Amid sleepless nights, fear grips evacuated border residents
KS News Desk
Baramulla, May 09: As Indias Operation Sindoor continues, life in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir remains paralyzed, with the looming fear of war making daily existence difficult for residents.
Fear is everywherean unsettling uncertainty hangs in the air. People are left wondering: What will happen next? Are we really safe?
The ground situation in Kashmir reflects widespread anxiety, with fear visible on every face. Residents are left waiting and questioning: What will happen next? Are we really safe? Many have appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to protect Kashmir from those who threaten peace.
What is our mistake? Why are we repeatedly victimized? How long must the people of Jammu and Kashmir endure this destruction? We were just beginning to recover from past horrors, rebuilding our lives and businesses in peaceyet again, we are being pushed toward devastation, said a group of shopkeepers in Lal Chowk, Srinagar.
"While we support a strong response to the enemies of peace, the current environment is affecting us deeply. Still, we remain hopeful and have full faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modis government. We trust relief will come soon, and our businesses will flourish again," they said.
Several residents from the border town of Urinow relocated to safer areas in Baramulla and its outskirtsexpressed gratitude toward the administration.
We are thankful for the administrations support during this crisis. Since Wednesday, teams from various civil departments, along with the police, have been ensuring our safety and well-being, they said.
Anjuman, a student, said they are safe now as the Baramulla district administrations efforts have made them feel secure after surviving the initial shelling on Tuesday night.
"My entire family, along with others, was evacuated from Uri, and we are now receiving all necessary facilities," she said.
She also appealed for peace saying that tension between the two nations must end.
"We, the younger generation, do not want to witness such destruction. We dream of a bright and successful future," she said.
Meeru Akther, a mother of three daughters, shared her anguish and said they are proud of nation for giving a befitting reply to the enemies of peace.
"But what is our fault? Why are made to suffer? Our houses are damaged while the family members injured, and helpless," she said.
She appealed to PM Modi for protection.
"We are poor and have already endured enough from cross-border shelling. At least save our younger generation," she said.
Reports from the Tangdar sector indicate that the Kupwara district administration has been relocating residents to safer areas since Wednesday.
Just a week ago, there was laughter and bonfires here, said Imtiyaz Ahmad, who had converted part of his home in Uri into a homestay for trekkers last year. Today, theres only silence, broken by the sound of distant shelling.
For years, border residents lived in fear, but the last four years brought a rare stretch of calm. Locals began to dream beyond mere survival. Young people opened cafs, promoted camping sites on social media, and invited tourists to experience life along the border. In Tangdar and Poonch, tour operators had even started including these areas in their itineraries.
The government had launched promotional campaigns to develop these regions into tourism hubs, but now, everything lies in ruins, locals said, adding that they now live in constant fear of further escalation.
They further said that authorities had instructed them to keep their lights off at night, leaving them no choice but to comply. The lights are off now, they added.
Majeed Khan, another resident of Karnah, said people across the area are living in fear. While many have fled the village, others have chosen to stay. We feel completely suffocated, unsure of what will happen next, he said.
Are we destined to witness destruction, disaster, and hellish situations forever? We beg both nations to leave us in Gods mercy. We have already suffered so muchhow long will we be victims of this gun culture? said a group of youngsters.
They expressed that their elders grew up amid this conflict, and now they long for the beautiful morning of a new beginning filled with peace, prosperity, and development. Alhamdulillah, things were going well, but how long will these enemies of peace make us suffer? How long will they try to snatch our peace? Whats our fault? Why must we bear the brunt of these wars? Why? Why? they added.
They appealed to both nations to maintain peace and to avoid focusing on war, which only brings destruction and makes people victims.
Similar efforts are underway in the Gurez sector, where authorities are assisting families in moving to Bandipora amid the escalating tensions reports said.
Fifteen civilians have been killed, and 59 others injured, as Pakistani troops engaged in cross-border shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) for 14 consecutive days. The attacks escalated to heavy artillery fire and mortar shelling on forward villages in Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, and Akhnoor, officials reported.
An Indian Army soldier was also killed in the firing on Thursday.
In Poonch, 13 civilians lost their lives, and 44 others were wounded in ceasefire violations by Pakistan, the External Affairs Ministry confirmed.
