epilogue september 2009

Epilogueb e c a u s e t h e r e i s m o r e t o k n o w

Jammu and Kashmir’s Monthly Magazine

NowTellingThe J&K Stories

RNI : JKENG/2007/26070 ISSN 0974-5653

Jammu, September 1, 2009 / Vol 3 / Issue 9 || Price Rs. 30 || Postal Registration No. JK-350/2009-11 || www.epilogue.in

UNDERSTANDINGJ&K ECONOMYUNDERSTANDINGJ&K ECONOMY

BUDGET2009-10BUDGET2009-10

THROUGHTHROUGH

INTERVIEW

ABDUL RAHIM RATHERFinance Minister

Jammu V/s Kashmir

A Year AfterAMARNATH LAND ROW

Interview : Leela Karan Sharma

Politics Behind Central University

“Yes, I am in Isolation”

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Epilogue Ø 3 × September 2009

B R I D G I N G T H E I N F O R M A T I O N D I V I D E

F O R T H E M O N T H O F S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 9

Taking J&K Closer to WorldBringing World Closer to J&K


33Volume : 3, Number : 9

ISSN : 0974-5653

RNI : JKENG/2007/26070

www.epilogue.in

For being a zone of conflict, the politics of

Jammu and Kashmir is a well reported subject

but little has been written on the economy.

Taking advantage of the state's annual budget

and economic survey, the present issue

discusses the economic profile of Jammu and

Kashmir. An essential guide for beginners and

experts alike. A recall of J&K's Amarnath land

row agitation of 2008 also makes an

interesting reading

AR

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97

97

59

93

65

Mar. 2009

Apr. 2009

May 2009

June 2009

July 2009

August 2009

CONNECTING J&K

onnectivity is a major issue in J&K and people in many areas taunt the Cgovernment saying that roads were laid in remote areas only because they close to borders. Our March issue looked at the connectivity via roads, rail and air to bring to the fore the missing links.

TREADING FAILURE

s world watches keenly the new unfolding developments in Pakistan, our AConsulting Editor D Suba Chandran travelled to the troubled country to bring fresh perspectives for our readers in April Issue.

J&K MOVING FORWARD

ay issue was one of the rare collections of ideas where 12 natives from Mboth sides of Jammu and Kashmir poured their ideas out of the heart on how boundaries can be blurred and relations can be strengthened.

LOK SABHA POLLS 2009

ith Prof Rekha Chowdhary looking into various aspects, the May issue Woffered a complete view of the Lok Sabha elections in Jammu and Kashmir. An interview with Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather explained most critical questions on the state's economy

THE FUTURE OF JAMMU AND KASHMIR

uly 2009 issue offered a rare insight into the whole gamut of Kashmir Jissue. An ACDIS, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign sponsored study, which was the cover feature, examined Kashmir issue from different perspectives.

UNFOLDING THE LAND OF MOON

ugust 2009 issue was one of the path-breaking in the life of Epilogue Amagazine. The cover story explored many aspects of life in Ladakh and carried a first hand of research on the state of media in the Himalayan cold desert.


www.epilogue.in

Editor Zafar Iqbal Choudhary

PublisherYogesh Pandoh

Consulting EditorD. Suba Chandran

Associate EditorsIrm Amin BaigTsewang Rigzin

General ManagerKartavya Pandoh

ManagerAdarsh Rattan Bali (Marketing & Advertisement)

Art EditorKeshav Sharma

Research OfficerRaman Sharma

Phones & emailOffice : +91 191 2493136subscriptions : +91 99060 27136Editorial: +91 94191 80762Administration: +91 94191 82518 [email protected]@epilogue.in

Printed and Published by Yogesh Pandoh for Epilogue NewsCraft from Ibadat House, Madrasa Lane, Near Graveyard, Bathindi Top, Jammu, J&K - 180012 and Printed at : DEE DEE Reprographix, 3 Aikta Ashram, New Rehari Jammu (J&K)

Disputes, if any, subject to jurisdiction of courts and competitive tribunals in Jammu only.

RNI : JKENJ/2007/26070ISN : 00974-5653Price : Rs 30

CONTENTS

In Verbatim 6

Prologue 7

Letters 8

Note Book

7 Essential Entries 9

Jammu V/s Kashmir

Jammu & Kashmir 44

A Year After Amarnath Land RowEpilogue Correspondent

Recalling ‘Gandhi of Jammu’ 46

Opinion 50

Needed Soul Searching Life

After Sangarsh 2008Kapil Sharma

Kashmir’s Democratic Catharsis 51Riyaz Wani

Game is lost for now as 55

‘Divided we always fall’Zafar Choudhary

Opinion 58

CUAS and the Stillborn WannablesAnmol Sharma

Features

Changpa Tribe’s Identity, 61

Way of Live Under ThreatTashi Morup

The Fur Traders and 63

The Lost AvenuesBinish Gulzar & Syed Rakshanda Suman

Column

Kashmir Ki Kali... 65

bruished and shatteredManisha Sobhrajani

History of Forts in Jammu Hills 67Prof. Jigar Mohammad

IN FOCUSBudget 2009-10

Opinion 15Ensure Taxpayers’ Money Goes toProgramme that WorkBilal Hussain

Budget 2009-1017Ten Challenges19New Taxes40Interview42‘There are no quick fixes; we areworking on a workable employment policy’Abdul Rahim Rather


Volume 3, Issue 9, September 2009


H&RAEH E A R

Who Said What

“Where is the angry young man…he has not been seen in the House (Legislative Assembly) for last 12 days”

Panthers Party leader Harsh Dev asks Speaker about prolonged absence of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah from the assembly which was session across August

“You can check the past records also…Chief Ministers don't sit in the Assembly for whole day…I have to attend other important government business outside Assembly”

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah responding to opposition criticism on his prolonged absence from Assembly as he returns to House after 14 days

“She is continuously indulging in contempt of the House. She thinks that assembly is a room of her home and she can dictate any terms”

Legislative Assembly Speaker Mohammad Akbar Lone on opposition PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti

“There have two elections in Jammu and Kashmir since I addressed you on last Independence Day. The first one was for state Legislative Assembly and second for Lok Sabha. Peoples of all areas of state have participated vigorously in these elections. This is a proof that there is no space for separatist thought in Jammu and Kashmir”

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in his Independence Day address to the nation from ramparts of Red Fort in New Delhi on Aug 15

“Whom was (Justice) Muzaffar Jan (the Commissioner of Inquiry who probed Shopian rape and murder case) seeking to please and whose purpose did he try to serve? Never in the annals of commissions of inquiry such irrelevant and disgraceful remarks been made. Even a magistrate knows that rape is rape even if the victims be of mad moral”

Constitutional expert and celebrated columnist AG Noorani in his column in Frontline Magazine

L

From the EditorRP O O G U E

were ever made to harness the hydro- state like Jammu and electric potential. Only less than 10% K a s h m i r w i t h v a s t of the total potential has so far been farmland, rich biodiversity, exploited allowing the electricity mineral reserves and water A import bill to become biggest culprit resources should ideally be of state's financial disorder. Between the exporter of food grains, vegetables, 2006 and 2008, the Finance Ministers mutton, poultry and milk products, conceived an innovative way of minerals and electricity. The scenario, separating the power budget from however, is contradictory. Take small state's general annual budget in a bid examples: A state like Jammu and to paint rosy picture of finances. The Kashmir with no sound industrial base annual budget for the year 2009-10 or corporate sector is expected to be a presented by the Finance Minister major producer of agriculture, Abdul Rahim Rather in Legislative horticulture and animal husbandry A s semb ly on Augus t 10 ha s , products owing to agrarian character incidentally, done some justice to the of its economy. Official statistics people of Jammu and Kashmir by reveal that annual mutton import bill putting things across as they exist. The alone stand around Rs 1300 Crores. In government needs to take some big Finance Minister, in his budget speech, case of food grains the gap between leaps by going full throttle in clearly reflected the loopholes in demand and supply is nearly of the harness ing the hydro-e lectr ic management of our economy and order of 40 per cent. While there is a potential and making state self talked freely about the weaknesses huge cry across the state for sufficient on food grain production. which he proposed to plug in. after phenomenal shortage of milk and its Far more than the monetary explaining the spending proposals, products, state has to import nearly investment both these sectors need an when the Finance Minister came to one crore eggs to meet its annual investment of vision and long term some revenue mobilization areas, the demand of three crores. There is self policy. We have long been arguing in measures were again ad hoc and sufficiency in none. J&K is producer of these columns that economic temporary to have some order of good quality of fresh fruits, mainly empowerment of Jammu and Kashmir semblance for the time being. Some apple, pear and apricot but domestic can be a viable solution to many fresh taxes were imposed on daily use demand is met only after importing conflicts, if not all. Therefore, along products like petrol, diesel, liquor, fruits around four times higher in w i t h p o l i t i c a l m e a s u r e s t h e mutton and poultry etc to mobilize quantity than the local produce. government must think pure business as some additional revenue of some 69 Another sector which should have well. crores. These small step measures are made Jammu and Kashmir rich enough not going to bring any turnaround in to take care of weak areas is a Feedback :state's economic outlook. The [email protected] sad story. No honest efforts

Invest some vision

Zafar Choudhary


FEBRUARY 2008

T

Readers WriteL E T E R S

Dear Editor the few places in the world being No words can be too high to appreciate completely blacked out by the media is the Rinchen Domla's work (Epilogue, also not out of place. In India, the August 2009) on state of print media in television channels and newspapers Dear Editor Ladakh. The argument made in the have become an essential part of the We have been hearing and reading editorial that Ladakh is perhaps one of daily life of an ordinary Indian. Given about Charkha Development and

the present media scenario in country, Communication Network's work in it is really difficult to imagine life in Kashmir and Ladakh. While greeting place like Ladakh, which your editorial Epilogue and Charkha for the marvelous has described in many ways. In your work (Epilogue, August 2009) on prologue, we see a commitment of Ladakh, I take this opportunity to make serving the people of Ladakh through a humble complaint to the both. Why Epilogue and I am sure you live by most of the media activities and commitment even in the face of research works are confined in adverse circumstances. Keep it up! Kashmir Valley and Ladakh alone.

