Public perception always change about public services and public grievances with the change in situations from time to time and same holds good for the people of Jammu & Kashmir. Undeniable fact is that popular Governments of the erstwhile Jammu & Kashmir state had though embarked on massive development plans for almost more than seven decades but they could not bring about any perceptible change on ground even in a single district in Kashmir valley or Jammu division. During last four years not emotive politics but execution of developmental plans in fixed time lines and working of an effective grievance redressal system have comparatively improved the working of governing institutions in Jammu & Kashmir. Had the development and grievance redressal been made the hallmarks of Government in Jammu & Kashmir by the erstwhile popular Governments, the stabilization of peace and security won’t have stopped them from institutionalising accountability and improving the working of public services for the purposes of public satisfaction . Implementation of development plans in fixed timelines and enforcement of a responsive grievance redressal system has brought the incumbent government nearer to the point of reconciliation with the people at the grass roots. While the grievances of people over the delivery of key public services are taken very serious, the officers showing any laxity in delivery of public services are punished for dereliction of duty and those performing well upto the standards of public satisfaction get awards from even the highest public offices of the country. The grievances of the people are taken serious even on the recruitment processes undertaken by the top recruiting agencies of the Government like Jammu & Kashmir Services Selection Board (J&K SSB) and Jammu & Kashmir Public Service Commission (J&K PSC) for selections to civil and police administration.
“Governance changes public perceptions when Government prefers Institutional accountability and delivery of public services and same holds good for the incumbent Government in Jammu & Kashmir”.
Just months ago many recruitment processes were not only cancelled but also referred to country’s top investigative agency like the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the light of the allegations of irregularities from both the people and as well as some political parties. The decision to conduct fresh exercises for the cancelled recruitment processes is yet another attempt of the incumbent Government to restore the faith of people in the accountability of public institutions in Jammu & Kashmir. Governance changes public perceptions when Government prefers Institutional accountability and delivery of public services and same holds good for the incumbent Government in Jammu & Kashmir.
