J&K Govt to grab Rs 1400 cr : BJP
Panchyat elections
Ruling NC-Congress coalition partners are harping on Autonomy
for State and equal development of all regions respectively for last several
years. National Conference (NC) has been cashing on autonomy to all regions and
trying to befool public that if autonomy is provided all regions will grow in
unison and people of region will be empowered to use funds alloted.
Any kind of autonomy—regional or otherwise, has no substance
as in present situation of State. If autonomy is granted, it will further
accentuate the regional differences as well prosper ruling clout only, which
have nothing in mind except filling in their own coffers. This has happened
earlier as well. Under present system of administration, State funds are only
being misused on cosmetic beautification of some areas without going into merit
of public at large who is protesting loudly to meet their genuine requirements.
The coalition government is not leaving any stone unturned by propagating that
it is for all-round development and that too, equal development of all regions
of State and empowerment at grassroots level.
This propaganda is being flouted almost every now and then without substance.
Recent announcement to hold Panchayat elections without
implementing 73rd Amendment will
tantamount to more empowerment at ministerial level rather than grass root
levels and misuse of funds at government level since sudden announcement to
hold Panchayat elections in existing form has come up only after realization by
coalition government that it has been losing rupees 1400 crores annually directly from central government for
use by Panchayats. Therefore, government has not suddenly become sincere to
grassroots but feeling of loss of a large amount which can further swell their
pockets is real intention.
Autonomy and equal development of regions—both are thereby
full of flaws, as the ruling government has been much vocal about it but never clarified
how the equal development of regions can be achieved without bringing all the
regions at equity levels. Jammu region
has been misrepresented in terms of lesser number of constituencies, the fate
of which has been apparently sealed by the NC-Congress alliance till 2026. If
the ruling government is so keen to develop all the regions equally,
rectification of constituencies in Jammu region is imperative. Unfortunately
the Congress has maintained criminal silent over the issue of delimitation,
which if not done at the earliest will substantiate the regional imbalances. NC
leaders should understand it as the pill of autonomy will only serve the
individual interests of those in power.
The government is only ridiculing the concept of development
by planning more golf course grounds, beautification of government buildings,
making expenditure on areas without any revenue turnout, while a large percent
age of employees are still on the roads struggling for their genuine demands
for arrears, large number of Agriculture Technocrats sitting on the hunger
strike, Physiotherapists still on the
roads for jobs, even the poor labourers who have still not been given their daily wages for the last
many months (reportedly by ERA) and many more who dare not raise their voice to
press their demands fearing use of brutal force by the government etc.
The State government has not been able to increase its
annual revenue beyond approximately Rs. 3500 crores , while its annual
expenditure on employee’s salary only is around Rs. 9000 crores. The bulk of
financial assistance is rendered by the Central government. This has been the
practice in vogue for the last many decades, where the State government has
never attempted to invest on areas which can generate more revenue. The State
government has only been creating employment opportunities in the police and
para-military forces for which the finance is rendered by the Central
government rather than the State itself. Under these circumstances, demand for
autonomy and equal development of the regions means only more funds from the
Centre to be misused.
Equal development of all the regions in absence of
delimitation remains-an agenda unfulfilled. The attempt should have been on the
growth rather than development. In
context to the economic situation of the State, it aptly applies that “aamdani
athanni, kharcha rupaiya”. In normal parlance of life the development follows
the growth as when growth takes places, the revenue is generated and after
satiating the essentials part of remaining can be spent on development and on
capital investments. But the successive governments in J&K State have not
followed this principle of economics but have been recklessly spending and
investing on areas which do not generate income at all but expenditure made on
those areas have become channels of accumulation of wealth for some favoured
few without any concern for the State whose major source of revenue is the
tourists visiting Shri Mata Vaisho Devi Shrine and the Excise Department.
The state government should not any more befool the public but concentrate on making the State more self-dependent, reduce the revenue deficit, avoid wasteful expenditure, invest on the income generating areas meant for public at large and correct the spinal cord of unequal constituencies in the Jammu region by announcing the delimitation process at the earliest. The freezing of delimitation upto 2026 should be immediately scratched off not only from the files but also from the minds of leaders of National Conference, who want the political monopoly of Kashmir to continue over Jammu for the years to come. (Dr. Nirmal Kamal, J&K BJP State Spoksperson.)
Tags: Jammu-kashmir-politics , Government
