Gaurav Gupta
Despite tall claims of development in Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory by the Government, the ground situation goes to reveal the contrary. The Government after having vociferously asserted that Jammu and Kashmir will witness a new era of peace and prosperity with justice to all including those deprived of basic rights for seven decades, the miseries of common man rather every section of the society in J&K seemingly have multiplied. This makes everyone to believe or assume that all the promises assurances by the Govt, be it the Union Government or the Union Territory Administration, are proving to be a hoax. Does it mean that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dream of unprecedented development in Jammu & Kashmir making it a hub of industries and education is going to get shattered?
While analyzing the situation at the macro as well as micro level what comes to fore is that Centre is providing huge funds to fulfil this dream of the Prime Minister but there seems to be multiple discrepancies so far as the role of J&K Union Territory Administration is concerned.
It is an acknowledged fact that efforts are going on in full swing to make Samba, Gatti and some other areas across the J&K as model industrial areas, but complexities in the policies of Jammu and Kashmir Administration has resulted in a chaotic situation with the beneficiaries becoming the ultimate losers. Consequently, the people continue to face serious issues on various counts.
While there is no doubt about the fact that Lt Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory, Manoj Sinha is quite serious in his functioning and performance so far as peace, development and welfare of Jammu and Kashmir and its people are concerned. Unfortunately, there are multiple indicators that point towards the tainted role of Lt Governor’s bureaucrats, who are misguiding him on various fronts as a result of which the desired results can’t be achieved despite putting in the best efforts by the Centre as well as the Lt Governor.
Here it would not be out of context to make mention of the significant issue of ‘Circle Rates’. The strategy adopted by the Union Territory is proving to be a big hurdle in ensuring healthy investment in this Union Territory. The unjust variation in circle rates as compared to rest of the nation has had a disastrous effect that is coming to fore now.
The reason is quite simple that instead of encouraging people to come and invest in Jammu and Kashmir, it has been discouraging the aspiring investors from taking any risk of investment here, especially, when targeted killings continue unabated in a part of this Union Territory. It is beyond the comprehension of the industrialists especially, the local ones as to why the government instead of providing land for establishing industries to them on SIDCO and SICOP rates has made circle rates of land mandatory for industrial areas across the entire Union Territory.
Can it be possible by using any yard stick to call this decision of the government an incentive for the aspiring or existing industrialists? No, not at all, in fact this is a punishment awarded to them for coming forward to be proactive partners in the development of Jammu and Kashmir. This has resulted in a situation whereby a common man has been forced to re-think about the policies of J&K Govt especially, the strategic ones like the instant land policy that is proving to be a big hurdle instead of being a catalyst in the direction of industrialization, development and prosperity of this Union Territory. Why this chaotic situation has resulted, is not difficult to fathom with fingers pointing towards bureaucrats at the helm of affairs.
However the common man wants an answer from the Union Territory Administration on this vital issue. It would not be out of context to recall that the Govt has since long been talking about ‘Ease of doing Business’ and ‘Ease of Living’ in Jammu and Kashmir which are intertwined to the macro issue of ‘Development and Prosperity’.
However, on ground the situation is entirely different as is quite evident from the change in land use policy which has retarded the whole process regarding the very promising project of bringing unprecedented transformation in the trouble torn region. From the aforesaid discussion and deliberation, one thing is quite clear that polices of the government should be crystal clear sans any ambiguity that would encourage entrepreneurs, be it traders or industrialists to come forward and become an inseparable part of the developmental process.
Presently, the top priority of the J&K UT Government should be the survival and revival of existing industries followed by newcomers in the sector to invest on symbiotic basis. Since the issue of ‘Circle Rates’ is of utmost significance and craves immediate and serious attention, there is a dire need for Lt Governor Manoj Sinha’s immediate intervention and resolve the serious issue faced by the industrialists by bringing the circle rates of land for establishing private industries at par with the SICOP and SIDCO, so that the entrepreneurs do not hesitate in establishing industries across Jammu and Kashmir.
(The Author is Sec-General CCI JAMMU)
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