On July 1st , the J&K National Conference constituted a committee headed by its senior leader and former Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather to develop the party’s manifesto for the upcoming assembly election. After the approval from party President and Vice President, the party General Secretary Ali Muhammad Sagar issued an official order regarding the formation of the Election Manifesto Committee. The manifesto committee had been tasked to present a draft of the manifesto within 45 days but the same was not made public and instead the party came up with the full fledged Election Manifesto on Monday August 19th 2014. In addition to Abdul Rahim Rather, senior party leaders including Mian Altaf Ahmed, Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, Justice (retd) Hasnain Masoodi, Ajay Kumar Sadhotra, Nasir Aslam Wani, Rattan Lal Gupta, Sakina Itoo, Sharifuddin Shariq, Muhammad Yousuf Taing, Prof Nisar Ali, Khalid Najeeb Suhrawardy, Adv Muzaffar Ahmad Khan and Adv Shaukat Ahmad Mir were nominated as members of this manifesto committee.
Election manifestos have been prepared by local political parties in the past as well but majority of the promises have not been fulfilled. This is why, in 2014, I had suggested that the Election Commission must make sure that Election Manifestos of political parties be declared as a legal document supported with an affidavit. In case a majority of the promises are not fulfilled by the political parties who come to power, legal action should be initiated against them.
During the 2014 elections, I had analysed NC’s 2008 election manifesto and most of the promises were not fulfilled between 2008 to 2014 when the party was in power. Similarly, when PDP came with its election manifesto in 2014 (An Aspirational Agenda) majority of the promises remained unfulfilled.
What NC had promised in 2008 ?
Among other things, the National Conference in its 2008 Election Manifesto had made the following promises, most of which remained unfulfilled even as the party remained in power for 6 years with Congress:
- Restoration of Autonomy of J&K
- Formation of Truth and Reconciliation Commission
- Revocation of AFSPA and DDA
- Setting up Hill Councils for Chenab & Pir Panjal regions
- Setting up a Women’s University
These promises were not fulfilled.
However, there were some important agendas that had been incorporated in NC’s 2008 election manifesto like the enactment of a strong Right to Information law . The party fulfilled this promise and enacted a strong law, J&K RTI Act 2009, on March 20th 2009. Unfortunately, this law like many other erstwhile state laws were repealed after the abrogation of Article 370. Infact, this author along with my other associates of J&K RTI Movement had been in touch with Mr Omar Abdullah and Mr Abdul Rahim Rather those days (Oct-Nov 2008) when the manifesto was being prepared and our suggestions on RTI had been well considered but after coming to power frequent discussions could not be held except one meeting with Chief Minister in 2010-2011.
What PDP promised in 2014
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) also came up with its election manifesto in 2014 known as “An Aspirational Agenda.” Its draft was also not made public. The document was attractive but remained unfulfilled as the PDP-BJP Govt collapsed and prior to that Mufti Mohammad Syed expired while he was the Chief Minister of J&K. From its self rule agenda to strengthening civil society and other institutions , PDP couldn’t do anything. Even the things which could have been done like setting up Non-Banking Finance Companies (NBFCs), the PDP Government could not do that as well. Another promise was to take cross LOC trade to the next level but it was stopped by PDP and now NC has promised to restore it again. The concept of organic farming , ecotourism , transparent governance also could not be taken up by PDP-BJP Govt between 2015 to 2018.
NC’s 2024 Election Manifesto
The National Conference (NC) in its election manifesto has promised several things. It has promised to strive for restoration of autonomy, Article 370 and statehood of Jammu & Kashmir. The party also promised several things on the developmental front and addressing the civic issues including free electricity, creation of jobs, safeguarding land rights and also release of political prisoners, besides urging for facilitation of talks between India and Pakistan.
The party has promised support to artisans , waiving off KCC loans, working for regularisation of casual and daily wage employees and addressing the issues of unemployed Dental Surgeons. These are some important issues and I appreciate these have been included in the election manifesto.
