Sajad Lone flags EWS certificate disparity in J&K Assembly, calls for uniform definition of "poor"

Srinagar, Sept. 30 -- Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Conference president and Handwara MLA Sajad Lone on Wednesday raised concerns in the Legislative Assembly over what he termed a stark regional imbalance in the issuance of Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) certificates across Jammu and Kashmir, demanding a uniform definition of poverty throughout the union Territory.

Lone countered with the government's own data.

He said the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department records over 37 lakh AAY and BPL priority household ration cards in Kashmir against about 29 lakh in Jammu.

Yet in the past year, he said, roughly 24,000 EWS certificates went to Jammu and only about 2,400 to Kashmir, a split of nearly 92-8pc.

"The per capita is the...