Farooq unfazed by massacres
From M.L. Kak
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Oct 8 — Despite another year of tragedies in the shape of killings of a large number of civilians in the militancy-related violence the National Conference government, led by Dr Farooq Abdullah, which completes two years in office tomorrow, has one satisfaction that it has survived to blunt the offensive launched by insurgents backed by foreign mercenaries.

When Dr Farooq Abdullah assumed power on October 9, 1996, many had expected him and his party to perform miracles. The two-year reckoner of the events has revealed that the continued Pak-sponsored proxy war prevented the National Conference government from performing miracles. Though the number of militancy-related incidents came down by 43 per cent in the past one year, the extension of insurgency in Poonch, Rajouri, Udhampur and Doda districts has added to the worries of the people. The government's claim that the security environment in the Kashmir valley has improved in the past one year cannot be challenged as people can be seen moving freely in the summer capital which, for the first time registered a sharp rise in the number of tourists and in the number of pilgrims to the Amarnath Shrine.

More than 1.50 lakh pilgrims visited the holy cave which was not registered even during pre-militancy period. A couple of film units from Mumbai and Chennai spent several weeks in Kashmir shooting films. Most of the tourists resorts were frequented not only by tourists but by local people too.

The call for hartals given by the separatists from time to time evoke as much response from the people as two years ago without affecting work in the government offices.

Dr Abdullah's second innings was rocked by a series of massacres of innocent people, including those at Wandhama, Chapnari, Prankot, Dhakikot, Thakerein, Chamba, Sailan, Swari and other areas. What else disturbed peace in the border belts from Kargil to Uri to Kupwara and to Poonch was intermittent but heavy shelling resorted to by the Pak troops.

In these incidents more than 50 civilians and 20 soldiers were killed. The scene along the international border from Akhnoor to Kathua is equally disturbing with no let-up in Pak firing on the Indian villages and pickets. More than 20,000 farmers have been rendered paupers forcing them to bank on government doles when they could not carry out farming operations.

If Dr Abdullah had disturbed sleep round the year it was not because of determined bid by Pakistan to destabilise peace and cause destruction in the state but due to prolonged acute cash crunch. The meagre flow of cash from Delhi to Srinagar and delay on the part of the Centre to reimburse over Rs 800 crore spent on security-related matters coupled with fiscal indiscipline on the part of the state government aggravated the cash crunch. This forced the state government to bank on overdraft from Jammu and Kashmir Bank which, for the first time, touched over Rs 900 crore.

The cash crunch resulted in change in pay days and employees failed to receive their salary even by the end of a month. Pensioners failed to receive gratuity and other post-pension cash benefits, including the provident fund, because the treasuries remained cashless. This also slowed the pace of development works and the government was forced to abandon new schemes and whatever funds it received were diverted to completing the ongoing projects. And the government took the credit of taking in hand several measures for rebuilding the infrastructure that had been damaged in the eight years of insurgency. It rebuilt 20 major and 51 minor bridges out of 412 damaged by militants. Work was started on the reconstruction of 87 major and scores of minor bridges at a cost of over Rs 124 crore. As many as 273 roads were recarpeted and 2,034 km of road stretch was metalled.

Drinking water supply facilities were provided to 750 villages benefiting over 2.25 lakh people. Work on several power projects was initiated after the government gave top priority to the power sector. Under the rural development schemes 260 lakh mandays work was generated, about 19,000 dwelling units were built under the Indira Awas Yojana. Sophisticated equipment and other medicines were ordered for various hospitals and a new dental hospital was set up in Jammu. About 40,000 youths got jobs in different departments, including the police and the paramilitary forces. The police stood revamped.

After Dr Abdullah took over there were clear signs of a smooth government media relations. However in the past one year the relations of the Chief Minister with the media have turned sour.

Though Dr Abdullah failed, during the past one year, to infuse discipline in the bureaucracy, he remained the tallest political figure in the state.

Dr Abdullah may have not proved himself as a successful administrator but as a politician he has played his cards well and remained close with all the three Prime Ministers, Mr H.D. Deve Gowda, Mr I.K. Gujral and Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee. It is the politician in him that prompted him to host several national and international conferences and sports meet in the state especially in the Kashmir valley. His invitation to President of India, Vice-President and several central ministers to Kashmir besides the visit of scores of foreign diplomats upset Islamabad's political strategy.

The Chief Minister promised war against corruption but scams keen on multiplying and in the name of security glaring wrongs have become right. To him two years time for the ruling party to set things right in a state that has been ravaged by militants is a small period.

'Need' to rationalise admission policy
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, Oct 8 — The education system has been revived here. The thrust of the National Conference government has been on the consolidation of existing educational institutions and the accountability of teachers.

This was stated by the Jammu and Kashmir Minister for Higher Education, Mr Abdul Qayoom, at a press conference organised by the state Information Department here today.

He claimed that the academic calendar was regulated last year. "We conducted examinations on time and the results were declared on time", Mr Abdul Qayoom said, adding that, this was because of the proclamation of advance schedules last year.

The Education Minister admitted that there were "irregular" practices in admissions in colleges where the increase in the number of students was registered at over 40,000 between 1990 and 1997 against only 5,000 students registered between 1970 and 1990. "Therefore there was a need to rationalise the admission policy in the colleges. In order to provide quality education, we assessed the intake capacity in terms of staff, laboratories and building facilities", he said. The admissions to the colleges would now be undertaken according to the intake capacity of the educational institutions.

He said the menace of copying had been checked, normal teaching started, examination and academic calendars regulated and a number of educational institutions reconstructed that were damaged during militancy. Out of a total of 828 damaged institutions, at least 466 had been reconstructed.

The Education Minister informed that at least 60 posts of migrant teacher in different colleges of the valley were lying vacant. In all, 326 posts were lying vacant.

Cases have been referred to the State Public Service Commission for making appointments.

Referring to the accountability of the teachers, he said their promotions and increments would depend on their performance.