United Nations officials stationed in Jammu and Kashmirs Poonch district have been relocated to safer areas due to intense shelling. The personnel, part of the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP), were moved as a precautionary measure.
India Strikes Back
The Indian Army retaliated with proportionate force, targeting Pakistani positions responsible for the provocation.
On Thursday, Indian armed forces struck Pakistans air defense infrastructure, destroying Chinese-origin HQ-9 missile systems in Lahore, sources revealed. The operation came in response to Islamabads failed attempt to hit Indian military targets. With their radar systems neutralized, Pakistans air defense in the Lahore sector has been severely compromised.
An official statement read: This morning, the Indian Armed Forces targeted air defense radars and systems at multiple locations in Pakistan. Indias response has been in the same domain and with the same intensity as Pakistans actions. It has been reliably confirmed that an air defense system in Lahore has been neutralized.
The latest hostilities follow Indias high-precision military offensive, Operation Sindoor, which struck nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) early Wednesday. The operation targeted infrastructure linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen.
In retaliation, Pakistan shelled civilian areas in the Karnah sector of Kupwara late Wednesday night. Mortar shells and artillery rounds landed near residential zones shortly after midnight, forcing residents to flee. Most civilians in Karnah had already relocated following earlier shelling. One soldier, Dinesh Kumar of the 5 Fd Regt, was killed in the attack.
Earlier, on Tuesday night, Pakistans indiscriminate shelling along the LoC and International Border killed 15 Indian civilians and injured at least 43 in the Poonch and Tangdhar regions. Poonch district bore the brunt of the attacks, accounting for all civilian deaths.
Defense sources confirmed that the Indian Armys swift retaliation in the Kupwara and Rajouri-Poonch sectors inflicted significant damage on Pakistani military installations, with reports indicating heavy enemy casualties.
Meanwhile, Amid heightened Indo-Pak tensions, the Jammu Traders Federation appealed for calm, assuring the public that essential supplies remain available.
The federation has reactivated war rooms to distribute free rations and medicines to border residents affected by the hostilities.
The reassurance came as authorities evacuated hundreds from villages along the LoC and International Border following intense Pakistani shelling.
People are panic-buying due to fear, but there is no need to worry. We have enough rations to last three months, President Jammu Traders Federation, in a statement said.
He emphasized the traders solidarity with the nation, noting that prices of essentials like oil, flour, and rice have been reduced to ease public burden.
Two war roomsone for rations and another for medicineshave been set up to aid border residents. These will provide free supplies to those in need, just as we did during the COVID-19 pandemic, Gupta said.
Ration stocks have already been dispatched across Jammu, and Gupta reiterated: We are fully prepared to handle this situation.
Meanwhile, The closure of Srinagar International Airport, coupled with the shutdown of the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway due to landslides, has severely disrupted travel.
The heightened security situation has impacted other airports in northern and western India, with at least 25 airports temporarily closed. Major airports like Pathankot and Chandigarh, as well as smaller ones in Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, and Gujarat, have been affected.
Since the IAFs precision strikes in PoK on May 7 as part of Operation Sindoor, over 300 flights have been canceled. Airlines such as IndiGo and SpiceJet have suspended operations to and from Srinagar, Amritsar, Leh, and Jammu.
Heavy rains triggered landslides, blocking the Jammu-Srinagar Highwaythe only road link connecting Kashmir to the rest of India. Multiple stretches in Ramban district, including Trishul Morh and Seri Chamba, were affected. Officials reported that restoration efforts were underway but hampered by ongoing rainfall.
In light of escalating tensions, authorities ordered the closure schools, colleges and universities across Jammu and Kashmir on Friday and Saturday.
Minister of Education, Sakina Itoo in a post on X said said that keeping in view the safety of students, all the private and government schools, colleges and universities shall remain closed on Friday and Saturday.
Registrar of KU also said that they have decided to suspend the classwork for Friday.
"If there are any other changes, we will notify the students accordingly," he said.
Meanwhile, several areas of Jammu, Punjab and Rajasthan are in blackout. The government is constantly monitoring the situation and has destroyed several drones that were sent by the Pakistan armed forces.
In the meantime, the External Affairs Minister of India, Dr S Jaishankar, has confirmed that he spoke to US Secretary Marco Rubio, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas, and DPM and FM of Italy, Antonio Tajani.
