Launch of e-buses and e-rickshaws in Srinagar city have improved passenger services in twin capital cities Srinagar and Jammu but such hassle free passenger services are yet to reach towns and villages and interestingly e-rickshaw services have not reached even most parts of Srinagar city yet.
Government may have noticed it or not but it is a fact that new Year has begun with challenges of removing inequalities in accessibility of people to basic social services for the Jammu & Kashmir Government. Since inequalities in accessibilities of people to basic social services fuels sense of discrimination instead of creating sense of satisfaction among the hapless populations in semi-urban and rural areas, the challenge for the Government in the year 20024 would be to remove inequalities in accessibility of people to basic social services. If not addressed urgently the Inequalities in accessibility of people to modern passenger services, education, health and civic facilities will for all practical purposes head to no dead end in coming year and as such the commitment of the Government to reach the last man in the queue with every basic facility can’t be fulfilled. To mention a few inequalities in accessibility of people to basic social services it may be mentioned here that though launch of e-buses and e-rickshaws in Srinagar city have improved passenger services in twin capital cities Srinagar and Jammu but such hassle free passenger services are yet to reach towns and villages and interestingly e-rickshaw services have not reached even most parts of Srinagar city yet. Like the passenger services the inequalities in accessibilities to other basic social services like education and health are also visible on ground but don’t get the attention they deserve for improving the functioning of schools and hospitals in both Kashmir and as well as Jammu division. In education sector it has been noticed that while the enrollment in government schools has improved a lot in Srinagar city and major towns of Kashmir Valley but it is yet to pick up in semi urban areas and villages across Kashmir valley and such more ground work needs to be done to removes the inequalities in enrollment drive launched last year by School Education Department. Similarly in health sector inequalities in infrastructural development and availability of health staff at Government hospitals are noticed in both Kashmir Valley and as well as Jammu division.
“Since basic human facilities are as deeper matters of concern for the populations in towns and villages as they are for the people living in cities, the real challenge for the Government is to reduce very fast the increasing inequalities in the accessibility of people to basic social services in Jammu & Kashmir.”
Undoubtedly hospitals are working well in twin capital cities Srinagar and Jammu but the stress of referrals from hospitals of towns and villages mounting on top referral hospitals in Srinagar and Jammu with every passing day does not head to any dead end due to lack of infrastructural development and shortage of health staff at most of the hospitals in towns and villages. Inequalities even in the basic civic facilities are also noticed as the garbage disposal management practices are being followed very seriously in twin capital cities Srinagar and Jammu but this facility is not taken to door steps of people even in majority of the towns not to talk of villages across Jammu and Kashmir. Since basic human facilities are as deeper matters of concern for the populations in towns and villages as they are for the people living in cities, the real challenge for the Government is to reduce very fast the increasing inequalities in the accessibility of people to basic social services in Jammu & Kashmir.
