Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Friday stated that various educational reforms taken up during its tenure have been kept in limbo at present and urged the Governor to speed-up the execution of work on these vital projects.In a statement issued here, senior PDP leader and former minister Naeem Akhtar said that in north Kashmir’s Bandipora constituency, various projects pertaining to the development of educational infrastructure have been left unattended by the present dispensation and that the area known in the entire world for being intellectually and educationally fertile is at present at the bottom of the ladder when it comes to education.He maintained that the PDP government had sanctioned several Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs) for the constituency and even land was identified for the purpose. However, says Akhtar, no work at present on the project, that could have benefited a large number of students, is being executed on the ground.Akhtar stated that 40 per cent of the population in Bandipora constituency belongs to Scheduled Tribe Category and for the educational upliftment of these people, the PDP government had planned the establishment of Eklavya School in the area.
“Though the requisite formalities were completed along with the identification of land, the project has been at present kept in limbo and formal sanction continues to remain pending,” Akhtar said, adding that the substantial tribal population actually hailing from Gurez have now settled in Bandipora and their children face the acute paucity of educational facilities.Akhtar also expressed concern over the work going on at snail’s pace at Engineering college established under RUSA at Safapora area, stating that it is being feared the project may miss the deadline for its completion.He urged the Governor to take immediate measures so that the college is made functional and appointment of faculty besides the building of requisite infrastructure is done at an earliest.Akhtar further underscored the need for making the availability of quality education possible for the tribal children of Bandipora, urging the administration to fast-pace the work on the establishment of the JNVs and Eklavya School in the constituency.