Spoke with US @SecRubio this evening. Deeply appreciate US commitment to work with India in the fight against terrorism. Underlined Indias targeted and measured response to cross-border terrorism. Will firmly counter any attempts at escalation, Jaishankar tweeted. (Courtesy: Webstory/The Varmul Post)
Suhail Khan Baramulla, Jan 6: A young aerospace engineer from Sopore in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district is proving that dedication and ambition can propel one to global heights. Munaf-ul-Raquib who holds a B.Tech in Aerospace Engineering, has gained international recognition for his research on black holes and cosmology. Munaf-ul-Raquib revealed that his paper on the thermodynamics of black holes was recently published in the International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR). “About a year ago, I conducted research on the gravity of black holes and cosmology, which has now been published in IJSR,” he said. He said that since his research was published in the international journal, he has been receiving opportunities from various countries to participate in research dialogues. Raquib added that in the coming months he is scheduled to participate in international conferences in Paris on April 16 and later in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The Sopore aerospace engineer noted that he is also participating in various conferences across different countries. Speaking about his research, Munaf-ul-Raquib addressed a fundamental paradox in astrophysics: how black holes can appear to violate thermodynamic laws, particularly concerning entropy.“If we observe a black hole, it seems to contradict thermodynamic principles,” he said. Using the frameworks of Anti-de Sitter space (AdS) and Conformal Field Theory (CFT), Raqeeb’s research proposes a theoretical model that reconciles black hole mechanics with thermodynamics. “In this paper, I have explained how a black hole can function without violating thermodynamic laws,” he said. He described the achievement as both personal and symbolic. “It is a proud moment for me to represent my state, especially Sopore, on an international platform,” he said. Raqeeb shared that Astrophysics was his childhood dream, and his grandfather encouraged me immensely. "After my grandfather passed away during the Covid-19 pandemic, my parents continued to champion my aspirations. My parents left no stone unturned in helping me pursue my dreams,” he said. He said that his academic path included taking the JEE and later the AME CET entrance exams, through which he secured a seat in aerospace engineering at the Nasik Research Centre. “My parents not only supported me morally but also created an environment where I could pursue my dreams freely,” he said. He emphasized the role of family in nurturing talent. “Just as my parents supported me, it is the responsibility of all parents to help their children follow their dreams.” “Young people should avoid wrong practices. They must dream of a beautiful tomorrow but work hard today to make their parents proud,” he further added.
Srinagar, Jan 12: The Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (JKBOSE) will declare the result of class 10th and 12th examination on January 14 of, 2026 (Wednesday), minister for education Sakina Itoo said on Monday. Minister for education Sakina Itoo said the government has decided to declare the result of both the classes-10th and 12th on the same day. "We understand that students have been waiting for the results. So we decided that result of both the classes will be declared on Wednesday (January 16 of 2926)," Sakina Itoo said. She said the meeting of the Result Declaration Committee (RDC) will be convened by the Secretary JKBOE along with the members-Director School Education (DSE) Kashmir and Jammu division besides the joint secretaries as well. "We will give the administrative approval to the result instead of getting approved by the chairman," she said. The announcement comes amid the delay in appointment of chairman JKBOSE as the position is lying vacant for the last one year. "After declaration of the results, we will also appoint the permanent chairman for JKBOSE as well," education minister said. An official from JKBOSE said the class 1oth result will be declared on Wednesday morning followed by the declaration of result of class 12th students in late afternoon on the same day. As per the official figures, 94783 students- 68804 from Kashmir and 25,224 students from winter zone areas of Jammu division besides 660 students from Kargil and 95 from Leh district registered for the class 10th JKBOSE examination this year. Also, the examination for class 11th and 12th students was scheduled from November 19 and November 8 of 2025 respectively. Approximately, 81622 students – 64001 from Jammu and 17621 from winter zone areas of Jammu have registered for class 11th examination while 70117 students—56423 from Kashmir and 13694 from winter zone areas of Jammu have registered for class 12th examination.