Does anyone know why Rajouri MANOJ KHATTAR

district has lowest literacy rate in Department of Civics

Jammu and Kashmir, why banks don't Bombay University, Mumbai offer loan to the

local entrepreneurs,

why local traditional

forms of art and craft

are being completely

s h u n n e d b y t h e

artisans, why tribal

population has been

forced to abandon its

culture, why tourists

don't come to this

area? There are many

questions like these

and many hopes that

NGOs and media will

someday offer some

answers as we have

failed to get answers

from the government

SHAHZAD KHANRajouri

Move beyond Kashmir, Ladakh also


Leh Town is not LadakhDear Editor, After reading the August issue with keen interest, I must

tell you that your title (Unfolding the Land of Moon) was

quite misrepresentative is not fully misleading. The focus

(Ladakh asks) too was out of place. The point here I want

to make is that media has a wrong notion of understanding Ladakh with Leh district headquarters. This

is completely wrong and often appears hurting to many in Kargil. Ladakh comprises of two districts of

Leh and Kargil. Go the place like Nubra (in Leh) and Zanskar (in Kargil) to explore real Ladakh and

understand hardships people face there. I would again say that your work on the state of media

(Epilogue, August 2009) is also completely restricted to Leh district headquarters which is well

connected by air with Srinagar, Jammu, Chandigarh and Delhi. There is no question of doubting your

intentions but what I mean to suggest you is that there is a need to think beyond Leh township while

talking about Ladakh. GHULAM ALI

Kargil

EDITOR REPLIES: We deeply appreciate the point raised by you and are well aware of the various contours of

geographical, political and ethnic identities of Ladakh. As your read our introduction of August

issue, we have clearly said that this is a small beginning and in the coming months we intend to do

more work in Ladakh. Since Epilogue is not a large organization to move or have stationed its

editorial staff in a place like Kargil, our coverage of ground realities in remote areas like yours

mainly depends on the local input and quality of research work. While thanking you for your

feedback, we invite you to contribute your efforts in telling the untold stories of the 'real Ladakh'

as you put.

Life Without Media, Unimaginable

N O T E B O O K

7 Essential Stories


referring to a plea for shifting Dukhtran-e-Millat chief Syeda Asia Andrabi from Jammu to Srinagar jail. The Supreme Court refused to entertain the petition filed by Jammu and Kashmir government regarding the shifting of Andrabi.

The state government had come in appeal against the state High Court order quashing its decision not to shift the founder chairperson of separatist organisation Dukhtaran-e-Milat (daughters of faith) from Jammu to Srinagar jail. Andrabi has been pressing for her shifting from Jammu to Srinagar jail so that she can meet her children. Her husband is already in jail in a murder case.

A bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justice P Sathasivam yesterday dismissed the appeal of the state government and rejected the contention of senior counsel Amrindar Saran that a large number of militants are lodged in Srinagar jail and if she has been shifted to Srinagar jail she may have access to the jailed militants and may resume her anti-national activities.

The judges asked the counsel, ''Is the state government fter twice being directed by the State High Court to scared of a woman?'' The state government has also failed to Ashift a woman separatist leader from a Jammu jail to provide data regarding the number of woman prisoners

Srinagar, the state government got a reprimand from the presently lodged in Srinagar jail and also regarding the Apex court of the country: “Is the state government scared capacity of Srinagar jail for woman prisoners, the court of a woman” the Judges of Supreme Court asked while observed.

Pakistan, Holbrooke said Islamabad needed more nited States Special Envoy for Pakistan and U help to overcome its problems, but highlighted that Afghanistan, Richard Holbrooke, who was on a such decisions cannot be taken independently by visit to Pakistan, said on August 20 that his visit has the US president.nothing to do with the Indo-Pak problem, and that

he is not in Pakistan to negotiate on the Kashmir “Pakistan should remember one thing that the

issue. In an interview to a private President of the United States cannot take

television channel, Holbrooke said it decisions himself, but we can make the request to

was upto India and Pakistan to the Congress,” the Online news network quoted

resolve the issue bilaterally. “Any Holbrooke, as saying. Terming the energy crisis in

improvement in Pak-India relations Pakistan as that country's biggest problem,

is also good for the world,” Holbrooke said America is ready to in this regard,

Holbrooke said. but Islamabad should try to fix the 'tremendous

amount of leakage' that exists in the whole In response to a question, Holbrooke system. “US would help in this regard but the government and said he had never blamed the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) people of Pakistan have to take lead,” he said. for helping the Taliban. When enquired about US assistance to

DIPLOMACY

Not negotiating Kashmir: Holbrooke

SEPARATIST LEADER'S INCARCERATION

Apex Court asks J&K Govt: Are you scared of a woman?


ven though the rights groups have sharply Edisputed the figures but the J&K government

has told State Legislative Assembly that an

estimated 3400 persons have been missing in

custody or otherwise since the outbreak of

armed insurgency in 1989. The human

rights groups working in Kashmir,

particularly the Association of the

Parents of Disappeared Persons, have

disputed government's figures and said

that not less than 8000 persons were

missing.

Official figures released in the

State Assembly said 3,429 persons

had disappeared between 1990 and

July 2009, with only 110 persons

missing after arrest by the security

forces. Leading local and international

rights groups have suggested over 8,000

people have disappeared in the region,

with the majority having been arrested by

Indian security forces.

The government, which gave no

further detail about the missing people,

also ruled-out forming a commission of

inquiry to probe all the cases of

disappearances, a statement released

in the assembly said.

In 2007, a local group, the

Association of Parents of Disappeared

People, said it had found 940 "nameless

graves" in 18 villages in Uri district, which

neighbours the Pakistan-administered zone

of Kashmir. Amnesty International has

urged the government to determine if any

of the graves contain the bodies of those

listed as missing by local

rights groups. Indian security

officials contend many of the

missing had crossed over to

Pakistan to join the insurgents

and say the graves are those

of "unidentified" rebels killed

in action.

LOST IN TURMOIL

Govt says only 3400 persons missing, rights groups put figures twice that

N O T E B O O K7 Essential Stories


on board in the process of finding a solution to the Kashmiri problem. Mufti disputed Prime Minister's interpretation of the massive participation of the Kashmiris in the lately held elections and claimed that a durable and lasting solution to the Kashmir problem could be found by involving the alienated sections into a atron of the mainstream Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),

dialogue process and strengthening their belief in the PMufti Mohammad Sayeed, as also most of the Valley's country's democratic processes and institutions. He asserted separatist political parties---including both factions of the that the separatist leaders had an important role to play.Hurriyat Conference, JLKF and Jamaat-e-Islami---have

Mufti emphasized on demilitarization and withdrawal of strongly disputed Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh's latest J&K Armed Forces Special Powers as also PDP's exclusive interpretation of the massive participation of the Kashmiris in concept of constituting a “Joint Council” of the Legislatures of recently held Assembly and Lok Sabha elections and claimed Indian-controlled Jammu & Kashmir and the Pakistani-that the democratic process had not marginalized the controlled Jammu & Kashmir.Officiating Chairman of Hurriyat separatist politics.Conference (Mirwaiz), Prof Abdul Gani Bhat, found it In sharp contrast to the tone and tenure of Chief Minister surprising that such a statement had been made by Dr Omar Abdullah's Independence Day speech, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who had repeatedly asserted in the Manmohan Singh had asserted in his ceremonial address at Red Parliament that the solution to the Kashmir problem lay in a Fort in New Delhi yesterday that the reality of massive dialogue process with an all-inclusive involvement and participation of the Kashmiris in Assembly as well as participation. “We are the masters of the state and we alone Parliamentary elections in recent past had left “no space for will determine its fate”, Prof Gani said in a statement.the separatist politics in Jammu & Kashmir”. Contrary to a

Spokesman of Syed Ali Shah Geelani's faction of the many speculations---including the one of an offer of ceasefire Hurriyat, Ayaz Akbar, said that Manmohan Singh had only with the militants in the holy month of Ramzan---head of the destroyed his own image of a mature and responsible political Congress-led UPA Government did not only ignore the Kashmiri leader by making a bellicose assertion and wrong separatists but also gave them an unprecedented affront. interpretation of the elections. He said that Prime Minister of Making a mockery of the J&K Chief Minister's olive branch India had “like his predecessors” spoken the “language of to the separatists, Prime Minister said in rather an Advanian power” and thus harmed India's image in the world of style that participation of large number of Kashmiris in the diplomacy and statesmanship. According to him, Dr Singh had Assembly and Lok Sabha elections had left no room for the “abused the Kashmiris” by taunting them as being separatist politics in the state. It was significantly different “separatists”. from Dr Singh's speeches in the last over five years as he had

Identical statements of resistance poured in from Jammu repeatedly stated that his UPA Government believed in talking & Kashmir Liberation Front, Jamaat-e-Islami, Jamiat-e-Ahli to all sections of opinion, including the separatists. He had Hadith and Democratic Freedom Party.invariably suggested the Kashmiri separatists would be taken

SEPARATIST SPACE

PM's I-Day speech trigger debate in Kashmir

There have been two elections in Jammu & Kashmir since I addressed you on the last Independence Day. The first one was for the State Legislative Assembly and the second for the Lok Sabha. People of all areas of the State have participated vigorously in both the elections. This is a proof that there is no place for separatist thought in Jammu & Kashmir.



n recent months the demand of repeal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act has seen a complete Idecentralization –traveling from political headquarters. However, the political leadership is still locked in a quagmire and they are making the issue more of a battle of one-upmanship between ruling National Conference and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party.

