Srinagar, March 31 -- Peoples Conference president and Handwara MLA Sajad Lone on Monday raised concerns over the "inconsistencies" in defining economic vulnerability across government departments, calling it a structural flaw that distorts fairness in employment and welfare distribution. Lone cited official data, pointing out that the food department identifies nearly 39 lakh people in Kashmir and 27 lakh in Jammu as poor under BPL and AAY categories. "In stark contrast, the social welfare framework suggests an inverse reality where 90% in Jammu are classified as economically weak compared to just 10% in Kashmir," he said, terming this contradiction not just statistical confusion, but a policy failure with real consequences. Drawing attention to recent recruitment outcomes, including judicial and KAS selections, Lone said such disparities have never been witnessed historically since 1947. "The mismatch in definitions systematically disadvantages Kashmir in the EWS quota, despite ground realities indicating otherwise. What kind of governance is this?" he said. Lone said that out of the upcoming 30,000 jobs announced by the government, under the current EWS framework, possibly fewer than 100 positions would reach Kashmir. "The BPL data that would warrant a 60:40 distribution in favour of Kashmir, and cited states like Kerala that have rationalized EWS criteria by aligning them with income or public distribution system data."...