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| RTCs expand orbit of interaction: Azad | | By keeping away, separatist groups miss historic opportunity’ | | ‘
NEW DELHI, APRIL 24
“Unlike past when discussions used to be held by the Centre with one political party, roundtable conferences have expanded the interaction orbit bringing all political parties, ethnic groups and representatives of all shades of opinion at one platform”, said Chief Minister Mr. Ghulam Nabi Azad while addressing third roundtable conference here today.
He said, had representatives of separatist ideology availed themselves of the historic opportunity and participated in roundtable conferences and working groups, they could have expressed their view points and contributed towards finding concrete solution to the problem.
Describing convening of roundtable conferences and constitution of working groups as imaginative and historic decisions of Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, Chief Minister said that these provided room to all political parties of all regions, ethnic and social groups including Scheduled Castes, Gujjars, Bakarwals, Paharis, Ladakhis, Kargilis, border people, minority, intelegentia, etc to exchange views across the table in a free and frank atmosphere.
He said right from independence, state of Jammu and Kashmir has suffered the brunt of four wars and almost continuous undeclared aggression including infiltration from across the border and the line of actual control.
“As if all this was not enough, the state has been made to face militancy for the last 18 years which resulted in unprecedented disturbances and destruction of life and property, damage to the infrastructure built over the last five decades, placed brakes on economic development, created economic deprivation and other problems like migration and unemployment”, he added.
He said the plight of a large number of widows, orphans and dependents of those killed in thousands need sympathy and attention”. The state, he said, came out with a scheme to provide a job to the next of kin of the innocent civilians killed, but the number of eligible families is so large that it is difficult to provide employment to all of them.
The militants who have forsaken and given up militancy also need to be brought into the mainstream in a manner that they do not drift back, Chief Minister added.
Mr. Azad said there is problem of massive unemployment among the educated youth, which has reached a critical level due to slow rate of economic growth especially in the industrial sector. “Industrial activity has touched only a few areas whereas most areas hardly witnessed any industrialization”.
He said the state has a huge potential in the tourism sector and the arrival of foreign and domestic tourists was at a very high level before the onset of militancy in 1989. Between 1989 and 1996, the tourist arrivals crashed to near zero. Then in 1999, at the height of Kargil war, the tourist arrivals which had risen after great efforts plummeted to near zero again further adding to the problems of unemployment among a vast section of people connected with the tourist trade.
He added that disturbance and depletion of employment opportunities during the 1990s resulted in massive exodus of highly educated and technically trained persons leading to virtual brain drain. Migration of the minority community and others from the valley lead to shortage of teachers and technical personnel, he added.
Mr. Azad said the step taken by the Prime Minister is, therefore, a unique initiative, unparalleled in the contemporary post-independence history of our state and the country. “The four of the five working groups have already submitted their reports on the subjects of ‘Confidence building measures across segments of society in the state’, ‘Strengthening relations across the line of control’. “Economic Development’ and ‘Ensuring good-governance’, Chief Minister said and added that the fifth working group on ‘Strengthening relations between the state and the centre’ started its work only in the middle of December, 2006 and is expected to finalize its report in due course of time.
He said “the issues placed before the working groups were very specific. “I am happy to inform that their recommendations are also of a very practical nature which will ensure immediate benefit to the people of the state and all the affected persons in need of special attention”.
He said the first group on confidence building measures across the segments of society, has suggested measures to improve the condition of the families and sections of society directly affected by militancy and while doing so they have identified those persons and groups who have been worst affected and who need to be assisted on priority. While the complete return and rehabilitation of migrants to their homes in Kashmir valley may take more time, steps have been proposed for providing them some immediate relief and succour, Chief Minister added.
He said the working group has focused on the importance of human rights and has suggested specific measures for protection of human rights of innocent citizens.
Chief Minister said the second group on strengthening relations across the line of control, has focused on measures to facilitate travel and trade across the line of control and has identified more routes to be opened up. They have also recommended more people to people contact by organizing visits of academicians and community leaders from both sides.
Mr. Azad said the situation in the state especially during the militancy period has resulted in not only substantial slowing down of economic growth but also in massive damages to infrastructure and almost complete stoppage of industrial activity.
He said the working group on economic development has recommended immediate steps to be taken in the core sectors of power, roads and communications and such other sectors which will help in providing employment in tourism, agriculture, horticulture and industry. The group has taken note of the need for balanced development of all the regions of the state especially areas which have lagged behind. While the state government has already initiated steps to improve the governance in the state, the working group has given some very important suggestions especially with respect to introduction of Information Technology and e-governance, simplification of rules and procedures to increase transparency in the functioning of the government.
He said as a result of militancy and disturbed conditions, the governance in the state has suffered. It has to be acknowledged that whenever the government provides quick social justice and becomes aware of the needs of the people, other issues are automatically taken care of.
Chief Minister said that Prime Minister has recently observed that the traditional system of administration has to be revamped and the administrative processes re-engineered to make the administration people-friendly, efficient and prompt. The civil servants have to act as friends of the people and agents of change.
Mr. Azad said the state and the central governments during the last few years have taken some very bold and important steps like start of two bus services, Uri-Muzaffarabad and Poonch-Rawalkote. However, there is need to open more routes and allow a number of other categories of people to travel across the line of control. At present, only the relatives are entitled to travel and that too after a cumbersome procedure. The procedure needs to be simplified to make it less time consuming. The concerned working group has suggested measures for doing so.
“I recently toured some of the far-flung areas in Rajouri and Poonch and noticed great enthusiasm among the people for goodwill visits across the line of control and I think we need to encourage such visits”, he said.
He said that there have been allegations of fake encounters and government has taken steps to curb the tendency. A number of police personnel including some senior officers are facing disciplinary and legal action on this account. This, he said, will serve as a deterrent and shows our commitment to zero tolerance for human rights violations.
He said “a massive effort is needed to bring the administration back on rails and to further improve its delivery mechanisms. I am, therefore, stressing on improving the ‘work culture’ in the government. We have recently created new administrative units including eight districts for focused attention and have posted special officers called the Additional District Development Commissioners at the district level for physical monitoring of developmental works on ground”.
He said since the working season in most parts of the state is very short, “we have introduced the ‘double shift system’ on construction works”.
Mr. Azad said the state has been suffering for long due to chronic power shortages. We have, therefore, requested the NHPC to transfer some hydel projects to the state for much needed additional availability of power. Also, I recommend special allocation for rural roads as some of the districts in the state have perhaps the lowest road density in the country. The issues are many and I cannot refer to all of them here but I am happy that the working groups have considered most of them.
“I am sure that the implementation of the recommendations of the working groups would be started immediately after they are debated and approved by the roundtable conference. I am confident that following the approval of the recommendations, a process of re-building, reconstruction and restoration will start so as to usher in an era of peace and development”, he said.
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