'Results likely to get delayed in absence of Chairman' Jammu, Jan 7: The Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (JKBOSE) on Wednesday said the result of the class 10th examinations will be declared soon after the appointment of the Chairman of the Board. The statement comes amid the uncertainty about the declaration of the results by JKBOSE. In an official handout issued here, JKBOSE has advised students not to pay heed to fake links and websites announcing declaration of class 10 results. "Result of class 10th will be declared within few days soon after the appointment of new Chairman," the statement reads. The JKBOSE has stated that the results of annual examination of class 10 of Kashmir valley and winter zone areas of Jammu Division are almost ready. "But its approval by Result Declaration Committee headed by BOSE Chairman is a pre- requisite before its declaration. In absence of the Chairman the results are likely to get a little delayed," it reads. The JKBOSE officials have advised the students to wait for the formal declaration on the official website of the Board- www.jkbose.nic.in. "Students should not get misled by scamesters and fake narratives circulated by some mischievous elements, whose sole aim is to create confusion in the innocent student community," the statement reads.
Srinagar, Jan 8: Contractual faculty members working in government degree colleges of Jammu and Kashmir Higher Education Department (HED) have expressed strong resentment over what they term as a glaring disparity in salaries, demanding revision of their pay in line with University Grants Commission (UGC) norms and regularisation of their services. The faculty, many of whom hold PhDs and are qualified through NET, SET and JRF, said they have been denied UGC-recommended pay scales despite discharging academic responsibilities equivalent to their regular counterparts. “Hundreds of highly qualified scholars have been pushed into silent suffering. For years, we have been assured that our pay revision is under consideration, but nothing has materialised so far,” said Dr Ishfaq Gowhar, a contractual faculty member. Earlier, Director Colleges J&K had acknowledged the legitimacy of the faculty’s demand, stating that while the issue was genuine, its implementation involved significant financial implications due to the large number of contractual appointments. “We are aware that they deserve salary enhancement, but the number of contractual faculty is huge and it has financial implications,” he earlier said. Dr Gowhar pointed out that contractual lecturers, who form the backbone of the higher education system, continue to work on a fixed monthly honorarium of Rs 28,000, which has remained unchanged for nearly a decade. “The irony is that a Class IV employee with a Class 10 qualification draws a salary exceeding Rs 50,000, while doctorate-holding teachers engaged in teaching, mentoring and academic research are paid a fraction of that,” he said. He added that institutions such as SKUAST-K, University of Kashmir and Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) have implemented revised UGC pay scales, but the Higher Education Department has failed to extend similar treatment to its contractual faculty. Dr Gowhar said the demand for “equal work, equal pay” gets prominently featured in election campaigns, raising hopes among contractual teachers. “Promises were made and slogans echoed during elections, but once the process ended, our voices were reduced to silence. Even meeting officials now feels impossible,” he said. He said contractual faculty were not seeking privileges but dignity, fairness and recognition for their service. The faculty appealed to the Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and the Education Minister to intervene and take concrete steps towards addressing their long-pending demands. “This issue is not merely about salaries. It is about survival, justice and dignity in the classrooms of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
Srinagar, Jan 17: Awami Itihaad Party (AIP) Chief Spokesperson Inam Un Nabi on Saturday strongly condemned PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti’s statement suggesting that if religious places are to be “profiled”, the process should start with temples and Hindu priests, instead of mosques and Imams. Inam Un Nabi said AIP was categorically against profiling of any religious place, irrespective of faith or community and such statements only deepen mistrust and polarisation in society. “Let it be Masjids and Imaams or temples and priests, profiling of religious institutions is unacceptable. AIP rejects it completely. Had the issue involved only temples or priests, AIP would have shown the same resentment and protest as we do for Masjids and Imaams,” he said. The AIP spokesperson said faith is a matter of personal conscience and religious belief and it should not be dragged into a culture of surveillance or administrative interference. “We do not want policing of faith. The role of the administration is to ensure peace and law and order, not to monitor religious identity or religious spaces,” Inam Un Nabi added. He appealed to all political parties to act responsibly and avoid statements that pit one community against another, stressing that Kashmir has a long history of communal harmony which must be protected. “AIP stands for dignity, equality and justice for all. We will oppose any attempt that targets places of worship, whichever religion it belongs to,” he said.
