Srinagar, October 08 (Scoop News) – To order to promote cultural legacy of Gujjar, Bakerwal and Pahari people two cultural offices would be set up one each at Srinagar and Jammu and three sub-offices in other areas of the state.
This was stated by the Minister for Social Welfare, Ms Sakina Itoo while replying to a question by s. Indu Pawar in Legislative Assembly here today. She said various welfare schemes have been launched to improve the socio-economic profile of Gujjar and Bakerwals, adding that the literacy rate of Gujjar community has reached upto 52.10 percent and that of Bakerwals to 35.30 percent in the state.
The Minister said that at present as many as 16 hostels for Gujjar, Bakerwals and Pahari students are functioning across the state. She said over 2 lakh students of these communities have been provided scholarships to facilitate studies. She said vocational training institutions are already providing training of different craps to the youth of these communities to build their capacities for setting up of entrepreneur ventures. The government is also providing loans at low interest for the purpose.
The Minister said that in Keller Shopian four women belonging to Gujjar and Bakerwal community have been provided with one cow dairy unit each under TSP. She said 10 women of the same community in the area have been also imparted training for running the small backyard poultry units.
Replying to the supplementaries of Nazir Ahmad Gurezi and Ashok Kumar, the Minister said that a proposal for establishment of cultural sub-unit for promotion of cultural traditions of dard community in Gurez tehsil would be formulated and submitted to the Centre for approval. She said that mobile schools for Bakerwals are also functioning and added that Education Ministry would be approached for opening more mobile schools to facilitate Bakerwal students.