Those who stand by trying moments and difficult situations must never be left in the lurch is a common accepted behavioural and social response and when it is the Government which has received a response towards strengthening grass root democratic levels in Jammu and Kashmir for rejuvenating Panchayati Raj system , it must keep its promise to create an environment of trust and belief. We know, various problems faced by Government agencies in Kashmir in pursuing normal and special developmental projects including those having a bearing on sociopolitical horizon and if a section of people come forward for redemption process like donating plots of land for construction of Panchayat Ghars, the promises made by the then State Government while accepting and acquiring such land, continue to be not fulfilled till date. Such a scenario is totally untenable and fraught with generating fears and apprehensions in respect of any future such assurances which for instance accompanied acquiring plots for Panchayat Ghars. Where is the promised compensation and employment, the donors ask the Government , now that it is more than two years since elections to the Panchayats took place in Jammu and Kashmir. It goes back to the year 2018 when the Jammu and Kashmir Government sought details of land from the land donors from the concerned department for processing of their cases . Accordingly, even eligibility criteria for land donors to be engaged in the casual service for the donation of land which was fixed at one kanal of land was determined. However, since then, till date, there is no further development in the matter to an extent of neglecting the spirit and the zeal of the concerned land donors. The fact that every effort worth the name, needs to be taken to encourage those sections of the people by the Government who come forward to help and cooperate with the Government in the ordinary course of business not to speak of when there are promises made as in the instant case but never to be fulfilled. How come can forces of disruption of peace and tranquillity and promoters of violence in the valley of Kashmir at the behest of forces from across the border, be quelled and totally frustrated from all sides if the Government adopted an attitude of indifference and callousness to those who sided and cooperated with the Government , especially after making promises to them ? Who will account for just processing of 17 cases during two years as made known about the issue by the Director of Rural Development and even after processing only this small number, the same stand nowhere in respect of getting approved by the Government. It may be recalled that as many as 250 total cases should have been by now settled in full along with resolving the collateral issue of providing jobs too. The problem with the functioning of the administrative system is going by the hereditary ”work to rule” system without any target oriented guidelines as to how much of work within what time period was mandatorily going to be completed . It is true of the originating levels as also at higher administrative levels. We do not out rightly declare that the Government intentionally backtracked its promise or commitment but the same not getting translated into action due to operation of sheer non -accountability and no body’s responsibility , sends wrong signals around in an expected environ of establishing of more legitimacy and confidence building measures by the Government. While there are pending cases of this nature dating back to more than 17 years when a donor parted with his land in the year 2003 but till date his ”case is not processed” so much is the ”workload” at the Rural Development Department needs to be looked into. Scrutinising the performing employees including officers and bureaucrats and showing the door to those who do not and have over the years , turned out to be ”dead wood” may salvage the overall situation and tone up the administrative system but since that system is yet to be implemented, we urge the UT Government to resolve the instant issue without any further ado
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