The previous regimes during their tenure only focused on to preserve their vote banks. From last four years, it is seen that to ensure the transparency and delivery of various Government sponsored schemes, the LG administration has ensured to make all possible efforts so that people could take advantage of them.
The LG administration with its mission to deliver good governance at grass root levels has initiated back to village programs in Kashmir.
What is ‘Back to Village’ Program
The Back to village program is aimed to involve the people of the state and Government officially in a joint effort to ensure delivery of equitable development. The program is primarily aimed at directing development efforts in rural areas through community participation and to create in the rural masses an earnest desire for high living standards.
Back to Village – Phase 4
The fourth phase of back to village program will start on October 27. The fourth phase aims to take up several initiatives during the 11-day public campaign.
Commissioner Secretary Social Welfare Department Sheetal Nanda, in a meeting with all Head of Departments, including District Program and Social Welfare Officers, discussed and defined the goals for Jan Abiyan and B2V-4. The meeting stressed on efficient approach towards ensuring the visibility of each department on ground, and making sure that all departmental schemes reach the people.
The ‘Back to Village Program’ Phase 4 has been planned to provide self-employment to around 63 thousand people, identifying 100 tourist spots, allotment of land for projects worth Rs 6,248 crore, initiation of five industrial estates and transition to a ration card management system.
Bridging the Gaps
The most important part in any democratic set up is that how the basic issues of the people are accessed, assessed and addressed. Earlier, there was a huge gap between the rulers and the ruled in Jammu and Kashmir. This gap between the people and the government had strengthened the roots of alienation among the common masses. The ruling classes have ignored to do the things that their constituents want.
Democracy means listening to the people at their doorsteps, understanding the circumstances in which they are surviving, the difficulties they are facing in their lives and finding the solutions so that people could regain trust on the Government. The back to village initiative was the need of hour to build a strong connect with the masses. In the previous three phases of back to village people rushed to the nearest camps to register their legitimate demands. It seems that people have again started trusting the government. These positives, if continued, can change the whole dynamics of the governance in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
Educating and Empowering People
For decades in the name of democracy, the political representatives if any time approached the people it was election campaigning and for votes. It was said that any particular political leader visits the far flung areas of Kashmir after six years. The people living in the rural areas had to spend weeks and months for the redressal of their grievances.
After the ‘back to village’ program was initiated by the LG administration for people’s participation in planning, budgeting, resource mobilization. This is indispensable for bringing social, political, cultural and financial inclusion. People’s trust on the Government could be strengthened only when it’s essential attributes like accountability, transparency, rule of law, participation of stake holders in decision making and development processes are facilitated. The grassroots must truly reflect the rule of the people.
The ‘back to village’ initiative has provided people a chance to get involved in making valid and true decisions regarding the progress and development of their villages. In remote areas where connectivity problem is very acute, people have health and educational facilities far away from their reach. The program aims to reach at the doorsteps of the people in these remote areas also.
Feedback From The People
During the previous phases of the program, the legitimate demands which were put forth by the people in most of the cases were fulfilled. But there are many demands also which still need to be fulfilled. It has been noted that there are many examples that people are not satisfied with the previous phases of the Programme. The Government should ensure that the legitimate demands of the people should be fulfilled and their grievances are addressed suitably.
BLURB
In the previous three phases of the Back to Village initiative, people rushed to the nearest camps to register their legitimate demands. It seems that people have again started trusting the government. These positives, if continued, can change the whole dynamics of the governance in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir
