Jammu, April 17 (Scoop News) –Tribal Research and Cultural Foundation,main organisation of nomadic tribes today Seekes help from National bodies against absolute poverty among Gujjars of Jammu and Kashmir and pleaded to formulate a sustainable poverty eradication programme for migratory communities of State.
They said that nomads in J&K deserve special attention as they are facing extreme adversities due to toughest lifestyle, lacking economic freedom and food security owing to low-income and deficiency of resources.
In a day long workshop organised by Tribal Foundation held here by to discuss ‘Reasons of Backwardness among Nomadic Gujjars and Bakerwals’ , the participants mainly drawn from community stated that since last few decades the tribal economy got major shake due rapid development and globlisation. They said that the nomadic groups in State today facing brunt of absolute poverty as they lack of basic human needs, such as clean and fresh water , nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter, because of the inability to afford them.
They also pleaded for an exclusive National plan to eliminate illiteracy among nomad Gujjars mainly Dhodhi and Bakerwals which is the basic reason of their backwardness.
Speaking on the occasion Dr. Javaid Rahi Secretary Tribal Foundation stated that a recent study conducted by the foundation revealed that more than 76% of total population of nomadic Gujjars-Bakerwals are facing economic instability , food insecurity ,acute shortage of basic facilities, absolute illiteracy and lack of health facilities.
He said the equitable growth of country and state cannot be achieved without eridicating poverty and guaranteeing food secuirity to hitherto marginalised and isolated sections of our society, mainly the Gujjars of the state who constitute 20% f total populations of the State and more than 85 percent” of Jammu and Kashmir’s total tribal population.
The participants stressed the need to unite the diverse tribal and nomadic communities from across the state to gain a voicein
The experts suggested that this is high time to categories Gujjars and Bakerwal Tribe under the groups in India covered by United Nation under World Food Programme aimed at to Combat malnutrition and to invest in human resources as the “Economic Survey of Jammu and Kashmir a government document tabled in state Assembly says that more than 42% population of Scheduled Tribe population majority of them belongs to Gujjars and Bakerwals lives under Below Poverty line.
They also pleaded for a sustainable approach of government towards boosting of ‘Tribal Economy’ which is at verge of collapse due to poverty, illiteracy and globalization.
Leave Your Comments