Srinagar, February 11: Persistent regional disparities long highlighted by Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Conference (JKPC) President and Handwara MLA Sajad Lone have been substantiated by official government statistics, revealing a stark institutional imbalance in the distribution of welfare and reservation certificates across Jammu and Kashmir.
In response to a cut motion presented by Sajad Lone, the J&K Government tabled authenticated data before the Legislative Assembly, exposing a systematic and disproportionate allocation favoring the Jammu division across virtually all certificate categories.
The statistics paint a troubling picture of regional inequity. Scheduled Tribe (ST) certificates show Jammu commanding 6,93,781 issuances—constituting over 92 percent—while Kashmir accounts for merely 56,189, representing barely 7 percent of the total. The disproportion intensifies in Scheduled Caste (SC) certifications, where Jammu has secured 1,39,664 certificates, comprising nearly 99 percent, compared to Kashmir’s marginal 1,755. Actual Line of Control (ALC) certificates demonstrate a comparable pattern, with 6,732 issued in Jammu against a mere 460 in Kashmir. For International Border (IB) certificates, the asymmetry is absolute: 3,690 in Jammu versus zero in Kashmir.
Data concerning Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) reinforces this trajectory, with Jammu accounting for 43,136 certificates—exceeding 91 percent—while Kashmir has received only 4,099. Even within Other Backward Classes (OBC), where the differential marginally contracts, Jammu maintains dominance with 78,324 certificates compared to Kashmir’s 52,652. Reserved Backward Area (RBA) certificates alone exhibit near equilibrium, with Jammu at 50,982 and Kashmir at 49,866.
Now formally entered into legislative records, the data unequivocally validates what had previously been characterized as political rhetoric.
“What was once dismissed as subjective perception or partisan grievance now stands established as verifiable, documented reality,” stated Sajad Lone, emphasizing that the evidence leaves scant scope for alternative interpretation.
The JKPC President has consistently maintained that such extensive disparities indicate profound structural and institutional dysfunction rather than mere administrative oversights.
Lone has demanded immediate remedial measures, advocating for comprehensive policy-level interventions and institutional accountability mechanisms to redress what he haracterized as systemic regional discrimination in access to welfare provisions and constitutional protections.
