Dhamlar and its adjoining villages in Mahanpur area of Kathua have demanded a Primary Health Centre (PHC) and a high school as students of these remote villages have to travel long distances to pursue education.
Mohit Kumar of Dhamlar, who works in Jammu City in the private sector, said that the main reason for school dropout in his area was travelling long distances to school and poverty.
He said that the families from Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities do not have enough money to finance their children for higher studies.
“A high school and a PHC need to be opened in Dhamlar. If we get healthcare and educational institutions in our villages, families will definitely send their children for higher studies,” he said.
Another youth, Mohan Bhagat said many students leave studies to support their families due to their poor financial condition.
“Many families cannot even afford passenger fare for their children. Thus, child labour is prevalent among the poor families as they send their children to work in Kathua and Jammu or even outside J&K to earn livelihood and work meager wages.”