“Not only the elections to panchayats and municipal bodies but the massive changes in the administrative nomenclature that led to the abolishing of erstwhile district development boards also brought about huge changes in the empowerment of people at the grassroots”.
Be it tourism, healthcare infrastructure, change in work culture at schools or social policing revolving around huge crackdown on the growing menace of drug addiction the Jammu & Kashmir has undoubtedly witnessed huge changes in the institutional and administrative working from top to bottom during last three years. One biggest change for which the incumbent central government claims credit is the completion of five years full term by panchayat and municipal bodies after several decades of popular rule in Jammu & Kashmir. The Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah and also the Lt Governor of Jammu & Kashmir Manoj Sinha saying that democracy at grassroots was never allowed to take roots in Jammu & Kashmir is an irrefutable fact and undoubtedly political parties who ruled the erstwhile Jammu & Kashmir state for several decades owe an explanation to the people on this count. Not only the elections to panchayats and municipal bodies but the massive changes in the administrative nomenclature that led to the abolishing of erstwhile district development boards also brought about huge changes in the empowerment of people at the grassroots. True it is that quality of public representation was not as good as it should have been but by any standards of understandability the central Government can’t be blamed for this failure as it was for the political parties not to boycott the municipal and panchayat elections five years ago. Had the political parties contested both the panchayat and municipal elections, the delivery of services and the quality of development works would have been better. Now when the panchayat and municipal elections are round the corner in Jammu & Kashmir after completing their five year term it is for the political parties to field candidates who as per their own judgment would withstand the test of public services and curb with heavy hands the forces of exploitation and extortion hell bent upon to promote pressure groups known for using the influence of public representatives for their own vested interests.
“Central Government has established three tier panchayat system in village and empowered municipal bodies in towns by implementing 7rd and74th constitutional amendment bills for the welfare of the people and delivery of public services at grass root but ultimately it is for the people and political parties to run these democratic institutions at the grassroots for improving the delivery of public services and implementation of development works in villages and towns. Never forget that changes in the systems of governance leading to changes in working of public institutions also changes the public perceptions about the public representation and it is for the political parties to respond to public perceptions for satisfying urges and aspirations of people at grassroots in Jammu & Kashmir”.
Let Political parties not forget that several representatives of panchayat and municipal bodies were booked by police on criminal charges during last five years and as such this bad trend speak volumes about the antecedents of grass root level workers of political parties. Central Government has established three tier panchayat system in village and empowered municipal bodies in towns by implementing 7rd and74th constitutional amendment bills for the welfare of the people and delivery of public services at grass root but ultimately it is for the people and political parties to run these democratic institutions at the grassroots for improving the delivery of public services and implementation of development works in villages and towns. Never forget that changes in the systems of governance leading to changes in working of public institutions also changes the public perceptions about the public representation and it is for the political parties to respond to public perceptions for satisfying urges and aspirations of people at grassroots in Jammu & Kashmir.
