Near elections, nervous ruling parties start taking populist decisions regardless of their long-term burden on the taxpayer. As Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh knew free power to farmers was ruinous for the exchequer. Before election, he reversed the policy, followed the Akali line and restored free power to farmers. Still he lost. A jittery Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP government has now announced two new districts for the tiny state of Punjab, taking the total number to 22. Districts should be created for administrative, and not political, convenience. With faster rail and road transportation, cutting distance for public convenience is no longer a valid justification for a new district.
If distance is a concern, Fazilka certainly had a stronger case for being a district than say Tarn Taran, Fatehgarh Sahib, Moga or Pathankot. But then decisions are based more on politics than merit. MLAs project a new district as an achievement to seek re-election. Smaller districts may be justified in a cash-rich state. The additional burden of having more deputy commissioners, SSPs, district courts, tehsildars etc will push a near-bankrupt Punjab deeper into debt. The government barely meets its committed expenditure and is forced to sell government land and take loans for its survival. It has failed to build the required offices in districts created in recent years.
Besides providing an opportunity to 5000 young men and women every year to add to their educational qualifications, the scheme for higher education outside J and K will make the beneficiaries interact with people in other parts of the country. The interaction will help them become a part of the national mainstream, essential to end their feeling of alienation. People elsewhere in the country will also find an opportunity to understand the grievances of their compatriots in J and K. There is no better way to remove the misunderstandings among the people in the valley.
If distance is a concern, Fazilka certainly had a stronger case for being a district than say Tarn Taran, Fatehgarh Sahib, Moga or Pathankot. But then decisions are based more on politics than merit. MLAs project a new district as an achievement to seek re-election. Smaller districts may be justified in a cash-rich state. The additional burden of having more deputy commissioners, SSPs, district courts, tehsildars etc will push a near-bankrupt Punjab deeper into debt. The government barely meets its committed expenditure and is forced to sell government land and take loans for its survival. It has failed to build the required offices in districts created in recent years.
Apart from saddling the government with unwanted parliamentary secretaries and the loss-making boards and corporations with politicians as chairmen the Badal government has more IAS, IPS and PPS officers than the work justifies. Many complain of lack of meaningful work. The new districts will further inflate the work force. Money needed for development will be wasted on maintaining a large, top-heavy government. Post-reforms, emphasis has been on shrinking the role of the government. New technology has improved public access to offices. Information can be obtained and forms downloaded and submitted online. Automatic clearances are in place. But Punjab has been a laggard in administrative reforms
Alienation in J and KJobs, education as remedies
A major cause for unrest in Jammu and Kashmir has been the widespread feeling of alienation among the people, particularly those in the Kashmir valley. Separatists have been exploiting this factor for their negative agenda, resulting in the youth going astray. Alienation has been helping the separatists and militants to fuel the fire of extremism with disastrous results. The Centre’s various educational and job-related schemes announced during the past few days should be seen against this backdrop. The latest scheme of the Centre is aimed at enabling 5000 young men and women every year to acquire higher education outside the state with the help of a scholarship programme. Earlier, the Centre came out with a Rs 1000 crore package for getting 8000 youngsters trained annually to become employable by the corporate sector.
These measures are being taken following the recommendations made by the C. Rangarajan-headed Expert Group on Employment in Jammu and Kashmir four months ago. The Expert Group was constituted along with some other such groups by the Prime Minister as part of his initiative to end militancy in the valley and bring the people there on the path of peace and progress. After all, development remains the best antidote to militancy. These steps are bound to bring about a positive change in the people’s mindset. They can no longer complain that the Centre cares little for its people in the strife-torn border state. Besides providing an opportunity to 5000 young men and women every year to add to their educational qualifications, the scheme for higher education outside J and K will make the beneficiaries interact with people in other parts of the country. The interaction will help them become a part of the national mainstream, essential to end their feeling of alienation. People elsewhere in the country will also find an opportunity to understand the grievances of their compatriots in J and K. There is no better way to remove the misunderstandings among the people in the valley.
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