The conduct of panchayat elections in Jammu & Kashmir in November-December last year, despite boycotts by prominent regional outfits like the National Conference and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), has had an interesting spin off however, with the imminent release of ₹2,600 crore granted by the 14th Finance Commission as the State’s share for devolution to panchayats.
Apart from this amount, an outreach to 9 lakh people with government programmes in the next six months has been set for the administration of the State. This would involve a disbursement of nearly ₹1,600 crore under various heads like the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, the Integrated Child Development Scheme, etc. “Since Kashmir did not have local body polls from 2011, the grant from the 14th Finance Commission could not be released or disbursed,” said a government official.
The attempt is to shore up the panchayats by infusing the village-level set-ups with enough money for infrastructure such as panchayat buildings and small works, the bigger plan is to create some traction for devolution of powers at the grassroots, and an alternative space for political activity. Whether or not the experiment will pay off is still to be seen, but devolution, as witnessed in other parts of the country, is a process that creates its own possibilities. A fact that the Centre is counting on.
Sticking points
While the fund situation is likely to ease post budget, the political questions, however, remain. Speaking to The Hindu, Shaheena Parveen, elected sarpanch from Bijbehara, the pocket borough of the PDP’s Muftis, says that security remains an issue. “Why should I give any proof to agencies that there is a threat to my life? The fact that I held on to the Indian flag by the simple fact of contesting should be enough,” she said.
Abid Hussain Khan, from Kulgam said that elected sarpanchs have been getting some blow back locally. “We were accused by others of being the agent of some [security] agencies. If the sarpanchs have risked all to contest, then the government should encourage us by all means available,” he said. Mohammad Iqbal Haider, who won municipal polls, said that there was a need for the complete implementation of the three-tier local body set up, including block-level and District-level panchayats. “Young people want to come to us for their work, but we are handicapped by the fact that the 73rd and 74th Amendments haven’t been fully operationalised in the State,” he said.
Some elections have yet to be notified, and elected sarpanchs feel that some of these delays have dissipated the gains from the polls. “I was a former militant, and decided to turn mainstream. I find, however, that despite being elected, the lower bureaucracy still gives me attitude,” Mr. Haider said. An important point raised by many was that surveys to designate people Above Poverty Line (APL) and Below Poverty Line (BPL) had to be be done again.
Leading from below
Home Minister Amit Shah told Parliament last week that other levels of local bodies will be seeing polls soon. Senior government officials in Srinagar shared the view that a vast infusion of political workers, both a part of and separate from the State’s main political parties, is a phenomenon that could have an effect on the politics of the State. “Even if 5% of these elected representatives enter the Assembly when polls are held, it would still be the biggest change that the State’s politics would have seen in the last 30 years,” said an official.