Witnessing the discussion over the issue in Legislative Assembly recently, it clearly looked like a battle for political survival between the two key players in Kashmir.

Concluding his exhaustive reply to the discussion on the grants sought for his departments, Law Minister Ali Mohammad Sagar dismissed PDP's campaign for withdrawal of AFSPA as “deceitful politics” and claimed that Mufti Mohammad Sayeed's party had never taken an initiative during six-year-long PDP-Congress coalition regime in 2002-08 for revoking the special powers granted to security forces in 1990. Even as Mehbooba Mufti confronted Sagar and blamed the NC Government for pioneering the imposition of Public Safety Act (PSA), Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA), Prevention of Terrorist Activities Act (POTA) as well as AFSPA in J&K, Sagar asserted that “misleading the people and Assembly with lies” was characteristic of the PDP.

Sagar fiercely retaliated to Ms Mufti's charge that Omar Abdullah-led coalition government had slapped the PSA on many people from a 14-year-old boy to 80-year-old separatist leader, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, and claimed that his government had used minimum possible force to restore peace in Kashmir valley in the last eight months. “You will have to accept Mehboobaji that it was none other than your father who got Jagmohan as Governor in 1990 and imposed AFSPA on Jammu & Kashmir”, Sagar shouted on the PDP chief. “When your father was Home Minister of India, he made it a point of his ego to bring Jagmohan as Governor, issued an Ordinance and got the legislation done in Parliament within six months”, Sagar referred to the embryonic days of Kashmir insurgency in 1990.

“Total number of militants in 1989 was just 72. Dr (Farooq Abdullah) Sahab got them all arrested and later set them free for rehabilitation. Today, most of the leaders in this country are referring to militants as our children. On using the same phrase, a country-wide campaign of hatred was triggered off against Dr Sahab. He refused to yield on Jagmohan's appointment and resigned in protest alongwith 29 Ministers and MLAs. We sacrificed our Government for the people of this state. Even an orderly remains stuck to his chair”, Sagar grumbled on Ms Mufti and reminded her that it was her father, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, and his protégé, Jagmohan, who had given special powers to armed forces in J&K in 1990.

“Did you take a single initiative for withdrawing AFSPA during the six years of your Government? Listen, Ms Mufti. I have checked all records and found that you people have never submitted a suggestion of revoking Armed Forces Special Powers Act to the Centre in the last six years of your Government. There has been not a single meeting on this subject for six years”, Sagar shouted on Mehbooba and her colleagues on the Opposition benches and claimed that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had made sincere efforts from day one of his government for withdrawing the special powers enjoyed by the armed forces in the state notified as “disturbed area” nearly 19 years back.

“We don't believe in politics of deceit and double standards”, he said and claimed that even the Indus Water Treaty of 1960 had been signed with Pakistan when Mufti Mohammad Sayeed was a leader in Congress party and the NC founder, Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, was in jail. He said he was indebted to Mufti Sayeed who had publicly confirmed this reality and asked Ms Mufti to be correct on the facts.

As leader of the 21 MLA-strong PDP, Ms Mufti, kept on her protestation and Speaker continued asking her not to disrupt the Minister's reply, she led a walk-out of nearly a dozen of her MLAs while casting the aspersion of being prejudiced and partisan against Mr Lone. It enraged the Speaker who warned her against her assertions and contended that it was a “contempt to the House”. He directed Secretary Assembly, Mohammad Ramzan, to issue a notice of “contempt to the House” against Ms Mufti.

REPEALING AFSPA

Merely a battle between NC, PDP wing to a slow Opeace process

and a variety of other reasons militancy in Jammu and Kashmir has been on constant decline over the years but the trends are now fast changing. In the recent past there have been numerous incidents of infiltration of militants through Line of Control and International Border and a marked step up in violence in the interiors. Top intelligence officials in Jammu and Kashmir feel that a large number of militants were waiting to sneak in across the border even as warnings of a “disturbing” surge echoed far away from the troubled Valley. At a Conference of

ut of total O20,230 sq km of forest in Jammu and Kashmir, about 144 sq km is

Militancy /

Disturbing

DEPLETING

Forests



Chief Ministers on Internal Security in New Delhi on August 17, the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh remarked: “the levels of infiltration that had come down very substantially had seen a surge this year”. “The infiltrators are more battle-hardened, better equipped and in possession of sophisticated” communication systems, he said at the conference.

In Kashmir, top intelligence sources said hundreds of militants had gathered at 42 training camps across the Line of Control and were waiting to cross over. “We fear escalation of violence during Ramazan, which is just days away,” said an official.

The United Jihad Council (UJC), an umbrella body of 13 militant outfits based in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, has already ruled out a unilateral cease-fire in Jammu and Kashmir during the Muslim holy month. “If the Government of India takes a positive step in this direction, the UJC will sit and think over it,” UJC chairman and Hizb-ul Mujahideen supreme commander Syed Salahuddin told a local news agency on Saturday.

The infiltration alerts, from Delhi and Kashmir, have come at a time the LoC has seen a spurt in militant activity. Sources said there had been at least 13 infiltration bids in the Kashmir valley alone that left dozens of militants and several jawans dead. The Border Security Force on August 16 foiled a major attempt when a group of militants tried to cross a river flowing close to the international border in Jammu's Samba sector.

Defence spokesman Lt Colonel J.S. Brar said the security forces had strengthened the counter-infiltration mechanism on the LoC that had suffered damage during the winter because of snowfall. “That is why most of the militants are being gunned down near the LoC and they do not succeed in crossing into the hinterland,” he said.

But it is learnt from sources that many militants had already entered the Valley. “Around 195 militants have managed to infiltrate into the Valley in the past seven months against the 84 in the corresponding period last year. Some of them have been killed or arrested but most are active,” an official said. He said 370 militants were active in Kashmir and that more than 40 per cent of them were foreigners. “This is in addition to 70 unlisted militants (unidentified but accounted for),” he added.

Although militant violence has come down substantially over the years, officials said a year of unrest that began with the Amarnath land row had helped the rebels, who were now back in a position to carry out attacks with ease. “Our counter-insurgency grid has been disturbed as our focus has been to quell street protests. In the process, the militants have regrouped and consolidated their position,” an official said.

infiltration

Trends: 194 crossed over in 4 months

reported to be under illegal occupation. Officials said the 12,066 sq km of forest was in Jammu region while in Kashmir it was 8,128 sq kms. Ladakh region has just 36 sq km of forest.

In Jammu, about 95 sq km of forests are under encroachment, while in the Kashmir valley, it is about 49 sq km. It said encroachment on over 0.54 sq km has been removed in Jammu, while 18.65 sq km forest has been restored to department after evicting illegal occupations.

GREEN COVER

substantially under occupation


DIP/J-2881

I N F O C U S

Budget 2009-10


the budget in paying salary-bill of the interest payments and servicing of debt he budget 2009-10 estimates the state. At present the state has over 3.32 (budget estimate) compared to 2007-fiscal deficit for the current year T lakh employees on its rolls. On the main 08. For the fiscal 2008-09 J&K was at Rs 2081 crore. Looking back items of expenditure, the current year's expected to spend a sum of Rs 160,055 past year figures provide a grim picture non-plan salary provision is Rs 6,594 lakh (budgeted estimates) on interest for the state's fiscal position. The fiscal crore in comparison to Rs 4,973 crore of payments and servicing of debt, while deficit for the year 2006-07 (Pre-actual) past year. Additional provision of Rs 121 as in 2007-08 the state had actually [RE] was Rs 1509 crores, the same figure crore has been kept for salaries of spent a huge amount of Rs 203,236 lakh for 2007-08 was Rs 2666 crore and for migrant employees. (revised estimates) for the same. While the year 2008-09 (BE) it stood at Rs 2330

this year the present coalition govern-Power sector is another major con-crore.ment has kept the provision for pay-cern for J&K, wherein the state has To further worsen the state's fiscal ment of interest at Rs 1,729 crore in failed miserably in bringing deficit due position this year the government has comparison to last year's figure of Rs to it down. Previous government man-already reached an agreement with the 1,602 crore. There was an immediate aged a zero deficit budget by taking out employee representatives for the need to restructure the debt of the power bill and put it separately as implementation of 6th Pay Commission. state as it adversely affects the state 'power budget', which hardly helped the The move is expected to put further expenditure, and the current budget in state to bring down its electrical energy strain on the already scares resources of this regard has not done much.bill but could be termed as 'good win-state exchequer which would require Rs

dow dressing'. The state has already the Every day the state spends crores 4200 crore for meeting the expenses of gap between expenditure incurred on of rupees more than it receives in reve-the pay commission. Finance Minister purchase of electrical energy and revenue. Red ink is projected at Rs 1,729 (FM), Abdul Rahim Rather, too ascer-nue collected has nearly doubled from crore for this year alone. Not only for tains this by saying, “The state has Rs 767 crore during the year 2003-04 to the current budget cycle but for years fewer resources available at present Rs 1,406 crore during last year. to come, J&K must come to grips with and the financial position of the state

budget gaps and bring the present debt The interest payments and servic-has been meticulously presented before level to a sustainable level to expect ing of debt figures of J&K has gone up by the 13th Finance Commission. We are least.an alarming amount in the fiscal 2008-hopeful that very soon the state would

