Major point in ‘Agenda of Alliance’ remains out of focus
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Oct 5: Though six months have elapsed since the formulation of PDP-BJP Coalition in the State, the Government has yet not initiated any step towards formulation of Regional Development Plans despite the fact that this was one of the major announcements in the ‘Agenda of Alliance’ aimed at ensuring holistic development of all parts of the State and bring an end to the voices of discrimination.
Soon after formulation of new Government on March 1, 2015, the coalition partners released ‘Agenda of Alliance’ highlighting the developmental and policy initiatives to be taken by the Government for holistic development of the State and meeting aspirations of the people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh regions.
Among the important points in the ‘Agenda of Alliance’ was formulation of Regional Development Plans for Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh regions. “The Government would formulate Regional Developmental Plans to ensure that each region has a specific and focused attention that spurs development”, reads the ‘Agenda of Alliance’ under title “Developmental Agenda”.
The Agenda further states: “The Government will institute a system of criteria based allocation of financial resources across all three regions and this will be done to ensure equitable distribution and balanced development”.
Not only in the ‘Agenda of Alliance’, the coalition partners during campaign in the Assembly elections had promised to come up with ambitious plans soon on coming to power for the development of under-developed regions and sub-regions of the State and bring an end to decades long discrimination.
However, despite lapse of six months, the Government has not initiated even a single step towards formulation of Regional Development Plans, official sources regretted, adding what to talk of initiating an exercise in this regard, the coalition partners even didn’t utter any word about this vital aspect.
“The non-serious approach towards this vital aspect is notwithstanding the fact that formulation of Regional Development Plans is a lengthy and time-consuming exercise for which the Government may have to rope in experts”, sources said, adding “before coming up with the Regional Development Plans, the Government is required to first assess the developmental aspirations/ requirements of all the three regions as such this exercise should have began by now”.
Highlighting the importance of Regional Development Plans, sources said, “such plans are imperative because many areas in each of three regions are still clamoring for developmental activities and unless the Government carries out a detailed exercise in ascertaining their developmental needs justice cannot be provided to them”.
Quoting examples, sources said, “in Jammu region the Chenab Valley comprising districts of Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban, parts of Kathua and twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch are still under-developed on many fronts thus require special attention”.
Similarly, voices of neglect are still being heard from many parts of Kashmir valley. Likewise, Ladakh region requires separate plan for meeting its developmental needs especially when the region has faced natural calamities many times during the past some years and its infrastructure has suffered extensive damage. Moreover, the Ladakh region requires separate development plan as it has not been given any hike in annual allocation during the past several years.
“Even the Group of Ministers (GoM) constituted to ensure implementation of ‘Agenda of Alliance’ has failed to understand the urgency of formulating Regional Development Plans despite the fact that it’s head—Deputy Chief Minister, Dr Nirmal Singh had explicitly stated that GoM would set up priorities”, sources regretted, adding “it seems that formulation of Regional Development Plans is not being considered as priority by the GoM”.
It is pertinent to mention here that Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Affairs Minister Abdul Haq Khan and Minister for Finance Dr Haseeb Drabu (both PDP), Minister for PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control Sukhnandan Kumar and Minister of State for Cooperatives (Independent Charge) and Ladakh Affairs Chering Dorjey (both BJP) are the members of this GoM.
When contacted, Minister for Education and Government Spokesperson, Naeem Akhtar said, “the Coalition Government is committed to ensure holistic development of all the three regions of the State and adequate steps would be taken in this regard”.
He, however, expressed ignorance about formulation of Regional Development Plans having been deliberated upon by the Group of Ministers.
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