New Delhi: The Narendra Modi government is planning to set up camps in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh to inform students about scholarships and fellowships that will now be made available to them under the minority affairs ministry.
Various education schemes until now had been implemented in the regions only partially due to Article 370, which the Modi government revoked last week.
The government is also planning a ‘Hunar hub’ or skill development centre in Ladakh, which was mentioned by PM Modi in his address last week. Also, some of the Waqf properties in both UTs will now be used to set up schools, colleges and other institutions.
Confirming the move, Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said the government had earlier announced scholarships for 5 crore students from minority communities but these regions remained mostly untouched.
With Article 370 in force, the National Commission for Minorities Act did not apply to Jammu and Kashmir so far. “There are a number of scholarships that the ministry provides but these were not completely implemented. We will be setting up camps in Leh, Kargil, Jammu and other regions to make people aware of the opportunities available,” Naqvi told ThePrint.
‘Hunar hub’ for Ladakh
The ministry is also looking at developing a ‘Hunar hub’ in Ladakh that will act as a platform to bring skills of the region before the masses.
In his August 8 address, PM Modi had highlighted how people of Ladakh should benefit from its rich biodiversity. The herbs found there should be recognised and sold. He had also urged industrialists and exporters to visit the region and introduce its local products across the globe.
“People have a lot of skills (hunar) there. We have to see how we can develop more centres there. Apart from brass and wooden products, the region is also known for its medicinal plants. At the same time, we have to see how we can make these market-easy,” Naqvi said.
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According to sources, the minority affairs minister is likely to visit Ladakh in September to step up development work under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram scheme, which will now cover 90 per cent of Leh and Kargil areas.
The ministry has prioritised regions in Leh, including Nyoma, Panamic and Durbok, in Kargil Chiktan, Zanskar and Lungnak in Kargil district, Qazigund in Kashmir valley and Satwari in Jammu district where work will be taken up and expedited.
“Ek parivar ka to development hota raha but common log economically niche hat-te rahein (One family was benefitted all along but common people remained economically backward),” said Naqvi.
He also said how his government tried to empower minorities in these regions for the past two years despite lack of support from the state authorities. “But not much could be achieved. Things will now change,” he said.
Waqf properties to become schools, colleges
The Waqf Board Act, which was not applicable to J&K so far, will also be implemented now. The government will provide 100 per cent funding to convert Waqf properties into educational institutions or hospitals.
Some of the Waqf properties will be turned into schools, colleges and ITIs, said Naqvi.
“We were not able to touch them so far. But students will now be able to get better facilities,” he said.
Most of the central schemes did not apply in the region, including Aadhaar programme and Ayushman Bharat Yojana, among others.
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