09. Rising interest costs and debt have Present government has put some be given adequate funds so that other cast a shadow on the financial health of Additional Resources Mobilization demands of the employees could be ful-the state. According to a report by the (ARM) in form of increasing taxes in cer-filled.”

tain sectors while leaving others. The Reserve Bank of India for the fiscal To mention for the fiscal 2008-09 current level of consumption of petrol 2008-09 J&K figures show an increase on the state spends about 60 per cent of

BILAL HUSSAIN

OPINION

Ensure Taxpayers' Money Goes to Programmes that Work

The state of Jammu and Kashmir is mired in fiscal problems that cannot be covered up with the usual state budget fixes. The state has entered an unprecedented epoch of permanent fiscal crisis that demands real leadership and decisive action, which unfortunately current budget to larger extent is not endowed with. Nothing less than the solvency of the state is at stake.

in J&K is over 14 crore litres. The Rs 1.60 crore annually.

increase of cess to Rs 3 per litre is From all the above raise of

likely to yield additional revenue of taxes none of the sector yields more

Rs 28 crore per annum and about Rs than Rs 50 crore. But the sectors left

18 crore in the current financial year. out by the state government that

takes away huge capital from the FM proposed an employment

state are exempted, what for? All cess of Rs 1 per litre on diesel. The

these tax raises has ultimately to current level of consumption of this

come from poor denizens of the commodity is about 46 crore litres

state. per annum. Therefore, the proposed

Why are sectors that make huge measure is likely to yield annual reve-

profits from the state are left out nue of Rs 46 crore per annum and

l ike telecom sector (mobile additional revenue of Rs 30 crore in

companies), which at current takes the current financial year.

away huge sum of Rs 1000 crore In case of liquor the rate of GST annually from the state, a tax rate of on liquor is currently 20%. FM pro-10% would earn Rs 100 crore for posed to increase the same to 25%. state. This sector hardly makes a As such, estimates of expected addi-mention in the current budget.tional revenue on this account are

Outside private banks that placed at Rs 21.50 crore per annum hardly manage the required credit and Rs.15 crore in the current finan-deposit ratio in the state, scarcely cial years.lend to priority sector, and even they Nearly 1.32 crore poultry table shy away in lending to productive birds are being brought from outside purposes (Business lending). Why the state annually. As adequate num-can't state think of putting penalties bers of day old chicks are not avail-in form huge sums, which again able within the state, the poultry could provide the state huge sums?rearing units are also importing

What about the insurance sec-around 2.38 crore day old chicks tor operational here why can state which are subjected to toll tax at Rs put some tax on them too who have a 1 per chick. FM proposed to exempt market base of over Rs 1500 crore in import of day old chicks from pay-the state.ment of toll tax and increase the

Why left the automobile sector, rate of toll tax on poultry birds from put heavy import duty on them too existing Rs 2 per bird to Rs 5 per kg. this also could prove a good annual The net additional revenue on this resource for state. And many other account is expected to be around Rs sectors wherein the state gets lesser 4 crore per annum which will be uti-benefits compared to outside states. lized for development of poultry sec-

As of now, I think it is time to tor within the state.reform government at all levels and Nearly 16 lakh sheep & goats make it more accountable. What we are being imported from outside the need is different approach to bud-state annually to meet the local mut-geting, turning from what we cut to ton requirement. FM proposed what we keep. In short, making sure enhancement of toll tax on sheep taxpayers' money goes to programs and goats from the existing rate of that work, that taxpayers can afford Rs 25 per head to Rs 35 per head. and people need.This may yield additional revenue of


Every day the state spends crores

of rupees more than it receives in

revenue. Red ink is projected at

Rs 1,729 crore for this year

alone. Not only for the current

budget cycle but for years to

come, J&K must come to grips

with budget gaps and bring the

present debt level to a sustainable

level to expect least.

***********

J&K spends about 60 per cent of

the budget in paying salary-bill

of the state. At present the state

has over 3.32 lakh employees on

its rolls. On the main items of

expenditure, the current year's

non-plan salary provision is Rs

6,594 crore in comparison to Rs

4,973 crore of past year.

Additional provision of Rs 121

crore has been kept for salaries of

migrant employees

*********

The current level of consumption

of petrol in J&K is over 14 crore

litres. The increase of cess to Rs 3

per litre is likely to yield

additional revenue of Rs 28 crore

per annum and about Rs 18

crore in the current financial year

I N F O C U SBudget 2009-10


reaking a six-year long precedence, the Finance Minister Abdul BRahim Rather

reflected in his budget proposals for 2009-10 the way things existed. His two predecessors between 2002 and 2008 –Muzaffar Hussain Baig and Tariq Hameed Qarra –brought in a unique concept of Zero Deficit Budget which would always come for severe criticism from Rather as leader of Opposition. As he returns to present ninth Budget of his career, Rather has clearly shown the deficit which, of course, is on declining trend. A vast majority across Jammu and Kashmir has largely given their word for Rather's budget but there are some exceptions also, particularly coming from industry and trade sector and also from millions of employment seekers. A reading into Rather's budget speech in the Legislative Assembly on August 10 gives a reflection of ideas that remained at the back of his mind since January 2009 when he took over as the Finance Minister and sought more time (state Budget is normally presented in the month of March) to touch upon the ground realities. Excerpts from the speech make it simple for everyone to understand as how rupee is coming and where is it going:

BUDGET 2009-10

Budget 2009-10I N F O C U S


he state needed a liberal annual outlay to make up the erosions in

resource base. To the advantage of state, the Planning Commission have Tformulated a massive plan of action which may enable J&K to access

development expenditure upto Rs.10,000 crore under various programmes.

The State Plan outlay has been fixed at Rs.5500 crore in comparison to Rs.4500

crore of last year indicating a 22.22% jump in money terms. In real terms, the

increase is much more if the transfers made from plan to non-plan are taken

into account. The State plan outlay has been topped by a provision of Rs.1200

crore under PMRP. For the first time, the government have proposed the

highest ever allocation of Rs.643 crore to meet 100% requirements of the State

share for various centrally sponsored schemes which will enable the state to

access about Rs.1800 to 1900 crore of the central share. A sum of Rs.220 crore

provided under PMRP as counter part state share will enable us to raise

matching World Bank loans under Economic Reconstruction Agency (ERA). The

flow of funds under various Central mega flagship schemes like JNNURM,

NRHM, NREGA, SSY, RGVY etc shall be over and above the figures mentioned

above. “What is more important”, says the Finance Minister “is the fact that

the resources for funding the state plan outlay, Centrally Sponsored Schemes

and other programmes have been fully tied up and thus the current year's plan

is fully funded”.

Fully Funded Plan

Growth Rate of GSDP at current prices was higher at 16.28% in 1996-97 as compared to 10.89% from 2002 onwards Growth rate of GSDP at constant prices was 20.93% in 1996-97 as compared to 5.64% from 2002 onwards

Year GSDP at current price GSDP at constant price

2001-02 Rs. 18039.35 crore Rs. 16530.81 crore

2007-08 Rs. 31793.04 crore Rs. 23060.48 crore

Annual Growth Rate 10.89% p.a 5.64% p.a.

1996-97 Rs. 9124.34 crore Rs. 7327.40 crore

2001-02 Rs. 18039.35 crore Rs. 16530.81 crore

Annual Growth Rate 16.28% p.a 20.93% p.a

thAt the beginning of 11 Five

Year Plan, the growth rate for

the current financial year 2009-

10 for the state was targeted at

8%. However, the growth rate

achieved during the first two th

financial years of 11 FYP

indicates that the stiff target of

8% for 2009-10 appears

difficult to be achieved. It is

expected that the state economy

will clock growth around 7% in

2009-10.

[email protected]


The rate of growth of During the 4-year

our GSDP and our per period given by the

capita income which Twelfth Finance

used to be ahead of all Commission, the

India average, six to government did not

eight years ago, have meet the FRBM targets

fallen behind and consistently by the prescribed dead line,

remained below the national which was 31 March 2009.

average afterwards. Therefore, we have been denied

debt relief estimated at Rs.473

crore recommended under the

Twelfth Finance Commission The gap between

Award. We also lost an amount of expenditure incurred on

Rs.229 crore as the government purchase of electrical

did not hold Panchayat elections. energy and revenue

Further, the revenue gap grants collected has nearly

for the current financial year doubled from Rs.767

available under the Award are crore during the year 2003-04 to

about Rs.100 crore lower than the Rs.1,406 crore during last year.

revenue gap grant received last

year.

The fiscal deficit

touched a high of Rs.

Plan revenue 2,666 crore, during the

expenditure of nearly year 2007-08.

Rs.1200 crore was

shifted to non-plan

during a three-year

period commencing In a normal situation we with 2006-07. For this purpose plan should have received resources were also transferred to Rs.200 to Rs.250 crore non-plan. These transfers now more in the current form part of the non-plan gap as year on account of our no additional resources were share in the central mobilized during these years taxes. It has been, instead reduced specifically to take care of this by about Rs.105 crore in the current additional burden. year due to economic slow down.


