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| Schools run from shops, water tariff increases by 50% | | Youth resent employment policy; panchayat members stay high & dry | | early times report
Jammu, Dec 5: The advertisement issued by the Department of Information titled `Let facts speak' claims development on almost all the fronts. The advertisement claims that the literacy has increased to about 79%. "Two Central Universities, 2 Campuses, 45 Degree Colleges, 8500 schools and fifty Polytechnics set up and upgraded."
This appears too rosy. However, the facts from the ground narrate a different story. Most of the so-called Degree Colleges operate from a room or two and lack proper infrastructure. According to experts, a Degree College must have a playground and all other infrastructure needed for physical and psychological development of the students.
Similarly most of the schools lack the required space and infrastructure. In South Kashmir some of the schools operate from shops! Does the Chief Minister know that the students of Polytechnic colleges rue the day when they were taken for the course?
The government has also claimed a breakthrough in health sector. "200 health institutions, two new 200 bedded developed, 10000 specialists, and other commissioned which include District Hospital Sarwal, Rajouri, Kishtwatr, Unani Hospital Vijaypur……." The list is endless. But what do the facts say?
According to official data there are 3690 health institutions in the state lacking proper infrastructure and management. As per the government sources around 900 posts of doctors are lying vacant in the state. It is not only the shortage of doctors or lack of infrastructure that affects health care adversely in this neglected land. The state also lacks sufficient number of nurses to supplement the doctors and the infrastructure. No doubt the successive governments have constructed buildings for health centers; sub district hospitals, district hospitals and trauma hospitals all around the state but you can't call these buildings as hospitals unless you have the required man power and other facilities over there. It is no fun to keep a surgeon or a physician and a gynecologist in a peripheral hospital without other required support services. As per the Medical Council of India directions, there must be a nurse for seven beds but usually a single nurse has to cater to the needs of the entire ward. The condition of government run hospitals is already grim in Jammu and Kashmir. On an average 3,097 persons depend upon one health institution in the state as against 2,662 in 2000-0. As far as the National Rural Health Mission scheme is concerned it has proved a non-starter in the state owing to the fact that medicos engaged under this scheme are reluctant to perform their duties in far flung rural areas. The results are obvious. The life expectancy of males at birth in Jammu and Kashmir is 65 against 65.8 in rest of India and that of females is 67 against 68.1in India.
How could the government miss the Panchayati Raj, RTI Act and the Public service Guarantee Act? The advertisement lists all these as major achievements. The facts , however, explode these claims.
At least five hundred panchs, sarpanchs and panchayat members resigned during the past three years. While some of them resigned for security reasons, the others left for their honour and dignity. The elected panchs and sarpanchs were treated as experimental animals. They have no security, no powers and no proper remuneration. The government is still reluctant to implement the 73rd and the 74th amendment seeking empowerment of the panchayats.
Even a fourth class government employee humiliates and ridicules them. They have no powers and now they have decided to teach the coalition government a lesson during the forthcoming assembly elections.
As far as the RTI Act is concerned, the government clipped its wings and the arrogant babus deny information to the applicants. An alalysis of the Early Times Newspaper reflects that as many as fifteen Show Cause Penalty Notices were served on the erring officials during the month of December, 2013.
And the Public service Guarantee Act is still confined to papers.
The government, according to the advertisement is doing a favour by providing drinking water to 28 lakh people and has added 30 lakh gallons in Jammu and one Crore gallons in Srinagar. The advertisement, however, conceals vital information. During the past three the water tariff has increased by 50%.
The advertisement further claims that one lakh youth were provided jobs and one lakh jobs are in offing. This is the crudest joke that the advertisement has cracked. The facts speak that the youth, by and large have resented the new employment policy which entitles a selected candidate to peanuts for the first five years of service and deprives him of pensionary benefits after retirement.
Yes, the roads and bridges have been constructed mostly in rural areas. However, the funds come from centrally sponsored schemes and NABARD. The state government has no, or limited role to play in it.
While the rural roads were constructed and repaired, Srinagar faced neglect. The former Home Minister P Chidambaram made a mention of this during his visit to Srinagar two years ago.
And last but not the least, the government was `stripped' when the agreements signed with the NHPC were found missing. A government that specializes in ordering probes did not order an enquiry into the serious issue. Why? Isn't there something fishy in the matter?
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