A major irritant bedeviling the State administration has been the complaint of the regions and sub-regions of discrimination in allocation of funds and developmental projects. No serious attempt has been made by successive state governments to address this complaint and settle the issue once for all. The result of lackadaisical attitude of the Government has been that doubts and suspicions marred cordial relationship between the administration and the elected representatives from Jammu and Ladakh regions. Even at times emotions would be whipped up and the issue has been politicized whenever it suited the stakeholders.
It was only in 2007 that for the first time, Government concentrated on the issue with the good purpose of looking into the complaint and finding remedial measures if there was truth in what was being alleged. Thus came into being the State Finance Commission headed by Mahmoodur Rahman, which, though scheduled to submit its report on the subject stated above within one year, actually took three years, and finally submitted the report in November 2010. In somewhat half-hearted manner, the Government made a strange move, and, 18 months later, viz. April 2012, appointed a Group of Ministers headed by the Finance Minister to examine the report and recommendations of the Finance Commission. Ever since the constituting of the Group of Ministers, it has never met and never cared to examine the recommendations of the Finance Commission.
This all suggests that there is absolutely no seriousness on the part of the government to address the long standing complaint and alleviate the grievances of the people on regional and sub-regional basis. Examining the recommendations is deferred for unspecific period obviously with the intention of letting the complaint die natural death and the Government playing safe.
The Group of Ministers should meet immediately before the Durbar move, examine and make final recommendations. The job entrusted to them is too serious to be left to speculation. It hurts the sentiments of the people in all regions as well as in sub-regions.
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel