Srinagar, Sept. 17 -- PDP President Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday urged the government to take immediate steps to ensure smooth transport of fruit, describing the industry as the backbone of Kashmir's economy.

She said that the National Highway has always remained under the control of the central government, whether during the tenure of Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah, or the current administration. "The fruit industry is the backbone of our economy," she said.

Mufti highlighted the challenges faced by fruit growers, who work throughout the year, borrow money from banks, and wait for their produce to reach markets. "But the government kept watching it like a spectacle," she said, adding that she had warned the administration on September 2...