Srinagar, March 3: The GoPro Hero 12 Black camera allegedly used to carry out the recce of Kashmir’s Baisaran Valley was traced to a China-based distributor and was activated more than a year before the deadly Pahalgam terror attack. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is now set to issue a Letter Rogatory as information regarding the camera’s activation, initial use, and commercial trail lies within the jurisdiction of China. A Letter Rogatory is a formal, diplomatic request from a court in one country to the judiciary of another country. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has given its nod to the process, the special NIA judge in Jammu noted. The facts came to light during the investigation as various material objects and electronic devices connected to the conspiracy and execution of the attack were examined. Probing the case, the NIA issued a notice to the US-based manufacturer, Go Pro B.V., to obtain details of the purchaser, end user, and associated technical records of the device. “The said camera was supplied to AE Group International Limited, a distributor based in the People’s Republic of China; and the camera was activated on 30.01.2024 at Dongguan, People’s Republic of China,” the NIA submitted before the special court the response from the manufacturer. However, the central counter-terrorism agency has so far been unable to trace the camera’s end-user records or its transportation from China to Jammu and Kashmir. To establish the linkage and trace the records of camera users, it sought an order from the special NIA court in Jammu to send a formal, judicial request to Chinese authorities. The special court granted the NIA approval to send a Letter Rogatory to Chinese authorities and directed the investigating officer to upload a soft copy of the letter rogatory, along with its translations, to the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) portal. Additionally, the NIA investigating officer was directed to send three sets of physical Letter Rogatory (one original and two photocopies), along with translated copies in Chinese, to the International Police Cooperation Unit (IPCU) of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which has been further directed to send the LR to Chinese authorities through diplomatic channels. The IPCU unit of the CBI is the nodal unit for communication with global agencies and Interpol. The NIA noted that the camera manufacturer cited limitations due to the absence of information on the device’s end-user records. “The manufacturer has further stated that it does not possess downstream transactions. The activation, initial use and commercial trail of the said device lie within the territorial jurisdiction of the People’s Republic of China, and the information necessary to trace the purchaser, end-user and associated technical records can only be obtained through judicial assistance of the Chinese authorities, hence the application,” the NIA told the court. “Since the information sought for is very important so far establishing the chain of custody, user, attribution and evidentiary linkage of seized device i.e. camera, GoPro B. V. which was supplied to AE group International Ltd, a distributor based in China,” the special NIA judge said in the order, approving the request for issuing Letter Rogatory. The judge went on to allow the application and Letter Rogatory be issued to the competent Chinese judicial authority for seeking assistance and tracing the purchaser, end user, and associated technical records to unearth the larger conspiracy. Terrorists had killed 26 people, including a Nepalese tourist, on 22 April, 2025 in Pahalgam. In response, India launched Operation Sindoor to destroy terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Then in July, the Indian government announced in Parliament that security personnel had eliminated the three terrorists involved in the dastardly attack. (The Print)
Jammu, Feb 20: The Jammu and Kashmir Government today ordered a major administrative reshuffle, transferring and posting 22 officers across the Union Territory. According to an order issued by the General Administration Department, among those transferred are 20 IAS and two JKAS officers. Ashwani Kumar, has been posted as Financial Commissioner (Additional Chief Secretary), Power Development Department. He will also hold the additional charge of Administrative Secretary, Mining Department. Dr. Ashish Chandra Verma, Financial Commissioner (ACS), Tourism Department, will also hold the charge of Administrative Secretary, Agriculture Production Department. Shailendra Kumar has been transferred and posted as Financial Commissioner (ACS), Finance Department. Raju Commissioner/Secretary, GAD, will also hold the additional charge of Administrative Secretary, Health & Medical Education Department. Alice Vaz, has been posted as Commissioner/Secretary, Planning, Development and Monitoring Department, and will additionally hold charge of Administrative Secretary, Information Department. Yasha Mudgal has been transferred as Commissioner/Secretary, Cooperatives Department. Dr. Shahid Iqbal Choudhary has been posted as Commissioner/Secretary, Youth Services and Sports Department. Dr. Piyush Singla Secretary, IT Department, will also hold additional charge of Administrative Secretary, Public Grievances Department. Babila Rakwal has been posted as Commissioner/Secretary, Science and Technology Department. Anjali Sehrawat has been appointed as Mission Director, Jal Jeevan Mission. Nidhi Malik has been posted as Inspector General of Registration, J&K. Owais Ahmed has been posted as Director, Skill Development, J&K. Dr. Sagar D. Dattatray has been posted as Director, Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Kashmir. Athar Aamir Ul Shafi Khan has been transferred as Deputy Commissioner, Budgam. Kumar Abhishek has been posted as Deputy Commissioner, Reasi. Akriti Sagar has been appointed as Managing Director, National Health Mission, J&K, and will also hold additional charge as Special Secretary, Health & Medical Education Department. Dr. Bilal Mohiud Din Bhat has been transferred as Deputy Commissioner, Anantnag. Minga Sherpa has been posted as Deputy Commissioner, Udhampur. Syeed Fakhrudin Hamid has been transferred as Deputy Commissioner, Baramulla. Harvinder Singh has been posted as Director, Employment, J&K, and will also hold additional charge as CEO, Mission Youth and Mission Director, Mission YUVA. Shahzad Alam has been posted as Deputy Commissioner, Kulgam. Krishan Lal has been appointed as Deputy Commissioner, Doda.
