Democracy and development are the twin Modi mantras to bring Jammu and Kashmir on the roadmap of faster growth, larger integration with the mainstream, and a more meaningful existence to the people of the Union Territory (UT).
Now the turn is for the people to make the best use of the situation and embrace the message from a benevolent Prime Minister who is equally resolute that militancy and terrorism would not pay dividends before a determined state. It is in that sense that Modi’s visit to the Union Territory on 24 April is significant.
Modi’s first visit to J&K after scrapping of Article 370 in August 2019 demonstrated his keenness to do whatever he can for the welfare of the new UT. Every department of the Government of India has been trying to find out ways to benefit the UT with their liberal development schemes.
While Pakistan backed terrorists are getting liquidated on a daily basis, the youths of the state have got a golden opportunity to reap the rich harvest provided by massive development initiatives. This is intended to wean away the misguided youths who may have found terrorism lucrative in earlier times. The ideological basis of separatism Article 370 has been scrapped.
No Prime Minister before Modi has invested so much attention and efforts in Jammu and Kashmir. One has never seen a PM staking his own reputation. He exhorted youths to trust him that things would change for the better. “I want to tell the youths of Jammu and Kashmir. My friends Trust my words. The hardship faced by your parents, grandparents in their lives, you will never have to face such difficulties. I have come to assure you.”
The best thing about Modi is that he is unperturbed by media critics who are trying to project that scrapping of Article 370 has not achieved much. They are still trying to peddle the narrative that the Union government would not succeed and youths are still getting attracted towards terrorism. They have argued that the Modi government should take substantial steps rather than make cosmetic changes through development initiatives. But if you ask what are those steps they are completely at a loss.
They even ignore the fact that tourism has picked up with most hotels reporting full bookings and many common people have visited the valley without any problem. Lakhs of people visited the valley early this year to witness snow. There have been sporadic incidents of killing, no doubt, but in all such incidents terrorists have been liquidated. Perhaps, analysts are still suffering from Stockholm syndrome and fear speaking against people taking up guns.
But the Prime Minister has a clear roadmap. He is confident that the development roadmap for the UT would redefine priorities and change the outlook of a common man. He has immense confidence on the youths and their capabilities and desire to play active role in the politics and development of J&K.
At least two generations of families have become victims of terrorism. This explains the effort of the UT administration to persuade parents to not allow their children to get into militancy. The buzzword is that the life of a terrorist is short and the best way for the youths to live a fuller life and enjoy the fruits of development was by joining the mainstream. Premium on terrorism no longer exists.
Things don’t happen overnight. It takes time for people to realise the fruitlessness of taking up guns. The international situation has also changed with terrorism not finding traction anywhere. Pakistan, the main sponsor, has been beaten badly by Indian army and they also know that they cannot support this high-cost operation from across the borders. Their main front the Hurriyat is no longer making news. The Abdullahs and the Muftis are watching the direction of the wind to take their political positions.
The Panchayat Raj Diwas celebration at Palli village (in Samba district), India’s first carbon neutral panchayat, was a landmark. For the first time, such a huge crowd had gathered for any such meeting since the outbreak of Covid-19. There was hope and excitement. Palli came on the world map for becoming India’s first carbon neutral village.
Modi’s way of empowerment would send strong signal to those who may still be imagining that they would control the politics after full statehood is given the way they did earlier by compromising with terrorism, Hurriyat and Pakistan’s dubious design. The new heroes in the valley are not the terrorists but these young Panchayat leaders who are learning how to govern well and earn respect. Their aspiration would definitely increase to do politics at a bigger scale.
They have witnessed empowerment and have been taking decisions that would benefit their localities. Instead of Rs 5000 that was allocated to these Panchayats three years ago, the new allocation this year was Rs 20,000 crore, as pointed out by the Prime Minister. With fund comes new opportunities at development and also lessons of transparency and accountability. As Modi said every paisa is reaching the beneficiaries.
The Union government has opened its coffers for any development need of the UT. Whether it is power projects, building expressways or Banihal-Qazigund road tunnel, setting up medical colleges and other institutions of learning, the government has been forthright. During this visit alone, projects worth more than Rs 20,000 crore were either launched or inaugurated. The Prime Minister pointed out that the UT would earn revenue by selling power to power deficit states.
Massive private investment it lined up for business opportunities in the UT. The estimate in the past two years is Rs 38,000 crore including a massive investment of Rs 3000 crore by United Arab Emirates (UAE). The story presents a contrast when one realises that the total private investment that came J&K in the last seven decades after independence was only Rs 17,000 crore. Modi pointed out to his interactions with businessmen from UAE, Abu Dhabi and Dubai and said they were enthusiastic about Jammu and Kashmir. A new script will be written for the UT in the next 25 years, he stressed.
Modi’s focus on Panchayat and Gram Sabha is the way forward for the country to develop and realise the vision of Mahatma Gandhi. Top-down approach from files of Lutyen’s Delhi needs to be replaced by Bottoms-up approach. The villages should plan for themselves and become self-sufficient. People should get benefits of modern scientific achievement by implementing the various schemes of the central government through a reliable structure. This includes distribution of affordable medicines through trusted Jan Aushadhi Kendras. Modi launched 100 such kendras for Jammu and Kashmir.
In this connection the stress of organic farming would change the agriculture sector that is heavily dependent on heavy chemical fertilisers that is dangerous to health and also to soil that would eventually become unproductive. The best way to increase awareness is to use network of the panchayats across the country.
The Prime Minister’s focus has been water conservation. The country must be saved from a severe water crisis that is looming large on the horizon. Modi announced a new Amrit Sarovar scheme where by every district in the country would have at least 75 water bodies that would be lined with trees named after martyrs of freedom struggle and other freedom fighters.
Since this would be a part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, the task would be completed by 15 August 2023. This is certainly going to change the landscape of the country. There are 775 districts in the country and this would mean at least 58,125 such water bodies. This would mean massive community participation for the national cause.
Also notable is digitization of land records undertaken in the country. This maps land records and establishes ownership under scheme called SWAMITVA (Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas). While Modi distributed land ownership cards to beneficiaries, he stressed the need for local bodies to undertake the task as immediate priority. More than 1.3 lakh villages have already been mapped using drone technology. Better planning is possible once entire land is mapped.
The Prime Minister’s focus has been good governance and improving performance of the governments using modern technology. Awards were given to panchayats that used IT to bring in transparency and accountability in delivering the goods.
The distance between Delhi and Srinagar or the distances between hearts would not get reduced by mere slogans or platitudes. Modi is proving that it is possible only through honest intentions and meaningful action. People of the UT would finally realise that their interests also lie in participating in development rather than listening to ideologues of separatism.
The Panchayat Raj Diwas celebration at Palli village in Samba district drew a huge crowd and there was hope and excitement. The new heroes in the valley are not the terrorists but the young Panchayat leaders who are learning how to govern well and earn respect. Their aspiration would definitely increase to do politics at a bigger scale.
