditions and inadequate government support. He maintained that agriculture remains the backbone of the rural economy, yet farmers are not receiving timely compensation, irrigation facilities or proper market support for their produce.

He also criticized the administration for what he termed as “insensitive governance,” alleging that public grievances are either ignored or delayed unnecessarily. He said people are repeatedly forced to visit government offices for resolution of minor issues, reflecting the absence of accountability and efficient public service delivery.

Bharat Priye urged the administration to immediately take concrete measures to streamline electricity distribution, strengthen civic infrastructure and ensure uninterrupted supply of essential services. He demanded that a transparent and accountable grievance redressal mechanism be established so that people can get timely solutions to their problems without harassment.

He further called upon the authorities to adopt a people-centric approach to governance and focus on addressing the real concerns of the masses instead of relying merely on official statements and publicity campaigns. He warned that continued neglect of public issues could deepen resentment among the people and further erode trust in the administration.