Sharda Lal
Today, I got up to a pleasant early morning mobile phone call from one of my very senior colleagues in the profession. He had been away from Jammu for the last 4 or 5 years. After the normal courteous exchanges, he couldn’t hide his excitement over the newly established JDA Park at Muthi. He was surprised that a beautifully developed, properly fenced, well drained and a long green Park had come up at the site, which was a huge ‘Khad’ and had nothing to offer earlier, but huge boulders, stones, sand, reptiles and foul smell of the night soil excreted by residents of the surrounding locality. While enjoying his walk this morning, he said, “Hundreds of residents of the area, including men, women, children and youth are also enjoying their walk in the park and many are performing yogic exercises.” He continued. “Many people say that there is no development in Jammu, but if this isn’t development, then what is?” He narrated many more instances of development in the J&K UT.
Before I could drop the phone, the garbage collection vehicle of Jammu Municipal Corporation had arrived at our gate, playing the audio-track song “Swachh Bharat ka irada kar liya humne.” I rushed out with my dustbins and along with my neighbours, hurriedly dumped the dry and wet kitchen waste and other waste material into the trolley, before the vehicle would leave to collect garbage from the next lane. I mumbled, “This singular intervention by NDA government has freed millions of municipal workers from carrying filth on their heads and also, simultaneously made our streets much cleaner.”
Soon, another visitor added to my morning delight. Our doorbell rang and the online booked LPG cylinder was delivered at home by the gas agency dealer. I remembered the days about ten years ago when I had to stand up in the queue for hours together at the distribution outlet of LPG gas agency. Still, I wouldn’t be sure if the stocks would last till my turn came. The whole process has smoothened now and credit must go to the current NDA government that has added comfort and confidence in our lives.
There is no doubt that technology has revolutionized governance empowering the citizens with its seamless access to about 1000+ online services and resources. Not only the salaried friends, but also the pensioners, the hawkers, retailers, vegetable vendors, shopkeepers and chemists, milkmen, etc are reaping the benefit of online money transactions. Transparency has increased in every nook and corner of the UT and direct transfer of money into savings bank account of individuals, including farmers under PM Kisan Samman Yojana, has ensured significant savings to one and all. It was not the case earlier.
I remember a conference of experts in early 2014 in New Delhi where a senior IAS officer had expressed serious doubts over the possibility of covering farming families of the country through internet! The impossible of those times has become possible today through consistent efforts of the government.
Digitization of land records under ‘Aap Ki Zameen Aap Ki Nigrani’ portal, launch of e-UNNAT scheme as a user-friendly interface in business, provision of birth and death certificates, character certificate, ration cards, etc. have reduced the chances of corruption and freed the beneficiaries from bureaucratic wranglings.
The clearcut guidelines and timebound issuance of income certificates through ‘Aap Revenue Plus portal’, issuance of category certificates (SC/ST/RBA etc) through the jansugam.jk.gov.in portal of PSGA, which ensures service delivery within 15 days, and issuance of driving licences, property certificates etc have eliminated unwanted obstacles and made crucial services easily accessible with just a few clicks under a more efficient and streamlined system.
Holistic Agriculture Development Project (HADP) and the Kisan Samparak Abhiyans have significantly bolstered agricultural practices in the region. These initiatives have not only increased productivity, but also motivated and mobilised farmers to adopt diversified agriculture and connected farmers to valuable resources and markets.
The strides made in the health sector are remarkable. The establishment of 2 AIIMS, 7 medical colleges, and 2 cancer hospitals is a testament to administration commitment towards enhancing healthcare facilities. One feels satisfied to see resourceless patients recovering from serious ailments like kidney stones, kidney transplant, heart diseases, etc and undergoing knee-transplant/surgeries etc with financial assistance of up to Rs. 5 lakh under PM AYUSH Card/ Golden Card/ AB-PMJAY (SEHAT) Schemes. These schemes have provided a beacon of hope and a life line for many families in distress. UT administration has steered the health infrastructure to new dimensions with considerable expansion of latest treatment and diagnostic facilities.
The ongoing construction of Rajouri-Jammu-Poonch Highway, a number of flyovers and tunnels in the UT, Asia’s highest railway bridge in Reasi district, and last village connectivity through road networks is poised to minimize travel expenses and simultaneously save considerable time for inhabitants of the area. Crucial bridges, be those in Teethwal of Kashmir or at Shiva in Doda have been completed and works on construction and maintenance of many highways, Jammu-Srinagar Railway line, roads and ring roads are under progress or nearing completion. Besides promising enhanced connectivity, it would boost economic opportunities, improved living standards for the locals.
