SRINAGAR: Kashmir has received only 61 jobs under the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) criteria, compared to 696 in the Jammu region, despite having 37.71 lakh PHH/AAY ration card holders against 29.81 lakh in Jammu.
The figures indicate that 55% of the poor population resides in the Valley, as against 45% in Jammu. However, only 2,486 EWS certificates were issued in Kashmir, compared to 24,058 in the Jammu region, over the last two years.
The imbalance in EWS criteria and jobs was flagged by Peoples Conference president and MLA Sajjad Gani Lone in the just-concluded autumn session of the J&K Assembly by demanding a uniform definition of poor and poverty.
Quoting official figures, Lone said that, as per the current definition of poverty, 92% of certificates issued for EWS are from the Jammu region and 8% from the Kashmir region.
Only 2,486 EWS certificates have been issued in Kashmir in the last two years as against 24,058 in the Jammu region.
“It means 92% of poor people in J&K reside in Jammu region and only 8% in Kashmir,” the MLA said.
Quoting official figures, the MLA said Kashmir has 37.71 lakh PHH/AAY ration cards as compared to 29.81 lakh PHH/AAY ration cards in Jammu region.
As per the definition of issuance of PHH/AAY ration cards, 55% of poor people live in Kashmir and 45% in Jammu region.
The PHH and AAY ration card holders are entitled to food grains at subsidised rates, and Lone said even premier health institutions, including AIIMS, accept ration cards as proof of poverty.
“The only instance when this PHH/AAY ration card is not accepted as a proof of poverty is when a person from J&K applies for a government job,” he said, arguing that applicants are instead required to produce a recruitment-specific EWS certificate.
Lone questioned how the government could spend substantial amounts on subsidies for people identified as poor through ration cards and then adopt a different yardstick when the same individuals seek government employment.
The government, he said, is using an asset based criteria to define poor in issuing EWS certificates.
“Anybody having a residential house of more than 3.68 marlas is rich and even the poorest has a house of this size in Kashmir,” Lone said, adding that some states like Kerala use the ration cards as proof of poverty and that there is a single uniform definition of the poor.
Citing the government figures, the MLA said 7,580 jobs were filled by the government over the last two years. Since there is a 10% quota for EWS in J&K, 758 of these jobs fell under the EWS quota. “Of these, 697 jobs went to Jammu and only 61 to Kashmir.”
Had the PHH/AAY ration card-based proportion been applied, Jammu would have got 341 jobs while Kashmir would have accounted for 417 jobs, he said.
Citing government figures, Lone said 49,672 jobs are expected to be filled in J&K and on the basis of the 10% EWS quota, 4,967 posts would fall under the category. “Under the existing EWS certification pattern, 4,569 could go to Jammu and only 398 to Kashmir. Using the PHH/AAY ratio instead, 2,235 jobs would go to Jammu and 2,732 to Kashmir.”
The MLA has demanded that asset-based criteria should be changed and be replaced with a more uniform and transparent mechanism for identifying economically weaker households across Jammu and Kashmir.
Responding to the issue, Assembly Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather has said the matter requires serious examination to ensure that no section of society faces injustice.
He has directed the government to examine the EWS certification process, identify areas requiring improvement, and study the criteria followed by different states.