Reaching remote areas

Geographically speaking Jammu and Kashmir is a vast mountainous region. The hilly area of this entire region where patches of plain ground are available is inhabited by generation after generation of local people. But apart from that, people have been living since ages on the heights and in the recesses of the Himalayan or Pir Panchal ranges. Obviously, what is of utmost importance to them is road connectivity. Other things come in train, like electricity, water supply, schools, health care centres and the rest of services. The truth is that in this geographical structure, we have many backward areas and under developed pockets both close and away from the LoC. These have remained neglected for the most of the period. A cursory visit to these remote areas can give an idea of what kind of life people live, what are their problems and what should be done to alleviate their deprivation.
As a matter of principle people’s Government should reach the people regularly and not just by freak of chance. It is the firm belief of Omar Abdullah Government to bring civilian administration to the doorsteps of people whether in cities and towns or in far off and remote pockets of the State. It will be recalled that last time he held the cabinet meeting at Tangdar in Kupwara district of Kashmir division. Tangdar is strategically an important locality as it is close to the LoC, along Kishen Ganga valley wherefrom maximum infiltration is attempted by the Pakistani infiltrators. The more recent cabinet meeting has been held in yet another border locality called Machil, again in Kupwara district and close to the border along Kishen Ganga. Holding cabinet meeting at such a remote and backward place means movement of entire Government to the site of the meeting. That in itself is of great significance as far as the development of the area is concerned. Firstly, it gives the ministers, bureaucrats and top functionaries of the Government a clear and on spot idea of what are the difficulties of the people of the concerned area, how can their difficulties be mitigated and what is to be done on priority basis. Secondly we know that the benefits of development reach the bad pockets and backward areas very late as they are at the fag end of the line. No doubt, the cabinet has before it the set agenda on which it has to deliberate but by being at the site, it is but natural that local problems are highlighted, debated and some decisions are taken.
Generally the practice is that the Chief Minister and his cabinet colleagues meet the local people, listen to them, interact with their delegations and take a holistic view of what can be the possibilities for the development of the area. Thus the holding of cabinet meeting proves a boon to the entire region. In this back ground, the Chief Minister seized the opportunity of educating the people of the area about what his Government has been doing to empower them and what it proposes to do for them in future. Bringing awareness to the people of their rights gives them the idea that they are part of the governance and can play crucial role in the development of the State. For example, the people have to be made aware of the reformative measures of the Government like Panchayati Raj, Public Services Guarantee Act which brings a number of services into its ambit and many more measures. Announcement of the Chief Minister that the allocation for bad pockets had been substantially raised this year would help in alleviating some of the pressing needs and requirements of the localities concerned.
Holding cabinet or district development level meetings at remote places or backward pockets in the State is a laudable practice initiated by Omar Abdullah Government. It is to bring people closer to the ruling apparatus; it is also a realistic approach of bringing awareness to the people of what the Government is doing or intends to do for equitable and just development of the State. After all the real strength of democratic arrangement lies with the people and a Government claiming to be adhering to democratic norms naturally will try to be as close to the people as it can.

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