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On my recent visit to my hometown Basohli, I took a short trip to a nearby village named Ghodal. There, I met a boy named Sanju who had just finished his 11th class exams. Like anyone would, I asked him about his plans for the summer vacation. Without hesitation, he said, \u201cI am going to Delhi.\u201d His reply brought a smile to my face. I asked him whether he had any relatives there, expecting a familiar answer. But what he said next left me silent for a moment. \u201cNo,\u201d he replied, \u201cI\u2019m going for palledari work. I\u2019ll earn something during the vacation. I want to support my family and manage my pocket expenses too.\u201d\nFor those unfamiliar, palledari is a form of hard physical labour where people are hired to load and unload goods in warehouses, commercial centers, or transport hubs. They often move from one company to another, depending on where labour is needed. If we closely examine the hilly and remote belts of Jammu and Kashmir, we\u2019ll find that palledari has become a common and unfortunate occupation for many unemployed youths\u2014and even older people who have no other means to sustain themselves. This is not just a story of one summer or one village. Another incident I came across from a different hilly region revealed a tragic story of a young boy who had taken up similar work in another state\u2014a place currently witnessing heavy pilgrim rush. Unfortunately, the boy lost his life while on duty. The pain didn\u2019t end there. When his sister heard the news of his death, she ended her life too. This heart-wrenching episode reveals the dangerous desperation faced by many young people in these regions.
\nIn another conversation, I met a young boy named Bikku who was also preparing to leave for palledari . I asked him about his goals and dreams for the future. Instead of answering directly, he broke into a Dogri song, \u201cNaseebaan vich likhi palledari oooooo\u2026 Naukri nai milni pavven degreeyaan kari laao chaar.\u201d
\nThe meaning was clear: even if he earned several degrees, his fate was written in labour work.
\nHe went on to explain the bitter truth. Their area barely has any educational infrastructure. In some places, there is no school. Where there is one, there is no building. If there is a building, there are no teachers. And if there are teachers, the school runs only up to Class 8. For anything beyond that, students have to travel more than 50 kilometers. He had passed his 10th class and wanted to enroll in a higher secondary school in Basohli. But there was no money. His father, also a palledar , could barely feed the family. Renting a room and managing study expenses was out of the question. So Bikku had decided to follow in his father\u2019s footsteps, do the same work, save some money, and then take admission in school. Alongside his studies, he planned to continue working just to survive in Basohli.
\nThere are many such stories hidden behind the silence of the mountains. If one visits the homes in places like Basohli, Bani, Bhaderwah, Poonch, Rajouri, Udhampur, and other remote districts of Jammu, one can witness the actual ground reality. A large number of people are trapped in this cycle of labour work. The reasons are many. Lack of educational facilities has left their vision blurred. There\u2019s no awareness, no direction. Most families do not have high qualifications, and even if someone wishes to start a business, the low population and poor economic base of these areas make it unsustainable. Shops shut down before they can turn profitable. Government jobs, too, are limited and fiercely competitive. As a result, youth are almost naturally or forcefully driven toward palledari . The work is hard, the hours long, and the pay minimal. But since it\u2019s the only known option, one person introduces another, and soon, entire clusters of people from the same village work together under informal contracts with transport and warehousing companies. At the same time, it is undeniable that those who have access to better finances and guidance have succeeded. Even from these same regions, there are people who have cleared prestigious exams and are now serving as IAS, IPS, JKAS, or JKPS officers. Their achievements reflect what\u2019s possible when someone has access to opportunities and support. However, such examples are few and far between. The majority of youth in rural and remote areas remain cut off from awareness, exposure, and access to quality education. Even though the government has launched startup schemes and loan initiatives, how can a boy like Bikku or Sanju\u2014who struggles for daily food\u2014run a business in a region with no infrastructure, no market, and no guidance?
\nDespite these hardships, there are rays of hope. Several products and cultural legacies from the Jammu region have been recognized with Geographical Indication (GI) tags. Ramban Anardana, Basohli paintings, Basholi Pashmina, Chikri wood craft of Rajouri, Bhaderwah rajma, Kaladi cheese of Udhampur, and Sulai honey from Ramban are now GI-certified. People from Ramban, Basohli, Bhaderwah, and Udhampur have expressed their happiness and gratitude, particularly toward Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh, who represents the region in Parliament. They are hopeful that these recognitions will bring economic upliftment, provided the promotion is done properly and continuously.
\nSome progress is visible. In Bhaderwah, lavender cultivation has provided new livelihoods. In Basohli, skill centers supported by the government are training people in Pashmina weaving and traditional painting. Roads are being constructed under NABARD and PMGSY schemes. But the pace of change remains painfully slow. The majority still find palledari as the only immediate option, and a change in mindset will only come if the youth are shown alternatives\u2014practical, sustainable alternatives that assure dignity and survival.
\nA key question that arises is: why are the beautiful hills of Jammu not as famous or developed as Kashmir? The natural beauty of Bhaderwah, Basohli, Bani, Ramban, Udhampur, Patnitop, Sanasar, and Nathatop is comparable to any popular tourist spot in Kashmir. The only difference is that Kashmir was always in focus. For decades, Jammu and Kashmir had a Kashmir-centric government. Kashmir was heavily promoted as a paradise, and the entire national media and tourist machinery worked to boost its image. Today, Kashmir has become a tourism hub. Its people are earning well. In contrast, the tourism potential of Jammu remains largely untapped. This neglect continues even today. The central government recently sanctioned over Rs. 10,500 crore for road infrastructure development in Jammu and Kashmir. Unfortunately, not a single rupee from this allocation was directed toward the underdeveloped but promising areas of Jammu province. This is deeply disappointing, especially since Jammu has 28 elected BJP MLAs and 2 MPs. The people voted with the hope that their voice would be heard and their concerns addressed. But instead, once again, the benefit goes to Kashmir, leaving Jammu behind.
\nThe irony is that regions in Jammu have equal or even more untapped potential. But lack of investment, connectivity, and promotional campaigns have kept them in the shadows. It is acceptable that government jobs are limited and meant only for the most deserving candidates. But that doesn\u2019t mean others must remain jobless or be pushed into palledari . The solution lies in creating new avenues. The government must promote tourism aggressively in these regions, support skill-based employment, and empower youth through proper education and guidance.
\nIt is time to rewrite the fate of these young boys from the hills. Youth like Sanju and Bikku deserve more than just a life of hard labour. They deserve books in their hands instead of sacks on their backs. They deserve classrooms, not contract labour. They deserve hope, not helplessness.
\n(Author Is Editor
\nof Pir Panchal Newspaper)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"