J&K: Time for Rural Empowerment

The overwhelming turnout in the J&K Panchayat elections of 2011 has ushered in a new sense of optimism and hope for rebuilding Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) in the state. The elections held after a gap of 10 years saw people come out and vote in strength not only in Jammu and Ladakh but also in the valley region. The overall voting percentage stood at a staggering 80 per cent. An effective and functioning PRI is fundamental for promoting local empowerment and democracy at the grass roots level. A Panchayati Raj system existed in the state when it was ruled by Maharaja Hari Singh. Over the years, with increased corruption in the government and deterioration of the security situation, this system had virtually collapsed. The J&K Panchayati Raj Act of 1989 provides for a three-tier Panchayati Raj System at the Halqa (village), block and district levels. In the year 2001, Panchayat elections were held after a gap of nearly 23 years in the backdrop of a volatile security environment. This year, elections were held in over 2700 Panchayats across the state.

The Panchayati Raj Act of J&K has provisions for empowering local bodies or panchayats at the district, block and halqa levels. In addition to holding elections to various PRIs, the Act also contains provisions for generating income and taxes at the local level. The Panchayat adalats are also empowered to dispense justice in some civil and criminal cases upto a certain level. The aim of PRIs is to de-centralise the rural developmental planning process and increase public participation in the process.

It is now time for the Omar Abdullah government to build upon the gains of the Panchayat elections and deliver the benefits to the people. The state government has recently released a sum of Rs 53.55 crore for construction of Panchayat ‘Ghars’ in the state. Asserting that strengthening of the panchayati raj was a "top priority" for the Omar Abdullah-led government, the state’s rural development minister, Ali Mohamed Sagar said funds under various rural development schemes like the MGNREGA, Indira Awas Yojana and National Rural Livelihoods Mission have already been provided to local bodies in several districts.

More teeth should be added to the Panchayati Raj Act to make PRIs effective, robust and accountable to the people. Increased responsibility to the ‘Panch’ will make them transparent and accountable to their constituency, reduce corruption, and give to the people a feeling of empowerment which they sorely lack. The improved security situation in the state and a drastic reduction in incidents of violence over the years has seen a record number of tourists and pilgrims visiting the state this year. Building an effective Panchayati Raj system would add to the process of normalization and wean away the youth from the folds of separatists and militants. Empowering Panchayati Raj institutions would also make the district administration and local MLAs more responsive and accountable to the people. The PRIs can become an effective mechanism for the state legislatures and government agencies to increase their visibility  in the rural areas further enhancing the democratic process.

If the Panchayati Raj institutions become functional and act as agents of change, it will enable the Army to wind down its activities under ‘Operation Sadhbhavna’ in the state and let the local people take over such activities. Op Sadhbhavna was launched at a time when the writ of the state government in the hinterland was virtually non-existent. The atmosphere of intimidation and violence created by terrorists kept government officials away from the ground. Schools and Health centres in the villages were deserted and teachers appointed only on paper. Under these difficult circumstances, the Army was the only instrument available to provide succor to the people in the hinterland. The Sadhbhavna mission also helped in building an effective rapport with the civil population and has enhanced the image of the Army. But in the long run it is neither desirable nor is it the  mandate of the Army to be involved in governance which can prove to be counter-productive in the long run. While the Army will remain at hand to provide inherent protection to infrastructure development projects in its areas of operation, the taskm of development must devolve on the PRIs which will also give to the people a sense of pride in their achievements and give them a sense of ownership of their own destiny. Militants destroying assets created by the people would make them extremely unpopular and further erode their support base.

Years of government subsidies and aid by central agencies has made the population of Kashmir a hugely dependent lot. This can be offset through rural empowerment by the PRIs and also give a sense of pride to the local population. The state government should perhaps also look at amending its laws with a view to bringing in private investment to the state. The positive response to the Panchayat elections and the peaceful atmosphere brought about by two decades of relentless counter-insurgency operations by the security forces has opened a window of opportunity to turn the clock back and usher in peace and development. The Army has made huge sacrifices to bring about the right security environment in the state for the government to carry out its activities and bring about socio-political and economic upliftment of the people. PRIs can go a long way in quenching the thirst for ‘azadi’ in the rural areas which emanates from unaddressed issues of bijli, sadak and pani. Improved local-self governance and increased people’s participation and management of their own affairs would also take the wind out of sails of the separatist propaganda of the Central government being the elephant in the room and improve the security environment in the state without the overt use of the Army.

Rohit Singh is an Associate Fellow at CLAWS

Views expressed are personal