• Bill Seeking Ban on Alcohol in J&K to be Introduced in Assembly
  • PDP MLA from Kupwara, Fayaz Ahmad Mir, has submitted a Private Member’s Bill seeking a complete ban on liquor in Jammu and Kashmir.
  • The bill, set to be introduced in the upcoming budget session of the J&K Assembly, proposes prohibition on the advertisement, sale, purchase, consumption, and manufacture of alcoholic beverages in the Union Territory.
  • Mir warned that the rising alcohol consumption poses a serious threat to society, stressing the need for strict legislation to curb the trend. The bill also proposes harsh penalties, including imprisonment and fines, for violations.

JKCSF Demands Overhaul of Marriage Assistance Scheme, Terms 8th-Pass Rule Unjust

Published on May 14, 2025

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Srinagar, May 14 (RNA):
The Jammu & Kashmir Civil Society Forum (JKCSF) has raised strong objections to the existing eligibility criteria under the Marriage Assistance Scheme, particularly the requirement for girls to have passed at least 8th class. The forum has called this criterion discriminatory and demanded its immediate removal.

Chairman of JKCSF, Abdul Qayoom Wani, said that such a rule disregards the socio-economic realities of poor families, especially in rural areas where daughters often forego education to help their families survive.

“Imposing an educational barrier on a welfare scheme meant for the poorest is unjust. In many rural and struggling families, daughters sacrifice education to support household needs—denying them assistance on this basis is deeply insensitive,” Wani stated.

The forum has proposed the following urgent reforms to make the scheme more inclusive:

  1. Complete removal of the 8th-pass condition.

  2. Priority coverage for daughters of Below Poverty Line (BPL) card holders.

  3. Inclusion of daughters of non-pensionable employees and retired government servants who are also facing financial hardships.

The demand has received full support from the Jammu & Kashmir Pensioners United Front (JKPUF), which echoed concerns over the scheme’s current design, calling for a more humane and inclusive approach that reflects ground realities.

JKCSF has urged the J&K Government to take immediate steps to restructure the scheme and ensure welfare reaches all genuinely needy beneficiaries, regardless of educational background.

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  • Bill Seeking Ban on Alcohol in J&K to be Introduced in Assembly
  • PDP MLA from Kupwara, Fayaz Ahmad Mir, has submitted a Private Member’s Bill seeking a complete ban on liquor in Jammu and Kashmir.
  • The bill, set to be introduced in the upcoming budget session of the J&K Assembly, proposes prohibition on the advertisement, sale, purchase, consumption, and manufacture of alcoholic beverages in the Union Territory.
  • Mir warned that the rising alcohol consumption poses a serious threat to society, stressing the need for strict legislation to curb the trend. The bill also proposes harsh penalties, including imprisonment and fines, for violations.