Raising voice for people in hilly areas of Ramban & Banihal

“The hilly and far off areas of Ramban and Banihal are still to feel the pace of development we are in. Extortionist politics has added to the backwardness of Ramban district. The local political representatives have only exploited and looted the common innocent people who do not have much exposure. The politicians are only taking advantage of their innocence,” said SDP president Dr Darakhshan Andrabi while speaking to the media persons while welcoming fifty new political activists hailing from other political parties including NC, Congress and PDP belonging to Ramban and Banihal. Dr Darakhshan Andrabi said that misinformation and deception is what has been ruling these backward areas of our state and she held the politicians responsible for this. “It is shameful for all of us see that majority of the villages of these areas don’t have drinking water facilities, proper power supply and also lack good roads and schools. We talk of scientific and technological revolutions and the people of these areas have been left amid the struggle for bread and basic requirements for a common sustainable life,” said Darakhshan Andrabi while addressing the press. She expressed her worry by saying that there was a lot of misappropriation in the implementation of the centrally sponsored schemes. Political hooliganism was ruling the working system in these areas and the benefits of the schemes meant for people below poverty line and lower middle class were given to the influential and economically well off political activists belonging to the ruling cadres. “The solar lights meant for the poor were allotted to the influential; the ration meant for BPL was given wholesome to the rich. This is an old practice which continues as a ritual,” said Dr Darakhshan. She said that the majority of the people in the hamlets of these hilly areas do not even know about the government schemes and that is why their shares are easily grabbed by the influential. “For the past twenty years there has been great bungling in implementation of the pivotal centrally sponsored schemes in Ramban district and it all needs to be probed so that those involved in loot of common man’s right are booked,” said Dr Darakhshan. She said that SDP has initiated awareness drive in these areas and SDP activists are giving awareness to the people about different schemes and their rights. She said that soon the people of these hilly terrains will come out openly in support of their demands. She said that she wanted the ignorant people of Ramban and Banihal to feel empowered and that was why SDP has initiated a movement in these areas.