Governor Satya Pal Malik on Wednesday announced that 50,000 vacant government posts would be filled in the next few months in his first press conference held at Raj Bhavan today, after the August 5 decision to scrap J&K’s special status. He called out the youth to participate maximum in the recruitment drive so as to protect the culture, identity, heritage, and language of J&K.
J&K: 50,000 Vacancies in Jammu-Kashmir
Saying that the Internet was the “most dangerous instrument”, he hinted that the suspension of the Internet is likely to continue. He said, “The medium of the Internet is a little bit useful for us but more useful for terrorists, Pakistanis. It is also used to mobilise and for indoctrination. This is kind of a weapon against us that is why we have stopped it and we will restore it gradually. It will be opened a little late.”
However, he assured that the mobile services were being restored in the Handwara and Kupwara areas of north Kashmir. Meanwhile, the government has already announced the opening of landline connections in the Kashmir valley.
Warning political leaders of public wrath for any support to the continuation of Article 370, Mr. Malik said, “I want to assure people that identity of J&K, its culture, languages, religions, heritage, will be protected. It’s the solemn assurance of Prime Minister Modi.”
To assuage anger among youth in Kashmir valley, the Governor said 50,000 government posts will be filled in the next few months. He said, “The local youth should come forward and participate actively in this recruitment process, as this would be the largest single recruitment drive ever in Jammu and Kashmir or Ladakh.”
He further announced that his government has been working with various Central agencies to put together a scheme in order to provide a minimum support price for the apple crop in the state and also confirmed that NAFED was willing to commit over Rs. 5,000 Crores for procuring over 50 percent of apple production of the State, which will be benefiting over 7 lakh apple farmers.
The Governor also announced that restoration of normalcy and deepening of democracy remained the government’s priority and as a first step, elections to Block Development Councils would be conducted and completed before the end of October.
J&K DGP Dilbagh Singh admitted that young men have been arrested in the Valley since August 5, adding that “arrests and release” were a dynamic process. When asked to clarify on the number of youth arrested so far, Mr. Singh said, “Young men are detained, counselled and released also. It’s not a very huge number that should concern you. We realise that reasonable arrests are made, not more than that.”
He further added, “Out of 111 police stations in Kashmir, restrictions have been relaxed in 81 police stations out of 111 and no day time restrictions exist in 167 of 197 police stations. Around 3,000 primary and 1,000 middle schools had opened.”
