Srinagara, July 25:(KNS) Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party (JKAP) leader Irfan Naqeeb, on Saturday appealed to the J&K Government to waive off the loans of Kashmiri artisans who have been reeling under the uncertain times since August last year.

In a statement issued to KNS, Naqeeb said that the loans granted by the government through women’s development corporation to different artisans for small ventures in 2010-2012 should be waived off because the artisans are not in a position to repay the same. “First it was the devastating floods in 2014, then the dismal law and order situation in 2016 and now these artisans are facing worst times since August 2019 coupled with the prevailing COVID pandemic,” he added.

The JKAP leader said that the artisans are not in a position to repay their loans and in most of these cases the accounts of beneficiaries have turned into non performing assets.

“The artisans belong to poor working class and BPL families especially those residing in areas like Anchar, Zoonimar, Nowshehra, Zadibal, Bagwanpora, Lal Bazar, Narwara, Eidgah, Khanyar etc are facing unprecedented times.

The government should understand and mitigate their sufferings by waiving off their loans,” he demanded. Naqeeb said that after the devastating floods of 2014, the artisan community has been reeling under crises and even many Artisan Credit Card Holders (ACCHs) have been striving very hard to repay their loans. “Their business continues to incur heavy losses leaving thousands of such families in distress and without any livelihood,” he observed.

The JKAP leader remarked that the artisans in Kashmir Valley are finding it very tough to manage their day to day family affairs and the bank loans have further aggravated their difficulties. He underscored the need to mitigate the sufferings of the aggrieved artisan community and appealed to the Lieutenant Governor G C Murmu, to intervene into the matter.(KNS)