Once again dependable data is available to assert that discrimination in allocating funds to districts in the two divisions of Jammu and Kashmir is in place. The parameters of discrimination are more than one. Discrimination is between the districts where the opposition parties have returned most of the MLAs in comparison to the ruling coalition. For example the three districts of Shopian, Pulwama and Bandipora from where PDP candidates were returned to the Legislative Assembly get lesser allocations in comparison to the districts of Srinagar, Ganderbal and Budgam where NC has an edge. The same is true of Jammu division as well. This is discrimination on political basis. The data for additionalities released about Planning and Development for the period 2009 to 2013-14 bears testimony to discriminative policy of the State Government. For 10 districts of Kashmir valley, more than Rs 18150 lakh additional funds were released during this period as compared to over Rs 15620 lakh in favour of 10 districts of Jammu region. Due to this, the districts of Valley received Rs 2530 lakh more as compared to Jammu.
The complaint of State Government adopting a policy of discrimination against Jammu is there for decades at end. Never did it take any result-oriented step either to disprove the allegations of discrimination or concede these and promise reformation of the administrative system in a manner that the complaint is set at rest once for all. However, as pressure was mounting on the Government, it decided in 2007 to constitute the Financial Commission with the purpose of conducting a study into district-wise allocation of developmental funds and suggest measures to bring equity in the system. The people and their representatives in the Legislative Assembly expressed satisfaction on the constitution of the Commission as they thought it was the right way of dispelling their doubts. The Financial Commission took three long years to submit its report. But on finding that the report exposed Government’s discriminative policy, the cabinet found another device of circumventing the report. It constituted a group of cabinet members to examine the report of the Financial Commission.
But now as parts of the report are made available, there are surprising revelations which establish that clear discrimination has been made in allocation of additional-ties to the districts not on need base but motivated by political interests or vendetta. Actually, the group of Ministers headed by the Finance Minister was asked to report on the implementation of the recommendations of Financial Commission or alternatively suggest two-member committee of expert to advise the Government on the recommendations. The Group of Ministers demanded the departments to send in their reports and details of the district-wise allocations so that a comprehensive picture of allocations could be built up. It has to be known that there are certain parameters which the Government claims are adhered to while making allocations. It is true that parameters have to be set forth. For example the suggestions of the District Development Board, the District Commissioner, the MLA concerned and the demands of the people could be the basis of formulating the parameters for allocation. That is not a matter of dispute at all. Those parameters are uniform for all the 10+10 districts of Jammu region and Srinagar region. The question is of actual allocations. To be precise what the people would like to know is why a district with larger population and less development should get lesser allocation in comparison to a district with smaller population and comparatively enjoying more development. In the process the hilly and far flung districts in both the regions get a rough deal.
The second and equally sordid part of this story is that the departments concerned have not taken the matter of submitting the report seriously. According to information available no department has so far sent in any comprehensive report of how much allocations have been made on respective heads of expenditure during the period 2009 to 2013-14. The sluggish way of handling the matter is a clear proof that the Government agencies are not really serious in tackling the issue of discrimination. It is also possible that the subordinate staff is taking very light view of the matter on the behest of their seniors and Ministers. Whatever be the inference, the fact is established by all available circumstances and the data that discrimination has been taking place and continues to be there. The Government no more needs to beat about the bush because it cannot repudiate the statistics that have already trickled down. The question now is how the Government is going to stop discrimination in letter and in spirit and convince the people of Jammu region that equitable distribution of funds will be ensure henceforth.
In final analysis there is now sufficient evidence to prove that discrimination in allocations is made on political basis. This is a curse of good governance. Political parties adhering to this regressive policy cannot make any headway and the people will reject them. How intransigent the Government has been in ignoring the imperative of equitable distribution of developmental funds. What price it will have to pay for this willful aberration is anybody’s guess.
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