Member of Parliament Hasnain Masoodi in his interventions in Parliament continued to raise matters of public importance. In one of such intervention he demanded that Awantipora Airport be made operational either as an independent airport or by designating it as a Terminal of Srinagar Airport. He emphasised that with significant increase in air traffic Srinagar Airport handles more than hundred flights daily and infrastructure and manpower constraints make it difficult for the Airport Authorities to deal with the passenger rush. Masoodi said that making Awantipora Airport operational would not involve any extra cost as the Airport is ready for operations and once made operational it will make air travel hassle free for residents of south Kashmir, promote tourism and facilitate annual Amarnath Yatra. The Civil Aviation Minister responding to the demand raised by Masoodi, stated that the Ministry was deliberating on making Awantipora a Satellite Airport, operational with JK authorities and that in the meantime amount of Rs. 1000 crore was being spent to improve and upgrade facilities at Srinagar Airport.
Masoodi in statement under Rule 377 highlighting the problems confronting road connectivity in Jammu and Kashmir pointed out that during winter because of heavy snowfall and freezing temperatures the high altitude roads and mountains passes are closed causing disruption in vehicular traffic and movement of people and goods. He recalled the huge loss to fruit industry due long disruptions in vehicular due more than frequent landslides. He demanded that construction of Kupwara-Karnah, Bandipora- Gurez , Dessa – Kapran and Mughal Road ( Zazran) be commenced without delay as Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) have been since prepared and there is no impediment in taking up the construction. Masoodi also demanded construction of Lehndajan – Batnoor and Sahib Abaad – Wahab Saheb roads, so that an alternative road from Srinagar to Pahalgam via Khrew, 36 Km shorter than the present road, becomes available to the tourists, pilgrims and local population. The proposed road, he pointed out, shall not only promote tourism but shall also enhance accessibility of interior areas of Tral Sub Division to employment and business opportunities.
Masoodi while participating in debate on additions to ST list reiterated that exercise would be meaningless and cosmetic in nature unless concrete steps were taken taken for over all welfare of the ST community and the Communities proposed to enlisted and added in future. He pointed out that children of ST community continue to suffer from digital deficiency and digital inaccessibility and therefore could not avail online education during Covid lockdown. There is no surprise that the ST community has highest OOS ( out of school) rate and drop out rate, he added. He stated that at 18p.c the literacy rate amongst ST women is lowest and the access to healthcare and amenities like Ujwala is also far less than average. He asked for result oriented exercise to identify the shortcomings and take remedial measures.
