NC’s pre-poll demands: jobs for youth, reduction in power tariff

Leaving no stone unturned to garner public support after facing a rout in the Lok Sabha polls, the ruling National Conference Monday framed a ‘wish list’ for the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah-led government with an eye on Assembly elections slated for October-November this year. Interestingly, the NC has this time around shortlisted some issues which are directly linked with the common masses like creating job avenues for unemployed youth, reducing power tariff and increasing the ration quota.
The list was framed in a meeting chaired by NC’s General Secretary Ali Muhammad Sagar at Nawa-e-Subah Complex here. The meeting was attended by senior NC ministers and leaders of provincial level.
Sources, privy to the meeting, told Greater Kashmir that it was unanimously decided that the ruling dispensation headed by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah must take some more bold steps in public interest. “We have an opportunity and we must cash on it. For that, we must take some pro-people steps like creating more job avenues for the unemployed youth,” a senior NC leader told the meeting.
A senior NC leader, who was present in the meeting, said it was decided that besides creating employment opportunities for the unemployed youth of the State, people must get some respite with regard to reduction of power tariff. “Majority of the leaders unanimously agreed that power distribution system needs to be improved to mitigate the problems faced by consumers. We made it a point that keeping in view the financial constraints of a common man, the government must announce a power-tariff relaxation in the coming days,” he said.
He said leaders demanded that the state government must build pressure on the Government of India to increase the ration quota as per the Census 2011. “It is strange and surprising that JK is still getting ration as per the 2001 Census. There is a huge deficit,” the NC leader said.
The meeting passed unanimous resolutions: creating job avenues for unemployed youth, reducing the power-fee and increasing monthly ration quota.
“I am sure that government will soon take all these issues on priority and make announcements in the larger public interest,” Sagar told the meeting.
Meanwhile, the meeting adopted a resolution that the “party reposes full faith in the leadership of Dr Farooq Abdullah as the party president and Omar Abdullah as the party’s working president.”

OMAR SUMMONS NC’S CWC MEET ON JUNE 18 

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who is also the working president of National Conference, has summoned the party’s Central Working Committee meet on June 18 at party headquarters here.
According to NC spokesman Junaid Azim Mattu, Omar will chair the meet at 9 am to discuss “various important issues and the party’s overall strategy for the upcoming Assembly polls.”
“Party affairs are on the agenda,” he said.