TEN CHALLENGESAs seen by Finance Minister

1CHALLENGE

2CHALLENGE

3CHALLENGE

4CHALLENGE

5CHALLENGE

6CHALLENGE

ÄThe target growth rates set for the state's economy at the

thbeginning of the 11 FYP were 7% for 2007-08 and 7.5% for the year 2008-09. The growth rate for the state is increasing surely but slowly over the years and still lags behind the national level growth rate.

ÄThe Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) at factor cost works out for J&K to be Rs 24471.31 crores, indicative of a growth of 6.12% in 2008-09 as compared to the growth of 6.28% in 2007-08 (Advance estimates).

ÄThe Per Capita Income for the state during 2007-08 at constant (1999-00) prices works out to be Rs. 20604/- only as against the Per Capita Income of Rs 27442/- at all India level for the same period.


A huge amount of Rs.917 crore due for payment to National

Small Savings Fund (NSSF) on account of loans taken by the State

Government was not provided for in the relevant financial years.

The Government then borrowed from the market to clear the

liability. The burden of this additional borrowing has fallen on

the subsequent years including the current one.


ÄDistrict Srinagar, Jammu and Kathua are among the top three ranked districts in terms of Gross Per Capita Income of Rs. 30052/-, Rs. 28712/- and Rs. 27696/- respectively whileas Kargil is the lowest ranked district with Rs. 11922/- precedted by Kupwara and Leh districts with Gross Per Capita Income of Rs. 16360/- and Rs. 20237/- respectively at Current Prices of 2005-06

ÄContribution of Primary Sectors, Secondary and tertiary sectors to the GSDP for 2008-09 (pre) has been 25.82%, 28.29% and 45.89% respectively while as at all India level, the contribution of these sectors to GDP was 20.55%, 24.71% and 54.74% respectively as per figures of 2006-07.

ÄThe Per Capita Plan expenditure during 2007-08 and 2008-09 works out to be Rs. 3613/- and Rs. 3815/- respectively as compared to the Per Capita Plan outlay of Rs. 3254/- at national level for 2007-08 (RE

7CHALLENGE

Sixth

Central Pay

Commission

report has

also fallen

in our way

in the current financial

year. The Government

has to bear an additional

burden of Rs.1067 crore

for the 8 months of the

current financial year on

account of increased

salaries and pension.

Funds received from various

Ministries in Government of

India under Centrally Sponsored

Schemes were not authorized in

time and got temporarily re-

appropriated towards meeting

non-development expenses. We have

identified, authorised and revalidated

about Rs.550 crore in the current financial

year to make up for the previous short falls

and thus restored our credibility before the

concerned Ministries. Obviously, it has

resulted into additional strain on our

current year's budgetary resources.

The three-year life of Power Reform Grant amounting to

Rs.1300 crore per annum given by the Centre to the

previous government came to an end on 31 March 2009.

No such grant is now available in the current financial

year.

The biggest challenge before Jammu and Kashmir is to boost the economic

activities to catch up with national growth rate and per capita income. There

is an urgent need to control large scale flight of capital for mass procurement

of a wide variety of consumption goods such as food grains, pulses, spices,

oils, mutton, poultry, eggs, processed food, clothing, energy, building

materials and other utility items. For this purpose, it is important to focus

energies and resources on increasing local production and thus expanding the

employment base by improving our productivity, profitability and

competitiveness. Therefore, the Finance Minister says, “we intend to adopt a

cluster approach in order to concentrate our resources on such clusters and

obtain quicker results. In all-important fields, private participation shall not

only be encouraged but also pro-actively promoted”.

Biggest Challenge


9CHALLENGE

8CHALLENGE

10C H A L L E N G E

n the current year's plan of Rs.5,500 crore, the Revenue expenditure is estimated at Rs.653 crore and capital expenditure at

Rs.4,847 crore. The government have decided to give special thrust to the Sectors of Agriculture & Allied Activity, Irrigation, ITransport, Social Services including Health & Education and General Services including World Bank funded development

programmes of ERA. The exact increases in various Sectors shall get crystallized after tie up with the concerned Ministries in the

Government of India in respect of Centrally Sponsored Schemes & with the funding agencies in case of tied up allocations. To that

extent, the increases reflected in the sectoral outlays are to be taken as tentative. The allocation for agriculture and allied

activities has been proposed about 30% higher from previous year's level of Rs.151.96 crore to Rs.197.30 crore in current year. The

allocation in the Irrigation and Flood Control Sector has been kept 122% higher from the last year's level of Rs.208.85 crore to

Rs.464.33 crore in the current year. The allocation in the Transport Sector is proposed to be tentatively enhanced by 90% from the

previous level of Rs.486.20 crore to Rs.923.99 crore in the current year. The allocation in the Social Services Sector is proposed to

be increased by 42.87% from the level of Rs.1089.17 crore to Rs.1556 crore. The General Services are proposed to get enhanced

allocation of Rs.638 crore representing an increase of 36.62% over the previous year's level of Rs.467 crore.

ÄThe current year's total receipts have been estimated at passengers are expected to reach Rs.316 crore in

Rs. 22,739 crore in comparison to last year's figure of comparison to Rs.297 crore of last year.

Rs.19,077 crore. In the current fiscal, Rs.19,462 crore ÄThe non-tax revenue has been estimated at Rs.1219 crore

are expected as revenue receipts and Rs.3,277 crore as as against the corresponding budgeted figure of Rs.1127

capital receipts. The current year's total revenue crore of last year.

expenditure is estimated at Rs.14,949 crore, indicating a ÄMarket borrowings for the current year have been kept at revenue-surplus of Rs.4,513 crore. The total capital Rs.818 crore in comparison to Rs.1264 crore of last year. expenditure is estimated at Rs.7,790 crore. The fiscal Institutional loans for funding capital expenditure and deficit is estimated to come down to Rs.2,081 crore share in National Small Savings have been assumed at representing 5.4% of our current year's estimated GSDP last year's levels of Rs.700 crore and Rs.453 crore in comparison to 6.9% of last year. respectively.

ÄThe total tax revenue of the State is estimated at ÄOn the main items of expenditure, the current year's non-Rs.3,111 crore for the current financial year as against plan salary provision is Rs.6,594 crore in comparison to Rs.2,693 crore of last year. The tax GSDP ratio is Rs.4,973 crore of last year. Additional provision of Rs.121 expected to improve to 11.2% in comparison to 11.0% of crore has been kept for salaries of migrant employees. The last year. The VAT collections are estimated at Rs.2,066 provision for payment of interest has been kept at crore as against Rs.1,853 crore of last year indicating an Rs.1,729 crore in comparison to last year's figure of increase of 15%. The State Excise is expected to yield Rs.1,602 crore. Provision for purchase of electrical energy Rs.260 crore in the current year as against the budgeted is Rs.1,996 crore. Rs.1,412 crore have been provided to figure of Rs.250 crore of last year. Taxes on goods and meet expenditure on pension and retirement benefits.


Annual Plan

Broad Parameters

Growth Rate of Per Capita Income at constant prices during 1996-97to 2001-02 at 16.25% as compared to 3.95% from 2002 onwards

2001-02 Rs. 13784.00 crore

2007-08 Rs. 17590.00 crore

Growth Rate 3.95% p.a

1996-97 Rs. 6978.00 crore

2001-02 Rs. 13784.00 crore



Kashmir has developed varieties of hough the Primary Sector's T wheat seed to suit such climate and contribution in the GSDP has introduced a new 'rice-wheat rotation' slipped down to 26%, its importance technique. For the forthcoming Rabi cannot be over-emphasized as it season, the government shall focus on sustains 75% of our rural population and popular iz ing th i s programme. 50 % of our work force. The main areas Availability of manpower and pressure of concern are low Seed Replacement on time of successive agricultural Rate, inadequate double cropping and operations prove to be important sub-optimal use of other inputs. constraints against double cropping. A large part of agricultural areas of the Accordingly, the government has state including Kashmir Valley have proposed 25% subsidy on the cost of been traditionally presumed to be p o w e r t h r a s h e r s a n d p a d d y single crop areas. Even crops like transplanters under Agriculture Farm mustards, oilseeds and fodders have Mechanization Scheme to effectively not drawn 100% attention of the deal with these twin problems. farmers in double cropping. SKUAST,


ÄPlan Size of Rs.

25833.98 crore agreed thfor 11 FYP period is

78.16% higher than

plan size of Rs. th14500.00 crore of 10

FYP. Energy with Rs.

8196.95 crore is the

priority sector for

development followed

by Social Services sector

with an outlay of Rs.

6501.40 crore and

General Economic

Services and Transport

with outlays of

2740.98 crore and Rs.

2660.81 crore

respectively.

ÄBudget estimates of the

state for 2008-09 stood

at Rs. 18466.00 crore

which is 15.81% more

than 2007-08 figures.

ÄEstimated

disbursements for the

year 2008-09 were

placed at Rs. 12428.00

crore under non-plan

budget and Rs.

6038.00 crore under

plan budget.

KEY SECTORS Importance and allocations

Agriculture & Allied Sectors:


For Horticulture sector, the current year's proposed outlay is Rs.13.82 crore in

comparison to Rs.12.65 crore allocated last year. The department will substantially

increase the availability of high-density plantation material over its present level of

nearly 2 lakh saplings per annum by

involving private sector and ensuring

quality control. Production of apricots in

Kargil & Leh, cherries, strawberries,

plums in Kashmir Valley and other regions

with similar agro climatic conditions, olive

in Uri and Ramban areas, pears in the

Districts of Poonch and Rajouri and other

areas having similar agro climatical

conditions, sub-tropical fruits in the areas

of Jammu Division and cultivation of minor fruit crops in the wastelands and Kandi

areas shall be given priority. Production of saffron, siyah zeera, aromatic plants and

herbs shall be given the much needed boost. Agriculture Production Department and

Planning Department shall arrange to carry out economic analysis of various

commercial operations to determine their sustainability and to identify the areas

where additional government support is required. A cluster approach shall be

adopted for expanding production and improving productivity.

