Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, June 22: Notwithstanding the oft repeated claims of the National Conference-Congress Coalition Government about providing transparent and responsive governance to the people, about half a dozen bodies having greater role to play in actually ensuring such an administration at different levels have failed to see the light of the day.
Despite being aware of the fact that these bodies could have been its eyes and ears, the Government did not take any serious step to establish or make them fully functional during the past over five and half years.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that during the past five years the State Government, while making annual plan presentations before the Planning Commission of India, is boasting of taking adequate steps towards ensuring transparent and responsive governance. Even tall claims in this regard are often made by the Ministers in their official statements thereby trying to send a message to the people that transparency is the hallmark of the Government.
Quoting an example, sources said, “during the power point presentation on the Annual Plan 2012-13 made before the Planning Commission of India on July 13, 2012, the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah had specifically mentioned, “new institutions such as Road Development Corporation, State Election Commission and local Ombudsmen will provide impetus to transparent and responsive governance”.
“However, the situation on the ground is contrary to these claims thereby indicating that transparent and responsive governance is merely a slogan for the Coalition Government”, sources said while disclosing that about six bodies like the three mentioned by the Chief Minister on July 13, 2012, have failed to see the light of the day despite the fact that they have greater role to play in actually ensuring transparent and responsive governance.
As far as transparency is concerned, the post of Ombudsman for Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) has not been filled up ever since the enactment of Jammu and Kashmir Municipal Ombudsman Act, 2010, sources said. “The casual response of the Government in this regard is notwithstanding the fact that Ombudsman was required to be appointed in order to check mal-administration and corruption in the Urban Local Government institutions”, they said, adding “the law pertaining to the independent Ombudsman was also one of the recommendations of the 13th Finance Commission”.
Similar is the fate of Ombudsmen under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act. “As per the provisions of this flagship scheme of the Union Government, the State Government was required to appoint Ombudsman in each district ever since the launch of the scheme in Jammu and Kashmir in order to address the complaints relating to implementation of the scheme”, they said.
However, during the past over five and half years, the Government could not appoint Ombudsmen, which otherwise was imperative for ensuring 100% transparency in the implementation of the scheme, sources said, adding “the Government has not shun non-serious approach in this regard although the Union Government had repeatedly expressed serious concern on this issue during the past several years”.
Likewise, the Finance Commission for Municipalities and Panchayats, which was to be established following the passage of Jammu and Kashmir State Finance Commission Act in April 2011, has not seen the light of the day till date.
Linking this Commission with the responsive administration, sources said, “the Commission had to recommend distribution between the State and the Municipalities and Panchayats the net proceeds of the taxes, duties, tolls and fees leviable by the State, which may be divided between them; determination of the taxes, duties, tolls and fees which may be assigned to, or appropriated by the Municipalities/ Panchayats and the measures needed to improve the financial position of the Panchayats”.
Another body——State Planning Board, which too had an important role to play in ensuring responsive governance, could not be established although announcement in this regard was first made by none else than the Chief Minister in 2012 Budget Session, sources said, adding the intention behind establishment of Planning Board was to address the developmental needs of all regions and sub-regions especially the backward and under-privileged pockets.
“However, the objective could not be achieved during the past over two years”, sources said while disclosing that 13th Finance Commission had also suggested the State Government to set up its own Planning Board to address needs of all regions, districts and areas in development.
According to the sources, the Government by way of amendment in the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act in 2011 had paved the way for creation of State Election Commission but till date the Commission has not been constituted. As per the Act, this Commission has the superintendence and control of the preparation of electoral rolls for, and the conduct of, all elections under the Act.
About the State Road Development Corporation, whose establishment was cleared by the State Cabinet on May 30, 2012, sources said, “this body is also meeting the fate of many others and existing only in the files”, adding “it has not been learnt till date that this Corporation has made any recommendation”.
This Corporation was supposed to promote surface infrastructure by taking up road works, including tunneling and appurtenant structures and take up projects on Build-Own Transfer (BOT), Build-Own-Operate and Transfer (BOOT), Build-Own-Lease and Transfer (BOLT) under Public Private Partnership (PPP) as well as major projects entrusted by State and Central Governments, sources said.
Its objective was also to act as nodal agency of the State Government for execution of major roads and allied infrastructure projects, prepare and develop plans for the State road sector and identification and selection of projects based upon economic, social, technical and commercial criteria.
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