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New Delhi/Srinagar, Jan 24 (IANS) Soon after scrapping of J&K's special status and dividing it into two Union Territories on August 5, 2019, the Centre sanctioned Rs 1,200 crore to empower Panchayats and lay a foundation of "Naya Jammu and Kashmir". And since then there has been no looking back. Panchayats have emerged as new power centers with common man being the biggest beneficiary.
The Panchayat elections were held in J&K in 2018, after 7 years. These polls were boycotted by major political parties, including National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party. The then J&K Governor Satya Pal Malik had personally knocked the doors of NC and PDP presidents Dr Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti respectively. He had urged them to reconsider their decision to stay away from the process. However, the leaders of both these parties had termed Panchayat elections as a "futile exercise" and stayed away.
These formations saying no to these elections didn't make much of a difference as more than 75 per cent of the population across J&K exercised its franchise to elect local representatives.
After the Panchayat elections were over the Centre released Rs 800 crore in four installments between March and August 2019, ahead of its move to end J&K's special status, and after the decision was announced Rs 1,200 crore more were sent. In toto the Panchayats were given Rs 2,000 crore to work on the schemes aimed at benefiting a common resident of J&K.
The money sanctioned by the Centre was directly transferred into the Panchayats' accounts. Sarpanches no longer had to approach the officials to get the money sanctioned. This step empowered the local representatives and also made them accountable to the electorate.
The distribution of the money depended on the area and the population of the village. The village Panchayats received anything between Rs 80 lakh to Rs one crore to begin with and since then funds have been flowing.
It was for the first time in 70-years that panchayats were given direct funds and sarpanches were given responsibilities to develop the rural areas.
Sarpanches, Panches given formal protocol
In September 2019, sarpanches and panches from Jammu and Kashmir met Union Home Minister, Amit Shah, in New Delhi. Shah told them that he expected 20 of them to be elected MLAs as and when Assembly elections were held in the Union Territory. He called them the leaders of "Naya J&K", and told them it was their responsibility to ensure that the benefits of government schemes reach the people. After meeting the Home Minister, an insurance cover of Rs 25 lakh for each panch and sarpanch, in case of death in militancy-related incidents was approved.
For the first time since Independence, elected grassroots representatives were given a formal protocol to unfurl the National Flag on Republic and Independence Days. The Panchayats were given powers to conduct social audits, address grievances and generate resources. Posts for Panchayat accounts assistants and Panchayat secretaries were advertised and filled.
Two delegations of 40 sarpanches each visited Pune, four delegations comprising 150 sarpanches visited Uttarakhand, two delegations comprising 80 sarpanches visited Rajasthan. The aim of these tours was to make them aware about how the panchayati raj system works across the country.
After August 5, 2019, two hundred new buildings of Panchayat ghars were approved for construction in J&K. Nearly 200 Panchayat ghars were renovated.
The Back to Village programme organized by J&K government was an instant hit as the officers visited the Panchayats and helped the village heads to execute the works that were identified by the local populace.
Around 19,000 loan cases worth Rs 372 crore were identified for financing during the Back to Village programmes. As many as 15,200 loan cases, including 4600 of women entrepreneurs, were sanctioned during the initiative.
All these steps led to people reposing their faith in the panchayati raj system in "Naya Jammu and Kashmir".
Prior to 2018, Panchayat elections in J&K were held in 2011 after a gap of nearly four decades. But these polls proved to be a cosmetic exercise as the then NC-Congress regime didn't make any sincere attempt to empower the sarpanches and panches. These elected representatives and their supporters were used to garner votes for the political parties. They were not given any major role by the erstwhile political regimes.
PM Modi set the ball rolling
When Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, in his Independence Day speech on August 15, 2018, announced that Panchayat elections would be held in Jammu and Kashmir, the Valley based politicians reacted sharply stating that there were many more important issues that need to be addressed and Panchayat polls were not a priority. The important issues for these parties at that point of time were to hold talks with separatists and Pakistan.
There was a strong reason behind PM Modi announcing Panchayat elections in J&K from the ramparts of the Red Fort. The elected Panchayats in J&K had completed their term in 2016. The polls were to be held in the same year but could not be conducted due to the five-month-long unrest in Kashmir following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani on July 8 that year. The then PDP-BJP coalition government headed by Mehbooba Mufti announced in December 2017 that the Panchayat polls would be held from February 15, 2018 on a non-party basis. The polls were again postponed as PDP was not that keen on holding the elections. It wanted to remain in the good books of the separatists, who since 1990 opposed every democratic exercise held in the region. At that point of time the PDP led regime cited the adverse security situation in most parts of Kashmir as a cause to postpone the elections.
Mehbooba Mufti remained the J&K chief minister till June 2018, when the BJP decided to pull out from the coalition led by her. During her tenure, Mehbooba didn't hold the Panchayat polls much to the displeasure of her coalition partner BJP. Besides appeasing separatists the politicians were in mood to share power with the grass root representatives.
After the fall of the PDP led government the Centre ensured that no one sabotages the holding of Panchayat polls and these were successfully held just few months after PM Modi's announcement.
Panchayat Representatives hold the ground
After August 5, 2019, Panchayats have become one of the most powerful institutions in the Union Territory. Panchayat representatives despite facing threats and intimidations from militants have remained steadfast in their resolve to carry forward the mission of empowering a common man and provide him with all the benefits of the centrally sponsored schemes.
Recently the Jammu and Kashmir administration authorised sarpanches to grant permission for the construction, reconstruction or alteration of the residential houses in the Union Territory.
The Centre by decentralising the power structure in Jammu and Kashmir has opened a new chapter in the history of Union Territory. New Delhi has sent a clear message that in "Naya J&K" common man is the priority and the institutions which would safeguard his interests will be provided all the possible assistance. A common man is reaping the benefits of the bold decisions taken by the dispensation led by Prime Minister Modi. Local populace by endorsing the moves of the Centre has driven home a point that it had boarded the bandwagon of peace, prosperity and development.
In September 2021, NC president Dr Farooq Abdullah had acknowledged that not participating in the Panchayat elections was a mistake and his party regretted it. He had stated that whenever any elections were held his party would never boycott. --IANS
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