SRINAGAR : Dr. Rajeev Kumar Bhagat, MLA Bishnah,raised a comprehensive set of demands in the autumn session of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly in Srinagar, pushing the government on critical issues ranging from local infrastructure development in Arnia to major policy changes for government employees and financial relief for farmers.
The MLA’s focus on Arnia was particularly evident, as he vociferously demanded the establishment of a Degree College in the town. He argued that the absence of a higher educational institution compels students from numerous border villages to travel significant distances, creating a huge disadvantage. In tandem with education, Dr. Bhagat called for a massive boost to local healthcare, urging the immediate upgradation of the Primary Health Centre (PHC) Arnia to a Trauma Hospital. He stressed that this upgrade is non-negotiable for a sensitive border area, where swift emergency medical services are vital for residents and security personnel alike.
Dr. Bhagat took up the pressing issue of employee welfare, demanding a clear and humane Transfer Policy for reserved category employees who were recruited from the Jammu division but are currently serving in the Kashmir Division. He emphasized the mental and social strain faced by these employees and called for a system that allows them to be adjusted closer to home, addressing a long-pending demand that has seen multiple protests.
Turning to the agricultural sector, the Bishnah MLA outlined two key demands. Firstly, he called for urgent action on the improvement of the present irrigation system across the region, which is the backbone of the local economy. Secondly, he demanded financial respite for the farmers by urging the government to waive off the electric bills of pump sets. He noted that farmers are already burdened by high costs and market fluctuations, and waiving these bills would provide a necessary cushion, particularly for small and marginal landholders.
Finally, Dr.Bhagat highlighted the plight of unemployed youth, seeking the regularisation of ‘Rehbar-e-Janglat’ aspirants. He pressed the government to expedite the process for these forest protection volunteers, many of whom have worked for years on meagre honorariums, deserving a dignified and permanent place in the service structure.
Dr. Bhagat’s multi-faceted representation in the Assembly session puts the onus on the administration to respond with concrete action on these critical infrastructure, policy, and welfare demands before the session concludes.
