Dr. Manohar holds monthly public meeting at Mandli; highlights burning issues of J&K UT

BILLAWAR: Former Minister Dr. Manohar Lal Sharma today convened his monthly public meeting at Six Acres Farm, Mandli, in Billawar Constituency, drawing a large gathering of local residents, youth, retired officers, social activists, and political representatives to deliberate upon the pressing and burning issues confronting the people of Jammu & Kashmir Union Territory.

The meeting witnessed participation from prominent personalities including Akash Bharat, State Youth President; Th. Bhudhi Singh, Block President Ramkot; Raj Kumar Kumblya, President Rajput Sabha; Romesh Verma, Block President Mandli; Romal Singh, Block President Dugani; Mukesh Kumar (Ex-Sarpanch); Karan Singh (Ex-Sarpanch); Rajinder Verma (Ex-Sarpanch); Capt. Girdhari Lal; Ram Lal Bhatti (Retd Principal); Vijay Kumar Bidyal (Retd Lecturer); G.S. Biloria (Youth Leader); Gian Chand Sharma (Retd Master); Mohd Rafiq (Retd RO); Zaffer-ula Khan (Retd Police Officer); Tilk Raj Prohit (Retd J&K Bank); Subash Singh Biloria (Ex-Municipality Corporator), and several other respected citizens.

Addressing the gathering, Dr. Sharma expressed grave concern over the alarming rise in unemployment across J&K UT. He stated that educated youth are facing frustration due to delayed recruitment processes, cancellation of examinations, and limited job opportunities in both public and private sectors. He emphasized the need for transparent and time-bound recruitment, revival of local industries, promotion of agriculture-based enterprises, and encouragement of small-scale entrepreneurship to tackle the growing crisis.He also pointed out that skill development initiatives must be aligned with actual market demands to prevent further alienation of youth.

Dr. Sharma criticized the implementation of the MGNREGA scheme, alleging that rural workers are not being provided the guaranteed number of workdays and that wage payments are often delayed. He said that in a predominantly rural region like Billawar, MGNREGA is a lifeline for economically weaker sections, and any dilution of the scheme directly affects poor families.He demanded strict monitoring mechanisms, transparency in job card issuance, and timely release of funds to ensure that rural workers receive their rightful benefits without bureaucratic hurdles.

Highlighting the impact of inflation, Dr. Sharma said that continuous price rise of essential commodities, fuel, fertilizers, and daily-use items has placed an unbearable burden on farmers, laborers, pensioners, and middle-class families. He urged the administration to adopt concrete measures to stabilize prices and provide targeted relief to economically weaker sections.

Dr. Sharma expressed deep concern over the deteriorating healthcare infrastructure in rural and hilly areas of J&K UT. He pointed out the acute shortage of doctors, specialists, nursing staff, diagnostic facilities, and essential medicines in government hospitals and Primary Health Centres (PHCs). Patients, he said, are compelled to travel to district or tertiary hospitals, incurring heavy expenses.He demanded urgent filling of vacant posts, strengthening of rural health infrastructure, and better ambulance services to ensure timely medical care.

On the education front, Dr. Sharma criticized the shortage of teaching staff, inadequate infrastructure, and lack of modern facilities in government schools. He said that rural students are being deprived of quality education due to administrative neglect. He called for recruitment of qualified teachers, improvement of school buildings, and introduction of modern learning tools to enhance educational outcomes.

Raising serious concerns about the Jal Jeevan Mission, Dr. Sharma alleged irregularities and substandard works in the execution of the scheme. He demanded a high-level inquiry into complaints of fraud, poor-quality pipelines, and incomplete water supply projects. He stressed that access to clean drinking water is a fundamental necessity and must not be compromised due to corruption or negligence.

During the meeting, several other burning issues concerning Jammu & Kashmir UT were also discussed in detail. Participants expressed serious concern over poor road connectivity, particularly in rural and border areas, where damaged and incomplete roads continue to hamper daily life and economic activities.The issue of erratic power supply and frequent unscheduled outages was strongly raised, with residents stating that prolonged electricity cuts are affecting households, students, farmers, and small businesses. Water scarcity in hilly and remote regions was also highlighted as a persistent problem, causing hardship to local communities.

Speakers further pointed to delays in developmental works and infrastructure projects, alleging that slow execution and lack of monitoring have stalled progress in many areas. Farmers’ concerns were also brought to the forefront, especially the rising cost of agricultural inputs such as seeds, fertilizers, and fuel, coupled with inadequate market support for their produce.

Additionally, apprehensions regarding law and order and the growing drug menace among youth were voiced, with participants calling for stronger preventive measures and awareness campaigns. Several attendees shared their grievances and urged collective and sustained efforts to ensure that these neglected developmental issues receive urgent attention from the authorities.

In his concluding remarks, Dr. Sharma reaffirmed his commitment to raising the issues of the people at appropriate forums and continuing direct interaction through monthly public meetings. He emphasized that public participation and collective awareness are essential to ensure accountability and responsive governance.The meeting concluded with a resolve to intensify efforts for safeguarding the rights and welfare of the people of Billawar and the entire J&K Union Territory.