Airport Authority of India has Over 840 growers have been registered conveyed no objection to the transfer by the Floriculture Department, each of land to the Directorate of having green house facilities of at Floriculture for setting up of cooling least 2 kanals. These registered chambers. Request has been made to growers have made a good beginning APEDA to provide necessary financial by selling flowers in the markets support to start work on this project, outside the state. The government which will help in exports of shall actively and financially help perishable commodities like cut them to explore the export market in flowers, delicate fresh fruits and trout the Middle East by taking advantage of fish etc.international airport at Srinagar. The


ÄThe State Government resorted to an overdraft (OD) of Rs. 2299.53 crore from J&K Bank as ways and means (WAM) facility to meet temporary mismatches in liquidity during 2008-09.

ÄWith the successful introduction of the VAT in the state, the tax revenue has increased by 42.25% from Rs. 1799.00 crore in 2006-07 to Rs. 2559.00 crore as per actuals for 2007-08. For the year 2008-09, the tax revenue has been estimated to be Rs. 2693.00 crore which indicates 5.24% increase over 2007-08 actuals.

Ä59.72%, 31.42%, 8.68% and 0.18% disbursements were meant for revenue account, capital account, interest payments and loan disbursements respectively during 2008-09.

Current year's allocation for horticulture sector is Rs. 13.82 crore against Rs. 12.65 crore last fiscal.

Horticulture:

Growth rate of Net State Domestic Product (NSDP) at constant price during1996-97 to 2001-02 at 20.74% as compared to 5.54% from 2002 onwards

2001-02 Rs. 14184.90 crore

2007-08 Rs. 19687.08 crore


1996-97 Rs. 6320.65 crore

2001-02 Rs. 14184.90 crore


Commercial Floriculture


Kashmir Silk was always rated as of the only 25 to 30% of the total production

best quality but immediately after de- and the rest of the cocoons are sold

monopolisation of the industry around outside the state. A corpus fund is in

the year 1988-89, it was severely operation for market intervention,

damaged during the period of running silk exchange and cocoon bank.

militancy. After its partial revival, the The Finance Minister has announced

industry still sustains about 22000 rural formation of a Multi Task Force comprising

families in 2150 villages producing 8 of experts from all the relevant fields to look

lakh kgs of cocoons valued at nearly into various aspects of mulberriculture,

Rs.7 crore. The local silk units consume sericulture, weaving and silk industry.

The state is woefully short in developing our animal and sheep

meeting its requirements of mutton, husbandry sectors. An embryo

poultry meat, eggs and woolens. t r a n s f e r t e c h n o l o g y i s o n

Presently we are importing nearly 16 experimental stage to develop a

lakh sheep annually for meeting the muttonous breed of sheep named

shortage of mutton. We intend to Dorper. Results are expected towards

adopt a holistic approach in the end of August, 2009.


ÄAs on December 2008,

944 bank branches of

all Scheduled

Commercial Banks

were functioning in

J&K, constituting

1.21% of total banking

network of 77750

banks in the country.

ÄAgainst deposits of Rs.

25885.00 crore, the

Scheduled Commercial

Banks have made

advances of Rs.

12846.00 crore as on

December 2008 with

CDR of 49.63% in the

state as against the

CDr of 74.76% in the

country during the same

period.

Ä80.38 of the reporting

area constituted the net

area sown of the state

during 2007-08,

41.97% and 40.85% of

the net area sown and

gross area sown

respectively was

irrigated for 2007-08.

Sericulture Industry:

J&K's annual cocoon production is estimated at 8 lakh kgs valued at Rs. 7 crore. Cocoon rearing sustains livelihood of 22000 rural families in 2150

villages. The consumption in local silk units in only upto 30%, therefore, rest of it

has to be sold outside state.

Annual mutton consumption in J&K is of the order of around Rs. 1300 crore. Around 3.5 million sheep and goat are slaughtered a year and half of them are imported, mainly from Gujarat.

Animal Husbandry Sector


The import of poultry birds is estimated

at 1.30 Crores annually. The quantity of

eggs imported annually is estimated at

50 Crore. The consumption potential is

estimated between 200 to 300 Crore.

The Government intends to adopt a

multi pronged strategy for increasing

the production of poultry meat and

eggs. Rearing capacity of day old chicks

in the government farms shall be fully

utilized and establishment of hatcheries

in the private sector shall be

encouraged. Import of day old chicks

shall be facilitated so long as local

production capacity of day old chicks is

improved to meet full requirement of

poultry farms. The poultry department

shall also work out the feasibility of promoting

large-scale hatcheries for breeding of

improved parent stock equipped with R&D

facilities, in PPP mode.

Emphasis is on completion of the ongoing road programmes in the current and the

next financial years. The progress of works under PMGSY so far has been very slow

and the government vows to provide special attention and full funding for completion

of all on going projects in the plan. Power is prime infrastructural requirement.

Depending upon the progress of various Hydel Projects, namely Baglihar II, Sawalakot,

Ganderbal, Parnai and those in other places allocated to JKSPDC, full funding shall be

ensured in the plan of current year. Effort shall also be made to complete detailed

project reports, clearances from various Ministries & organizations, and complete

other formalities in respect of other approved projects.


ÄCredit Deposit ratio

(CDR) in the state is

improving over the

years but its dispersal

among the districts is

not encouraging.

Ending December

2008, the highest

Credit Deposit Ratio

was observed for

Srinagar district with

84.65% followed by

Shopian with 59.62%.

Lowest credit deposit

ratio of 15.12% was

observed for Kargil

district, the next two

low ranking districts in

the credit-deposit ratio

are Kishtwar (15.98%)

and Ramban (19.06%)

ÄCropping intensity for

2005-06 in the state

was 150.05% as

against 135.88%

intensity in country for

the same period. The

cropping intensity has

further increased in the

state to 154.49%

during 2007-08.

Poultry

Annual consumption of eggs in J&K is estimated between 200 to 300 crore. 50 crore are imported.

Infrastructure

Revenue realized during 1997-98 to 2001-02 at 34.48%as compared to 23.54% from 2002 onwards

2001-02 Rs. 460.84 crore

2007-08 Rs. 1328.45 crore


1996-97 Rs. 169.18 crore

2001-02 Rs. 460.84 crore



Health and Education sectors are

centric to human development policy.

Primary education for all children with

focus on female literacy and 100%

adult literacy in a short time frame

are government's avowed goals. The

plan allocations for elementary

education are proposed to be

increased to Rs.358 crore from last

year's level of Rs.169 crore. Higher

and Technical Education sector is

also being given similar treatment.

Primary Health care is basic to

human development and secondary

and tertiary sectors meet critical

needs of the families. The Primary

Health Services Sector is proposed to

receive enhanced plan allocation of

Rs.164 crore in current year in

comparison to Rs.105 crore of last

year. Meanwhile, Rs.40 crore are

being exclusively earmarked under

State plan for Dal development during

the current year. Forestry sector is

proposed to be given Rs.27.50 crore in

comparison to Rs.24.50 crore of last

year.


ÄOn an average one

bank is available per

107.40 Sq Km and

13000 people. These

figures for the country

work out to be 40.73

Sq Km and 15000

people.

Ä68% bank advances are

received by Jammu

(24%) and Srinagar

(44%) districts leaving

thereby only 32%

advances to be shared

by the remaining 20

districts of the state.

ÄJammu and Kashmir

economy continues to be

predominantly agrarian

although the

contribution of

agriculture and its

allied sectors towards

GSDP has decreased

from 51.05% in 1980-

81 to 31% in 1999-00

and then 27% in 2007-

08. Individual share of

agriculture in GDSP is

estimated to be 8 to

9%.

Plan allocation for Primary Health Services has been hiked to Rs. 164 crore against Rs. 105 Crore last fiscal.

Plan allocation for elementary education has been hiked to Rs. 358 crore against Rs. 169 crore last fiscal.

Social SectorSCHOOLS WITHOUT BUILDINGS

Rajouri 580

Baramulla 538

Anantnag 508

Kupwara 498

Badgam 488

Kathua 452

Kishtwar 341

Kulgam 314

Srinagar 285

Ramban 280

Bandipora 268

Pulwama 240

Ganderbal 147

Shopian 105

Kargil 104

Poonch 84

Jammu 71

Doda 61

Reasi 18

Udhampur 18

Leh 10

Samba 2


Parks in the private sector are coming

up at Ghatti and Govindsar in Kathua

district over 240 kanals of land with

investment of Rs.337 crore, for 56

number of units expected to generate

direct employment for 4000 persons to

be engaged in spinning, weaving,

processing, garmenting and ancillary

activities as also indirect employment

to another 4000 persons. Two clusters

of cricket bat units and wood based

industry are being promoted at Sangam

and Bagh - i - A l i Ma rdan khan

respectively. A silkcum-textile park is The present contribution of trade and

being promoted at Zakoora. industry to GSDP is 28.29%. The

government intends to exploit raw Rejuvenat ing the exist ing

materials located in the backward Industrial units is as necessary as

regions by promoting local industry creation of new units. In this behalf,

through clusters of industrial units in the government proposes to create two

identified thrust areas like food special rehabilitation task forces for

p roces s i ng , tex t i l e s , l ea ther revival of sick units on fast track basis.

processing, handicrafts, handlooms, The Industrial Estates lying closed shall

minerals, Information Technology and be reactivated and their dilapidated

many others. A new shelf of techno- infrastructure shall be upgraded.

economic feasibility reports shall be Efforts are being made to spot

prepared for this purpose and Special additional 20,000 kanals of wasteland

Purpose Vehicles shall be created to for creation of a land bank for new

implement such cluster schemes. Land industrial units, particularly in the

measuring 500 kanals has been backward areas. Efforts are also being

earmarked for Leather Zone in made to locate a big chunk of

Industrial Growth Centre, Lassipora. A wasteland where a special industrial

Common Effluent Treatment Plant zone can be created.

