Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, Dec 17: Jugal Kishore Sharma, the Member of Parliament for Jammu-Reasi, met with Minister of State for Defence, Sanjay Seth, alongside former Akhnoor MLA, Rajeev Sharma. Their discussion focused on key development projects and the long-overdue compensation for farmers in the Akhnoor and Chhamb Assembly constituencies.
Sharma highlighted the critical need for upgrading and widening the Jourian-Khour-Pallanwala Panchtoot road, which serves as a vital defense route linking two significant Assembly constituencies. He stressed that the deteriorating state of the road has resulted in significant hardships for both defence operations and local commuters. Sharma urged the Minister to prioritize the construction and expansion of this critical roadway to enhance connectivity and infrastructure in the area.
Additionally, Sharma addressed the ongoing struggles of farmers from villages such as Samwan, Gargar, Pallatan, Sainth, and surrounding areas. These farmers had their land acquired during the 1971 Indo-Pak war for the creation of defensive ditches, with a total of 2,381 Kanals taken by the army. Compensation was consistently provided from 1972 to 2012, but abruptly halted thereafter, leaving local farmers, who rely solely on this land for their livelihood, in dire financial straits. He strongly urged that the pending compensation be disbursed promptly and that future payments be made consistently.
In response, Minister of State for Defence, Sanjay Seth, assured the delegation that their concerns would be treated with urgent attention. He acknowledged the importance of the Jourian-Khour-Pallanwala road for both military and civilian purposes and confirmed that the road’s upgrading and widening would be prioritized, with construction efforts commencing as soon as possible. Concerning the compensation issue, the Minister pledged to thoroughly review the situation and take necessary actions to ensure the release of pending payments while establishing a system for timely compensation in the future.
