Jammu, Feb 19: Senior Congress leader and minister for social welfare, Abdul Gani Vakil, has said his party had “a bitter experience” about running the coalition saying that the arrangement came in the way of smooth execution of its policies and programmes.
 Speaking at a public meeting at Varmul, the minister said that it was unfortunate that “some insecure political players” were more concerned about securing their future by restricting their visits to their home constituencies rather than caring for the welfare of people of the state as a whole.
 Vakil urged people to give a clear verdict to the Congress in the next election enabling a single party to form a government stable enough to deliver on all fronts and work for the welfare of all people living in different regions and areas of the state. “Congress deserves to be voted to power in view of its exemplary performance and pro-people development agenda”, he maintained.
 He said the party has taken several landmark decisions including conferment of ownership rights over 20 lakh kanals of land, implementation of Wazir Commission, opening of scores of degree colleges and University campuses besides upgradation of road, health, education and power infrastructure on a massive scale.
 Earlier, the Minister reviewed working of social security schemes of Ganderbal, Srinagar and Budgam districts at a meeting with officers of his department at Srinagar.
 Vakil impressed upon officers to intensify awareness campaign in remote areas so that every genuine beneficiary was covered under the ambit of security schemes. He called upon ground functionaries to identify the targeted groups in their respective areas and guide them for receiving benefits of social welfare schemes.
 Describing conduct of elections in Pakistan triumph of democracy, Minister for Social Welfare Abdul Gani Vakil has expressed hope that installation of popular government in the neighbouring country would give fresh impetus to the Indo-Pak peace process.
 Vakil hoped that democratic government of Pakistan would reciprocate peace initiatives taken by New Delhi for bringing stability in South Asia. He said new dispensation in the neighbouring country would strengthen J&K Centric Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) further to pave way for early start of trade and commerce activities across LoC.

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