A review of J&K’s performance in respect of a host of Centrally sponsored developmental schemes in last few decades will show gradual downslide in their implementation or in keeping step with time frame. This recurring phenomenon could not be corrected despite efforts by the Central Ministries to impress upon the State Government the importance and unavoidability of these schemes. Not to speak of items that fall under State list, even such of these as fall under Central list, too, have met with almost the same fate. Evidently, there is something seriously hampering the execution of these plans. In many cases, funds had to be returned owing to their non-utilization even when the State has had financial crunches afflicting it now and then. This has become a subject of much discussion and debate at the level of planners in New Delhi.
With the induction of Modi Government, the Planning Commission was dissolved and replaced by National Institution for Transforming India, (NITI) Aayog. We are not going into the nitty-gritty of the NITI Aayog. However, the organization felt that J&K State needed to be brought at par with other States in regard to standard development of some of the areas that are crucial in overall estimation. Consequently the NITI Aayog, after due consultations with the State authorities desired that two Task Forces are constituted to deal with the important subjects of suggesting ways and means to promote agricultural activities and eliminate/ reduce poverty in the State. The Task Force was expected to coordinate with all agencies and ministries of the union for making agriculture the focus for innovative and creative input by various institutions like the Sher-e-Kashmir University for Agricultural Sciences. Even it was also recommended that experienced farmers could also be associated for any input from them being the actors on the field. Unfortunately, no movement is visible at the level of this Task Force though 31 May was the date fixed for submission of its report.
Like the first Task Force, the second Task Force was asked to develop synergy with the Central Ministries, develop a working definition of poverty, prepare a road-map for the elimination of poverty, suggest strategies and anti-poverty programme including reform of existing ones and identify successful anti-poverty programmes from which all States and Union Territories can learn.
We understand that the two task forces were specially constituted on the behest of the NITI Aayog only to overcome the constraints in the way of the State Government in carrying forward reforms in all sectors that came under focus of the Task Force. To our great surprise, neither of the two Task Forces has been able to deliver. Even spade work has not been done leave alone completion of the task assigned to it.
The question is that there is an atmosphere of lack of responsibility and vision in the State machinery that does not help in moving the matters. An impression has been created that the coalition Government has almost adopted same tactics as had been adopted by the previous Government. The tactics is that no effort has to be made for grappling with the problems, bottlenecks and impediments in smooth functioning of administration. In stead of doing that, the coalition Government has adopted the old method of constitution committees and sub – committees and conveying them the time frame within which certain programme has to be completed. But it does not stipulate the clause of accountability or at least the over-arching instructions that in case of obstructions it should refer to the source for clarification. The red-tape in our officialdom has become our negative point and it is further exacerbated by inability of the Government to bring about necessary reforms. There are entrenched vested interests and it is all the more difficult to break the jinx. We understand that by asking the State Government to constitute two Task Forces, the Union Government wants to examine and bring into practice such methodology as would contribute to the development of the State. But alas, it is difficult to change the mindset.
Unless a far-reaching change is brought in the entire machinery, development according to planning may remain elusive.
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