Srinagar, Feb 17: J&K Peoples Conference President and MLA Handwara Sajad Gani Lone on Tuesday made a sweeping case for transforming Jammu and Kashmir's economic future through horticulture. During his address in the Assembly, Sajad Lone took a sharp aim at policy gaps ranging from highway mismanagement to the corporate capture of post-harvest subsidies during his address in the J&K Legislative Assembly. Opening his remarks on the highway blockade crisis, Lone said the government was "unfortunately caught sleeping" when the roadblock struck and only moved after orchardists hit the streets. He rejected the government's claim that merely one percent of fruit worth 22,000 metric tons was ready at the time, calling it inaccurate. He pointed out that the National Highway has always been a National Highway both before and after the abrogation of Article 370 and that the administration's sluggish response resulted in losses of crores with no accountability and no possibility of recovery. "It is a permanent damage which will never be recovered," he said. On the pending US trade deal, Lone urged the government to act proactively rather than wait for the agreement to be signed and then raise an outcry. He said the landed cost of American apples in duty-free markets like Dubai is publicly available and that even a basic desktop analysis could arm the administration with enough data to formally represent J&K's interests before the Government of India. He said that India's Trade Minister may have little knowledge of walnuts, apples or pears and that it falls on the J&K government and the Chief Minister to make a pre-emptive representation before the deal is finalised. "The deal hasn't been signed yet," he said. He questioned why the concerned department was not already on this. Lone said that that J&K has no competitive advantage in growing rice and questioned why the region continues to cultivate it, attributing it primarily to food insecurity. He said that if all agricultural land were converted to horticultural use over the span of a decade, revenues could reach approximately two lakh crores, an amount he equated to three to four lakh jobs. He added that existing horticultural land alone has the potential to grow from generating ten thousand crores to seventy thousand crores. "If there is an economic revolution waiting to happen in J&K, it's through horticulture," he said. He said that besides tourism, horticulture was the only sector capable of genuinely transforming the region's economy. Lone acknowledged that the government is doing a lot but stressed that the real change would only come when conversion efforts reach the village and Halqa level with officers physically present on the ground. He also flagged what he termed as monopolisation of post-harvest subsidies by the corporate sector, warning that the growers for whom these subsidies are intended are seeing little to none of the benefit. He called for direct government intervention to redirect these funds to the actual fruit growers. Turning to rural development, Lone made an unusually candid and pointed appeal to remove elected representatives including MLAs entirely from the rural development process. He argued that MGNREGA and Gram Sabha funds come from the Government of India for the poor and should remain with the poor, governed at the village level through the Gram Sabha without political interference. He criticised the transfer of a Gram Rozgar Sahayak earning ten thousand rupees by ten or twenty kilometres, calling it an abuse of political power and asking pointedly whether MLAs were elected for this purpose. On MGNREGA administration, he said that the rest of India employs dedicated trained programme officers who develop expertise over time whereas in J&K the responsibility has been handed entirely to the BDO. While expressing full respect for the KAS cadre, Lone said that rural development was a specialist technical subject that cannot be effectively handled by generalist officers who need time to learn the rules before they can deliver results. Lone also proposed a fundamental reorientation of MGNREGA's core objective, suggesting that asset creation should be the primary goal with employment as its natural byproduct rather than the other way around as it currently stands. He acknowledged this may be difficult to change but said it would significantly improve outcomes on the ground. Closing his remarks, Lone once again urged the minister to keep elected representatives away from the Gram Sabha, framing it as a matter of integrity toward the rural poor.