(CETP) is under construction under the The Directorate of Geology and

guidance of Central Leather Research Mining, which has become defunct is

Institute (CLRI) at a cost of Rs.642 lacs being re-activated to prospect, explore

with 50% funding by Government of and identify new mineral deposits of

India. The CETP is expected to be the State. The viable economic units of

completed by March, 2010. Two Textile the public sector undertakings shall be

revived. The uneconomic units shall be

closed down and the staff given another

opportunity to avail of Golden

Handshake Scheme.

The trade and industry have been

highlighting their problems connected

with compliance of various procedures,

processes and regulations. In order to


thÄAs per 4 advance

estimates, foodgrains

production in the state

during 2008-09 is

projected to increase to

16275 thousand

quintals which will

record 3.62% increase

over foodgrains

production of 15707

thousand quintals for

2007-08.

ÄAverage holding size of

0.67 hectare for the

state and 1.32 hectares

for the country has been

recorded by 2000-01

Agriculture Census.

ÄContribution of

agriculture and allied

sectors to GSDP is

estimated to be 27% for

2007-08 as against the

all India average of

about 21% for 2006-

07. Horticulture

accounts for nearly

45% returns of

agriculture sector in the

state.

Industries

Present contribution of J&K's trade and industry to state's GSDP is 28.29%

Two private sector Textile Parks are coming up in Kathua district with investment of Rs. 337 crore. 56 upcoming units are expected to direct/indirect employment for 8000 persons.


attend to such issues on a continuous the mandatory inspections, filing of

basis, the Finance Minister has returns and other connected matters

proposed to create a standing forum in faced by them under various laws,

the form of an inter-ministerial group including barrriers in free movement of

of officers in association with all Stake rawmaterials and trade goods. The

holders. The Forum will look into the Forum shall devise procedural and IT

desirability of dispensing with some of Solutions to such problems.

With the democratic decentralization,

the Urban Local Bodies have been

empowered to take charge of local self

government. Their performance and

initiative in some areas of public

concern is indeed being appreciated.

However, voices are also being raised

by some quarters alleging delays in or

denial of building permission in some arise if the Local Bodies adopt cases, condonation of violation of absolutely transparent systems, building bylaws in some other cases, simplify the procedures, go for lack of sanitation and cleanliness complete automation in a time bound within the municipal areas, in- manner and create an efficient sufficient system of redressal of mechanism of redressal of public grievances, etc. In respect of one Municipal grievances. Therefore, the Finance Committee, the industrial units have Minister has offered to extend alleged harassment in the name of government support including financial charging of lorry adda fee from them help for making visible improvements even if they claim to be not connected in these areas. I hope that our local with the use of such lorry adda. bodies shall respond to this gesture

It is for the concerned local well in time so that IT based better and municipal bodies to investigate as to smoother systems of e-Governance are what extent such allegations are in place before the Award of the correct and to provide remedies as may Thirteenth Finance Commission for be required. We in the government feel Urban Local Bodies becomes operative that many of such grievances would not w.e.f. 1st April, 2010.


ÄFruit production of

state for 2008-09 was

16.91 lakh tones

posting an increase of

3.36% over 2007-08

fruit production.

ÄDuring 2008-09,

11.17 lakh tones of fruit

were exported outside

the state of which

98.57% was of fresh

fruits. Foreign exchange

earnings on export of

dry fruit for 2007-08

were Rs. 161.44 crore.

ÄThere was 23908

functional SSI units in

the State providing

employment to around

one lakh persons ending

March 2009 as against

22937 units ending

March 2008.

thÄAs per the 5 Economic

Census-2005, there

were 324908

establishments in the

state as against

41826989

establishments in the

country.

Urban Local Bodies

State is looking for 20,000 kanals of wasteland in rural areas for creation of industrial estates.

Growth Rate of Interest Payment on Borrowings during 1997-98 to 2001-02 at 2.28% p.a as compared to 8.75% p.a from 2002 onwards

2002-03 Rs. 142.17 crore

2008-09 Rs. 229.26 crore


1997-98 Rs. 117.47 crore

2001-02 Rs. 130.88 crore



The government is proceeding ahead with its

plan to prepare a vision document and a Master

Plan for sustainable tourism in the long terms

perspective. Offers stand already invited from

the prospective consultants for the purpose and

the same are under examination by a Committee

constituted in this behalf. In the meanwhile, the

policy of private Sector investment in all fields of

Tourism, including promotion of guest-house

facilities, with the government playing the role

of promoter and facilitator, shall continue. The

Hotel industry has already been given tax relief on hotel tariff.


ÄThe number of workers

in the establishments

was 751532 as

compared to

100904121 workers in

the country.

Ä19.95% of the

geographical area

(Jammu region

45.89%, Kashmir

region 50.97% and

Ladakh region 0.06%)

on this side of the

control line is under

forest. This ratio for the

country is 24.47%.

However, the prescribed

ratio of forest area for

the Hill states is 67%.

ÄWhile establishments

grew at the rate of

6.03% (Jammu and

Kashmir) and 4.69%

(India) per annum

during 1998-2005, the

corresponding rate of

growth in the

employment was 6.85%

(Jammu and Kashmir)

and 2.78% (India).

Tourism

This important rural employment scheme started in 2005 has been widely welcomed

at the national level. The implementation of this scheme in Jammu and Kashmir has

potential for further improvement. So far the government have registered 4.98 lakh

rural households and employment equivalent to 80 lakh person-days has been

generated last year under this scheme for 2

l a k h r u r a l households. One 1.7 lakh

Bank Account s have been opened so far

so that payments of wages are made

through Banks. A sum of Rs. 87 crore has

b e e n u t i l i z e d during last year. The

government now intends to generate 5

crore person-days in near future under this

Scheme and take the utilization of funds to

ten times at the level of Rs 800 crore. Enhancement of the existing wage rate under

NREGS from Rs.70 per day to Rs.110 per day has been proposed with immediate effect

for which necessary notification shall be issued under the Minimum Wages Act.

Setting a new trend, the daily wage of workers under NREG scheme has been hiked from Rs. 70 to Rs. 110.

NREGS

J&K has already earned accolades from of information of inter and intrastate

Empowered Committee of State level are expected to be in place by

Finance Ministers for efficient December, 2009.

implementation of VAT regime. The To give a push to the long pending

successful implementation of this complete computerization of treasury

regime depends on gathering of accounts in the first phase and all

information from other sources and by government accounts subsequently in a

cross verification of interstate and time bound manner is essential for good

intrastate transactions. Therefore, governance, the work has been

complete automat ion o f the assigned to J&K e-Governance

Department has been taken in hand at a Authority which has initiated similar

cost of Rs.20 crore. The major aspect of projects for Transport and Election

processing of returns and cross linking Departments as well.

Tax Management,Modernization


The traders have been confronting a law abiding dealers. “I accordingly

genuine problem of penal action by the accept this demand. The rule shall be

authorities for non compliance of rules modified accordingly”, said the FM.

which were notified much after the Rule 77 dealing with registration

date of commencement of the VAT Act of appeals requires that report of

in the State. Unfortunately, this assessing authority shall be obtained

problem has not been addressed so before proceeding with any appeal. A

far. Obviously, the traders cannot be demand has been made that in case of

penalized for violation of rules which delay in supplying this information,

did not exist but were later on given the appellate authority should

retrospective effect. The Finance proceed without such report, on the

Minister has announced a scheme of basis of information furnished by the

general amnesty for all such cases appellant. The demand is justified.

which shall be notified shortly However, the department o f

Amendmen t s : Reg i s t e r i n g Commercial Taxes is computerizing its

authority can demand, at its system very soon and all the record

discretion, additional security from shall become available on line. The

the dealers, on eventualities of the need to obtain a report from the

ex i s t ing dea le r add ing more a s s e s s i n g a u t h o r i t y s h a l l

commodities to its approved list etc. A automatically vanish. In order to take

representation has been made that no care of the present concern, the

such additional security should be Finance Minister has issued strict

demanded in cases where the existing instructions to the department that

dealers have been regularly filing all the assessing authorities must

their returns and depositing the VAT e n s u r e c o m p l i a n c e t o t h e

amount without any default. The requirement of rule 77(a) by

demand is rational and if accepted, submitting the requisite report

shall amount to due recognition for within 15 days time.


ÄAs per the data made

available by the

Department of

CA&PDS, 5.88 Lakh

BPL and 3.71 APL

families are still

without household

latrines. By ending

December 2008, 93295

individual household

latrines have been

constructed against the

total target of 598614.

ÄThe sex ratio in the

state as per Census

2001 stood at 892

females per 1000 males.

