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| The imperative need for a financial package for Jammu and Kashmir | | | Captain Anil Gour | 9/8/2015 9:49:45 PM |
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It is now six months since
the Mufti Mohammad
Sayeed led coalition government comprising of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) took oath of office and got down to fulfilling the mandate of the people. The government was formed after painstaking negotiations at a time when the hung verdict was pointing towards Presidents rule followed by re-election. As things stood at that stage, even a re-election was not expected to throw up a clear cut mandate.
Statesmanship was the need of the hour and it was exhibited by the leadership of both the PDP and the BJP by coming together to form a government. This was the most difficult but the best option since it envisaged representation in government of both major regions of the state viz. Jammu region and Kashmir regions. The hesitation was due to the obvious contradictions in political ideology of the two constituents. The decision was popularly referred to as the enjoining of the North and the South poles.
Even after the government was formed, political pundits forecasted a short duration. The opposition united in its effort to get the prediction fructified. Every move by the government was keenly watched and commented upon, mostly in negative light, with the express objective of force the coalition to break-up. The fact that the coalition has survived this long is a clear indicator of the determination of the constituents to run the course. There are problems and there are issues but the same are not being allowed to derail the government. While the PDP is getting brickbats in its constituency of Kashmir the BJP is in a tenuous situation in its political constituency in Jammu, yet the coalition prevails.
Political pundits are predicting the decimation of the two parties form the political landscape of the state for all times to come. Rival parties now in opposition are moving heaven and earth to create space for themselves. Mostly, opposition parties do not conduct political activity till a few months before general elections, but in this case the Congress, JK Panthers Party and the National Conference have not left the election mode at all. Leaders of all these parties are extensively touring the state and connecting with the people. It seems that they feel an early election is in the offing and do not wish to lose out should such a development take place.
PDP and BJP have in place a common minimum programme that concentrates predominantly on the agenda of development. Development is also the only common factor between the two parties. Development alone can take attention away from the ideological divide that exists between the two; a divide that the oppositions is leaving no opportunity to highlight and exploit.
Development needs funds and funds under the circumstances can come only from the centre. One major agreement before the coalition was that the centre would give a substantial financial package to resurrect the failing economy of the state. The people were also of the opinion that with a strong government in the centre whose party is also an equal part of the coalition the economic situation would see a marked improvement in a short span of time.
The first and foremost expectation was of rehabilitation of the thousands who stand broken down due to the devastating floods of September 2014 in Kashmir & Jammu region, exactly a year from now. The people put their misery behind and came out to vote in huge numbers only on for getting in place a stable government that would ameliorate their pathetic condition. These hapless people, whose numbers runs in lakhs, are still waiting for rehabilitation even as they stare in the face of the approaching winter that will add to their miseries. It is but natural that they feel let down.
In today's age of instant information through media, the people keep a very sharp watch on the activities of the government. The people of Jammu and Kashmir are well aware of the promises being made by Prime Minister Modi of `1.25 Lakh package to Bihar. Such grandstanding, by a party which is in power in the state is leading to even more frustration to the people of the state who were promised development but then left high and dry. The coalition, instead of getting down to serious work to fulfil promises teeters from one crisis to another mostly in the political domain. The leadership in power is not realising that the people are least bothered about the likes of Syed Geelani and Masarat Alam, they do not care about raised tariffs of helicopter services. They want what was promised and that is prosperity through development.
Timely provision of the relief and development package should also be followed up by monitored implementation on ground. Jammu and Kashmir has always been notorious for corruption in government circles. This notoriety also needs to be set aside with transparent and efficient governance. The patience of the people of Jammu and Kashmir is now at an edge; any further delay will lead to a trust deficit that will cause irreparable damage to the ruling coalition. A commitment made has to be honoured with utmost honesty and in a timely manner, especially so, when the people to whom it has been made are on the verge of desperation due to no fault of their own.
The message is very clear the government needs to fulfil its promises of development & providing succour to the people of the state. The centre should make good its promise of providing a viable financial package instead of humiliating the people with pitiable doles in penny packets. The state government under the present leadership would utilise the money provided in the most judicious and transparent manner to ensure that every penny reaches where it was meant to go. This is the only route of providing a long term plan to lift the state out of the morasses it has been since the last so many years & the sooner it is done the better for the population & wellbeing of the state.
Capt. Anil Gour is the erstwhile President PDP Ex-Serviceman Wing & can be contacted on [email protected] |
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