Sopore October 2 (KNS): Senior vice-president, Peoples Conference (PC), and former minister, Abdul Gani Vakil, expressed concern and anguish on what he termed as the step-motherly treatment of the UT administration towards fruit industry of Kashmir, and said that the present dispensation, especially the central government, has totally ignored fruit industry in Kashmir as no incentives are being given to promote the said industry.
Although, on different occasions the past governments, and even the present UT government assured complete waiver of KCC loans and special economic package, but nothing has been done so far in this direction in view of the economic clampdown and natural calamities, which Vakil said has virtually crushed the industry but it is surprising and unfortunate although fruit industry is the backbone of economy but still UT administration and the central government has turned a deaf ear to the genuine demands of fruit growers.
While addressing party workers' meetings at Botango, Muqamshierf, Reban and Ferozpora, Rafiabad, Abdul Gani Vakil said that it is the need of the hour that both the governments, UT and Centre, must come forward to provide every type of assistance and help to fruit growers to revive the industry so that thousands of people and families attached to the industry, by getting a livelihood, will not be deprived of their sustenance.
Both the climatic conditions and COVID-19 pandemic have hit the already crumbling fruit Industry, there is an urgent need for government intervention to save the fruit industry by sanctioning special economic packages and waving off KCC loans and other loans which have already made the lives of fruit growers miserable. Transportation charges are touching skies and fruit growers in general are not in a position to handle the crisis, Vakil added.
Abdul Gani Vakil also visited the fire sufferers of Shalikut, Rafiabad where 5 residential houses were burt to ashes. While expressing sympathies with the sufferers, Vakil demanded immediate relief to the affected both in cash and kind so that they do not suffer more in the coming winter season.(KNS)