SRINAGAR: Minister for Jal Shakti, Javed Ahmed Rana, on behalf of Chief Minister who also holds the portfolio of Revenue Department, informed the House that during the last two years, 2,486 Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) certificates have been issued in Kashmir Division and 24,058 in Jammu Division.
The Minister was replying to a Calling Attention Notice tabled by MLA Sajad Gani Lone regarding discrimination with Kashmir Division in issuance of certificates under the EWS category.
The Minister said that the EWS certificates are issued by the Tehsildars in accordance with the eligibility criteria prescribed by the Social Welfare Department.
Raising a supplementary on the subject, MLA Sajad Lone urged the Government to evolve a uniform and rational definition of the economically weaker sections in Jammu and Kashmir. He suggested that the criteria for determining EWS eligibility could be reviewed by taking into consideration factors such as per capita income, social conditions and other relevant socio-economic indicators. He also maintained that the criteria for determining the EWS category are not binding on all States and can be reviewed or modified by the present Government in accordance with the socio-economic conditions of the Union Territory.
Responding to the issues raised, Minister for Social Welfare Sakeena Itoo intervened and said that the rules governing determination of the EWS category are prescribed by the Union Government and that States and Union Territories are required to adopt the prescribed criteria.
CPI(M) MLA Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami also intervened, stating that the criteria prescribed for determining the EWS category are not necessarily applied uniformly across all States. He pointed out that some States have evolved their own criteria and suggested that Jammu and Kashmir could also examine the practices followed elsewhere while framing an appropriate mechanism.
Speaker, Abdul Rahim Rather observed that the matter merits examination and the government should study the EWS criteria adopted by different states.