Many homeless people have themselves narrated stories of getting financial support under PM Awas Yojana and Swachh Shauchalaya Yojana without any hassles, that were the order of the earlier years.
Mission Youth of Jammu and Kashmir has been particularly helpful in empowering the youth through subsidies and loans for establishing income generating enterprises. Many enterprising youths have benefitted from vehicle subsidies, establishment of shuttering units, etc under the Mumkin scheme, as well as subsidies under other such initiatives like Spurring Entrepreneurship scheme to start new ventures. A generous subsidy of Rs 10 lakh is provided under PMEGP scheme for establishment of commercial fish farms.
A number of women, when asked, have affirmed that after being a part of UMEED scheme, there has been a remarkable transformation in their confidence. Their empowerment through UMEED has led to significant success in various aspects of their lives.
The UT administration has initiated several steps in the sports arena, established playgrounds and indoor stadia, provided free coaching sessions in different sports, provided complimentary sports kits and uniforms, enabling even the players of remote areas like Kishtwar, Bani, Shopian etc shine in the world of sports. More players from Jammu and Kashmir are representing the UT at the National and International sports arena, which is unprecedented and encouraging.
The previously deprived government schools are now being equipped with state-of-the-art technology. Numerous reforms have been initiated in education sector which need to be seen, to be believed. IIT Jammu, IIM Jammu and scores of colleges have added valuable resources to the region’s academic landscape. The business activity in surrounding areas also has increased.
A youth from Kashmir affirmed that the past few years have seen the system facilitating opportunities for the young generation to secure appointment and positions in the government sector. Barring a few cases of paper leakages, the appointment process now is markedly more transparent and equitable compared to earlier practices.
Since 2019, the J&K Government has filled as many as 31,830 vacancies in various government departments through multiple recruitment drives that have been fair, transparent, and expeditious. Interviews have been dispensed for the posts up to the pay level-5. As per a March 18, 2024 report, the administration will fill 12,264 positions that are lying vacant in various government departments for many years. It is however a fact that much remains to be done on employment front.
The tourism sector has progressed to new heights, not only in Kashmir valley, but also in Bhaderwah, Reasi, Poonch, Kishtwar etc through religious and entertainment tourism. A record number of tourists are thronging J&K every year. Unprecedented initiatives like Amrit Sarovar Yojana for development of water bodies through Rural Development Department (RDD) have beautified the environment.
Who, other than a chronic critique only, can deny a significant improvement in overall electricity and drinking water supply position in the J&K UT.
An industrial estate manager of the UT is on record to admit that the norms and conditions for successful flourishing of business have been simplified by the government for the industrial community in order to give them a platform to compete at par with the national level market.
Everyone can now see all ongoing works with expenditure and other requisite details on the Empowerment/Janbhagidari Portal. This is certainly the most fair and accountable mechanism of the government available in public domain.
To top it all, it needs to be reminded that Modi government has been largely successful in curbing violence orchestrated by the separatist groups in J&K. According to an estimate, the separatists had earlier kept Kashmir and parts of Jammu region on Hartals (strikes) for more than 2,928 days, which is more than eight years.
Elections to Panchayati Raj institutions and Urban Local Bodies with grant of financial powers have taken the development to grassroots level as per public demand. Specially-abled persons have also been benefitted under various relevant schemes.
The total number of assembly seats in the UT has been increased from 83 to 90. The delimitation commission has recommended Centre to nominate at least two Kashmiri Pandits to the Legislative Assembly, besides nine seats reserved for Scheduled Tribes (STs). Seven seats have been reserved for the Scheduled Castes (SCs) in Jammu region. The commission has also recommended that the government consider giving displaced persons from Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir representation in the Assembly through nomination.
Benefits of reservation have been increased as per national level norms and also extended to other deserving categories like tribals, paharis, residents of International Border with Pakistan and LoC.
The critiques of historic decisions made on 5th August 2019, to make Article 370/35A of Indian Constitution inoperative, need to realise that even during its existence, the regional Kashmir centric political parties didn’t make any significant efforts to bring the separatists into the national mainstream, nor did the separatists vouch for Indian Constitution. So, what was the use of retaining it? Security, safety and honour of a common law abiding person is the most important and it must remain the top priority of the government.
A rational observer can say with confidence that miracles have happened within ten years, but there is no room for complacency. There are people who will either feel shy of giving credit to the present government or deliberately deny the credit to the present government for political reasons, but the majority knows the truth and will respond accordingly in the elections to J&K UT’s Legislative Assembly.
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