With regard to Mining Contracts, the party has assured that they will be given to locals but there is no mention of sustainable mining practices. As I have filed around 3 cases on illegal riverbed mining cases in National Green Tribunal (NGT) and have been involved in lot of activism around this issue for last 5 years, I have come to this conclusion that mining work in rivers is mostly done by the local contractors who are plundering our riverbeds. The clay mining in Karewas hasn’t been mentioned as these geographical formations are being plundered in Pulwama, Budgam and Baramulla districts and there is no policy at all to streamline this work. Kashmir valley and Jammu region as well is getting choked with solid waste and all the waste management rules are being violated by urban and rural local bodies and funds provided under swachh bharat mission urban/rural needs to be audited as on the ground waste is not treated but simply relocated or dumped unscientifically.
The party has promised holding ULB and Panchayat elections in time and this is indeed appreciable. Some other issues which NC has made part of its election manifesto are providing Rs 5000 per month to families headed by women. Enhancing the old age-pension to Rs 3000 per month, free travel for women in public transport , enhancement of marriage assistance from Rs 50K to Rs 75,000 is appreciable. It would have been great if there was a mention about the persons with disabilities (PWDs) and setting up of special skill development centers for them and the enhancement of their monthly stipend from Rs 1000 to Rs 5000 per month especially for 100% blind people and those whose movement is restricted and can only move with the help of wheelchair.
Need for a Green Manifesto
NC’s manifesto lacked more focus on sustainable development of Jammu & Kashmir especially controlling water pollution, air pollution, streamlining cement or brick kiln industries, restoration of wetlands , streamlining clay and riverbed mining , ensuring proper drainage system in Srinagar and other towns etc.
As we are facing unregulated tourism due to heavy rush the manifesto should have come up with an eco tourism policy.
Had the draft manifesto been made public, people like me and many others would have given more suggestions. It is never too late and I would request the party leaders that if they come to power, they must take these suggestions into consideration vis a vis environment and climate change.
Capacity building of Govt officers
With regard to good governance, I would suggest making sure Govt officers frequently undergo capacity building programmes on various issues which they have to deal with in their offices. Unfortunately, very few such workshops and trainings are held in the Government sector while private sector employees off and on are made to participate in such roundtables and training.
The Govt run J&K Institute of Public Administration and Rural Development (IMPARD) is not able to do justice to its work and it is better we have at least one administrative training institute in every district. If Govt cant set them up, private training institutions should be asked to set up these centres where brainstorming and training would be given to Govt officers round the year to ensure better governance.
I know many officers in Forest, Rural Development and Revenue departments who are not well versed with Forest Rights Act, Right to Fair Compensation Act and many similar laws and there is hardly any training given to them. Even the Sub Judges, CJMs, SDMs , ADCs are not well versed with land revenue , environmental and forest laws and this makes people suffer a lot as they don’t get justice from subordinate courts and quasi judicial institutions.
The SubOrdinate Judicial Officers, Govt officers , officers of ULBs and PRIs need to be more focussed and professional and without frequent training and roundtables we won’t be able to achieve that. The progressive laws extended to J&K post article 370 like Forest Rights Act , Right to Education Act, SC ST Atrocities Act , Right to Fair Compensation Act are not enforced in letter and spirit on the ground and the reason is that our officers are not well versed with these laws and to overcome it we need one or two institutions in every district.
Conclusion
The election manifesto that was released on Monday by the National Conference is good, provided it is implemented if they form the next Govt in J&K. This document could have been much better had the party made its draft public a week back and sought comments from people. In fact a few brain-storming sessions in Srinagar and Jammu with civil society , traders , academicians, activists , retired bureaucrats and Judges would have added more flavour to this entire exercise and made this election manifesto drafting more participative.
Views expressed in the article are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent the editorial stance of Kashmir Observer
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