Jammu, February 12 PDP MLA Waheed-ur-Rehman Parra raised concerns on Wednesday about the delays in the completion of an AIIMS in the Kashmir Valley and highlighted several issues related to healthcare infrastructure, the registration of private clinics, and the reservation policy in Jammu and Kashmir.
Participating in a discussion in the Assembly on grants for education, social welfare, and health, Parra said these are crucial sectors for human development that require urgent attention amid growing demand and existing constraints.
"The completion of the AIIMS in Awantipora, which serves the Pulwama-Challar region, would significantly improve the overall healthcare sector in south Kashmir and Srinagar," Parra said.
"Last year, the progress of the AIIMS in Awantipora was 70%, and it remains the same today. There has been a significant increase in costs.
"If the government personally monitors the project, it will bring significant changes in Pulwama and benefit the entire south Kashmir," Parra said.
The PDP legislator also said that despite earlier assurances and meetings convened by the committee, the progress of the project appeared slow and required close monitoring.
He also reiterated the demand for MRI facilities at the district hospital in Pulwama, saying the hospital witnesses heavy patient footfall amid staff shortages.
Parra also demanded the establishment of a community health center (CHC) in the Khan Medical Block under centrally-sponsored schemes, urging the government to take up the matter with the Union government.
He also said that the permanent registration of more than 3,000 private clinics in Jammu and Kashmir has been pending for the past two years.
"Previously, private clinics used to receive annual registrations, but permanent registration is necessary as these are already supporting the healthcare system where government facilities are inadequate," he said.
Parra also flagged issues related to the reservation policy, claiming that the current system created an imbalance in opportunities.
"Sixty percent of the population is getting 40 percent of the opportunities, while 40 percent of the population is getting 60 percent of the opportunities. This imbalance affects education, employment, and future prospects," he claimed.
The PDP MLA also urged the J-K government to keep two orders (SRO 305 and SRO 176), which implement the new reservation policy, in abeyance until the Cabinet committee report is finalized and issues related to caste census and related metrics are resolved.
Keeping the order in social welfare in abeyance temporarily would help address public anxiety and restore balance in opportunities, Parra said.
