Innovation, Experimentation
Marks Azad's YearBy Zafar Choudhary
03 November, 2006
Countercurrents.orgThe lasting peace though still continues to be elusive for this restive state, one year of Ghulam Nabi Azad as Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister saw a vital focus on 'administrative discipline and infrastructure development' as innovation and experimentation marked the central theme of his action plan.
It was on November 2, last year that Ghulam Nabi Azad hesitantly replaced Mufti Mohammad Sayeed as Chief Minister under a mid-term power sharing agreement between Peoples Democratic Party and the Congress. When Azad assumed office the biggest immediate challenge was rehabilitation of thousands of victims of the previous month's devastating earthquake –an exercise he was already undertaking as representative of the Congress and as a Union Minister even before taking over as Chief Minister.
His assignment as Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister remained a key focus of the political observers as Azad has always remained reluctant to take up an assignment in the home state. The very swearing-in of Azad as Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister brought various political sensitivities along. First CM from Jammu region, first Congress CM after 30 years, his prolonged stint at the national political scene and no frequent and substantial contacts at home ground were some of the factors which invited an extra attention on Azad's approach to the politics of Kashmir Valley which is always crucial to any dispensation in the scenario of a significant separatist discourse.
A known master strategist, Azad acted rather smartly right from the day one. Decisively keeping himself unarmed from political or ideological advisors –which his predecessors had mostly drawn from bureaucracy –Azad kept himself away from the politics of slogans. As he completes one year in office Thursday, the CM has never been heard publicly suggesting any specific 'formula' or 'roadmap' on Kashmir, particularly when it comes to dealing with Kashmiri separatists or Pakistan. It can be learnt from experiments of his predecessors that speaking in Kashmir centric tone always upsets the applecart in Jammu region and similarly shoring up New Delhi's summaries earns brickbats in the Valley –a typical Farooq Abdullah and Mufti Sayeed experiment.
Instead, he stirred a slogan of development and administrative transparency which seemingly worked well with a random constituency across the state. Though end results of his campaign are a long way yet, the common man across the state identified himself with the issues spearheaded by Azad –aggressive infrastructure development module, steps to eradicate corruption, administrative transparency, accountability of public offices etc.
As innovation coupled with experimentation became a hallmark of his approach, Azad's tenure witnessed many such developments for which Jammu and Kashmir came to be known as first in the country. While the cabinet downsizing bill which hanging fire for a couple of years, shuttling between assembly and select committees became one of the first few masterstrokes of Azad when this law was enacted December last year capping ministry strength at 25 per cent of the strength of legislature.
In a special legislature session last December, Jammu and Kashmir became first state in the country to enact a stringent anti-corruption law under which the established corrupt government officials forfeit their wealth accumulations. Though the "war against corruption" as yet to bring the results as claimed by Azad at every occasion since he assumed office, but is learnt that many states have been approaching Jammu and Kashmir government to learn more on this law.
In the budget session of state legislature earlier this year, Jammu and Kashmir yet again became first state in the country to separate power budget from the main annual finance plan. The separation of power budget from the main budget has put in place a system of better financial management even though overall electricity scenario is yet to see an improvement.
Another experimentation of this period which is described as Azad's brainchild has been execution of construction works in double and triple shifts. This approach to infrastructure building has begun to see desired results. Initially 550 works have been identified for execution under double shift system. Kunzer bridge, Bhalol bridge in Miran Sahib, new block of the Srinagar Dental College and Hostel block of the Baba Ghulam Shah University, Academic and Staff block of the Engineering College at Jammu completed under the double and triple shift system. Not only these projects have been completed ahead of scheduled but also some of them have saved significantly on estimated project costs.
The most significant decision of Azad's first one year, however, remained on creation of eight new districts. Striking a note of regional balance the cabinet took the state by surprise when against a long pending demand of three districts in Jammu region and one in Kashmir Valley, four each were announced were both region.
Author is Resident Editor at Jammu edition of the English Daily Kashmir Images and Executive Director, Center for Media Research and Documentation. He can be reached at [email protected]Leave A Comment
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