Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Apr 28: Continued governance deficit has given Jammu and Kashmir a tag of “begging bowl”, PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today claimed, and said development scenario of the State can be changed “perceptibly” by a new Government as happened in Bihar.
The PDP leader said there are instances within the country when the development scenario was changed “perceptibly” by a new Government.
Sayeed gave example of Bihar to buttress his claim.
“Bihar was considered the worst governed State and was cited as an example of backwardness. But it is now the fastest growing State in the country,” he said.
He said that with a new political road map, condition of the State could change for better.
“I am confident that Jammu and Kashmir will become the most developed State in the region if it got a visionary political road map and efficient governance,” Sayeed said while addressing a public meeting at Bijbehara in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
He said the continued “governance deficit” suffered by the State has undeservedly given it the tag of a “begging bowl” with its youth pushed into unemployment or jobs much below their potential.
“We had been able to change the discourse from conflict to resolution and from personal safety concerns to demands for speedier development,” he added.
“The impression created that ‘all governments are alike’ is a deliberate attempt by non performers to dilute the achievements of PDP in its brief tenure,” Sayeed added.
“Jammu and Kashmir has a great tradition of knowledge and skills but these qualities have been severely restricted and compromised by political parties running the Government for several decades,” the former Chief Minister said.
He said JK youth are doing great outside the State but there were no opportunities for them back home.
“How is it that our young professionals achieve greatness once they step out from JK but are not finding enough opportunities within the state to flourish and enrich their lives, families and economy of the State,” he said.
“We are determined to change this depressing scenario and enable each of our youth to realise his potential by creating opportunities for education, skill development and dignified employment,” he said.
Stressing that human resource of the State had to be provided opportunities of growth, Mufti said even though under his Government countless new educational facilities were provided in the shape of universities, colleges, higher secondary and primary schools but there was still scope for consolidation and expansion. He said it was unfortunate that in a world where wages and salaries are determined by education and skill, in Jammu & Kashmir the process has been reversed. Here jobs are being created to suit a low wage structure which is pushing bright young people into despair and disillusionment.
He said Jammu & Kashmir has a great tradition of knowledge and skills but these qualities have been severely restricted and compromised by political parties running the Government for many decades. “How is it that our young professionals achieve greatness once they step out from Jammu & Kashmir but are not finding enough opportunities within the State to flourish and enrich their lives, families and economy of Jammu & Kashmir. We are determined to change this depressing scenario and enable each of our youth to realize his potential by creating opportunities for education, skill development and dignified employment”, he said.
Speaking on the occasion senior leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Muzaffar Hussain Baig said National Conference had sold out vital resources for development for its own power. He said the party handed over most feasible power projects to NHPC just for securing a junior Ministry for Omar Abdullah when it had aligned with the BJP. He said the darkness in the State is a result of the NC’s lust for power.
Baig said the NC sold out its so called political Bible (the autonomy) report and the most viable seven hydel projects at a time when it had an unprecedented majority in the State Assembly. There was no apparent compulsion for it to do so except that the party has stopped to think of itself as representing the state and its interests, he said, neither does it feel accountable to the people of the State. He said the party’s power mantra is based on the two pronged strategy to seek votes from people on emotive issues, helped lately by boycott windfall, and seeking refuge under the wings of a larger party by selling out state interests.
Referring to the political deceit practiced by the NC, Baig said the party has mastered the art of telling lies with confidence. “In their meetings within the State the NC leadership has been raising issues of revoking AFSPA and return of power projects. Omar recently even said these two issues constituted his wish list for the State. But the lie was nailed when both the Union Home Ministry and Power Ministry stated in Parliament that the State Government had never even made a formal request on the issues”, Baig said.
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