However, the results of

the sex ratio survey

conducted by the

Directorate of

Economics and

Statistics in 2007 have

shown 925 females per

thousand males. These

figures are almost

similar with the figures

of 923 females per

thousand males revealed th

by 60 round of NSSO

Survey conducted

during (January to June

2004)

VAT Measures

Rs.10 crore fund has been proposed i n f ra s t ruc tu ra l improvement s

for expansion and modernization of combined with the improvements in

Toll Plaza at Lakhanpur which makes the software of the Commercial

the single point gateway to Jammu Taxes Department and Excise

and Kashmir. After the construction Department shall ensure that the

work s a re ove r, a p lan fo r ambience of the Toll Plaza shall

beautification of entire surrounding change from a chaotic, disorderly &

area shall be taken up including congested commercial place into an

construction of durable and clean arena of serenity, calmness and

spaces for parking of vehicles to beauty for the commuters to have a

avoid congestion, traffic jam or few moments of relaxation before

environmental pollution. These proceeding on.

Toll Plaza at Lakhanpur


Representations have been made In order to adopt a well conceived

to the Finance Department by Industry strategy for alleviating the problem of

asking for scrapping the negative list. It unemployment in the State, there is a

has come to the notice that Vanaspati fervent requirement of a sound

which is a product of some of the local statistical base. This is more so for the

industrial units cannot be easily reason that there is a lot of

distinguished from Vegetable Oil which equivocation about the very extent and

is also product of some local industrial nature of unemployment in the State.

units. Vegetable Oil is already on the For this purpose, it has become

negative list. Besides the situation has imperative to build a sound and

changed when Vanaspati was accorded dependable data base so that plausible

exemption from GST/VAT treating it as remedial measures are adopted.

a priority industry. Therefore, the Fo r ope ra t i ona l i z i ng th i s

production of Vanaspati is placed on arrangement at the ground level, the

the negative list. Government intends to revamp the


ÄEnding March 2009, out of 12015 habitations in J&K state, 8761 habitations have been provided water supply.

ÄOut of the estimated hydro power potential of 20,000 MWs in the State, 16480 MWs have been identified of which only 14 percent of 2318.70 MWs have been exploited sofar.

ÄEstimated Birth Rate of 19.0 per milli, Death Rate of 5.8 per milli and Infant Mortality Rate of 51 per thousand live births was recorded in J&K for 2007 against the all India figures of 23.1, 7.4 and 55 respectively.

ÄWith the commissioning of 450 MW Phase-I of Baglihar Hydroelectric Power Project in December 2008, the installed capacity of the state sector power projects has reached 758.70 MWs.

Employment Generation

Since January 2009, the state subordinate selection board

made 8086 selections, PSC made 438 selections and 3835

youth were recruited in Police. During same period 11163 new

posts have been created and 5060 referred to PSC. During this

very period, 7035 posts have been referred to Police

Recruitment Board. Alongwith the previous backlog, the

vacancies available with PSC are 4,023. Similarly, the

vacancies available with SSSB, alongwith the backlog comes to

10,582. All the recruiting agencies have been advised to

expedite the selection process. Therefore, nearly 22,000 more

boys & girls can hope to get a government job in the current

financial year. Alongwith the appointment or selections already

made from January, 2009 onwards, the tally of government

jobs in respect of the present government may come to 34,000.

Vanaspati in Negative ListRepresentations have been made to the Finance Department by Industry asking for

scrapping the negative list. It has come to the notice that Vanaspati which is a

product of some of the local industrial units cannot be easily distinguished from

Vegetable Oil which is also product of some local industrial units. Vegetable Oil is

already on the negative list. Besides the situation has changed when Vanaspati was

accorded exemption from GST/VAT treating it as a priority industry. Therefore, the

production of Vanaspati is placed on the negative list.


Employment Exchanges and enhance Finance Minister has proposed to make

their role, both quantitatively and a beginning with two districts in the

qualitatively. They will be renamed as current year-one in Kashmir and one in

District Employment and Counselling Jammu division.

Centres. The District Centres shall Concurrently, the Government

develop a reliable statistical base intends to put in place a well conceived

including skill inventory and skill 'State Policy on Employment' to address

deficiency mapping. The number of all issues relating to the problem of

such District Employment and unemployment in the State. The

Counselling Centres shall be increased Planning and Development Department

has been directed to initiate the

process and the policy document, “I am

confident, shall be ready to be

launched on the 5th December, 2009,

the 105th birthday of the great

visionary of our State, Janab Sheikh

Mohammed Abdullah Sahib”. The

document shall serve as a road map

ahead and I solicit valuable suggestions

from the Hon'ble members of this

august House in arriving at a well

considered policy initiative. “I propose

to name this initiative as the Sher-e-

Kashmir Employment and Welfare

Programme for the Youth (SKEWPY)”,

said the Finance Minister. from 14 to 22 so that all the districts In the recent past (February, 2009) have a well placed institutional

a number of initiatives have been a r rangement fo r i n fo rmat ion undertaken at the national level to generation on the subject. It shall be enhance the skill endowment base in made mandatory for a l l the the country. Jammu and Kashmir State unemployed youth to get themselves while taking its share has to create reg i s te red w i th the D i s t r i c t about 50 lakh skilled persons by 2022 Employment and Counselling Centre for with emphasis on exclusivity. The aver-which the necessary formats shall be age annual target works out to be 3.85 prepared by the Department of lakhs which indeed is a huge task. In Economics and Statistics in a digital order to address ourselves to this chal-mode. A notification to this effect with lenge, the Government intends to for-all the relevant details shall be issued mulate 'State Pol icy on Ski l l by 30th of September, 2009 and the new Development' with an objective to cre-C e n t r e s s h a l l b e l a u n c h e d ate 'workforce empowered with simultaneously in all districts of the improved skills, knowledge and inter-State from the 2nd of October, 2009 to nationally recognized qualifications to coincide with the 140th birth day of gain access to decent employment'. At Mahatma Gandhi, the Apostle of Peace. the operational level the Government Buildings and other infrastructure commits itself to initiate and expedite for the District Employment and the process of establishing 22 district Counselling Centres shall have to be level 'Rural Self Employment Training provided for all the districts. The


ÄThe installed capacity of Central Sector power projects from three commissioned projects is 1560 MWs. The demand of Power in J&K state for 2008-

th09, as per the 16 Power Survey conducted by Ministry of Energy, GoI is around 2120 Mws.

ÄAgainst the total road length of 18809 kms maintained by State R&B Department, 9559 kms are black topped, 4832 kms metalled, 1315 kms shingled, 3000 kms fair weather and 102 kms jeepable making the road density to be 18.55 km per 100 Sq km of are ending 03/2009.

ÄThe revenue realization of Rs. 737.83 crore under Power Sector during 2008-09 has increased by 6.43% as compared to the revenue realization of Rs. 693.24 crore for 2007-08.

All district employment centers are being renamed as employment and conselling centers. To be re-launched an October 2, they will have skill inventory and skill deficiency mapping to help aspirants find jobs.


Institutes (RSETIs)' in cooperation with employment ventures. A host of Central

the Ministry of Rural Development, Schemes presently in place for the pro-

G o v e r n m e n t o f I n d i a a n d motion of self employment ought to be

Public/Private Sector Banks. This insti- amplified with innovative self employ-

tutional arrangement shall be in place ment projects under various sectors.

by the end of the current financial year. The Government proposes to empha-

size on mass awareness programmes to The geo-climatic extremities in

apprise youth of the State about the the State cause a high incidence of sea-

bright prospects in self employment sonal unemployment particularly in the

p r i v i l e g e s t h r o u g h J & K countryside snowballing into out-

Entrepreneurship Development migration of labour force. In order to

Institute. address this phenomenon and ensure

livelihood security to the rural people, It should be borne in mind that all

Government intends to strengthen the the cent ra l l y sponsored se l f

premier Wage Employment Scheme employment schemes are credit linked

under 'National Rural Employment and the financial institutions generally

Guarantee Act' by extending its scope seem reluctant to extend credit facility

and enhancing wages. For this purpose to the first generation entrepreneurs in

'State Employment Guarantee Council' view of their risk perception. This has

has been advised to take up the matter negat ive impl icat ions on the

w i t h t h e M i n i s t r y o f Ru r a l development of entrepreneurship.

Development, Government of India for Such an equivocation warrants an

extending the scope of the scheme by immediate State intervention to ensure

incorporating relevant activities in the that the motivated and trained

list of already available 'Permissible prospective entrants to the field of

Works'. entrepreneurship/self employment are

nurtured and insulated from frustration Conventionally, government has

and mental agony. To address this been perceived as the sole employer

problem, the State Entrepreneurship and remedy has unfortunately been

Development Institute (JKEDI) is being invented in over-sizing the administra-

asked to offer 'Entrepreneurship tive machinery. Even when this conve-

Development Programme/s (EDPs)' as a nient option has been over exhausted,

p a c k a g e w h i c h a p a r t f r o m the problem of unemployment has actu-

sensitization, training and consultancy ally proliferated. This conventional

inputs shall include an incentive in the approach has, in fact, proved counter

form of non-refundable Seed Money to productive. This mindset needs to be

enable prospective entrepreneurs to changed and new entrants to the labour

kick start their ventures and make their market motivated to adopt self

projects bankable. For this purpose,

government intends to create an

'Entrepreneurship Development Fund'

with an initial corpus of Rs.25 crore.

The corpus shall be utilized under a

well conceived State Scheme for the

prospective motivated, trained and

prov i s iona l l y reg i s te red f i r s t

generation entrepreneurs to start their

ventures relating to the core areas


ÄAs against the national level road density of 104.6 kms per 100 sq.kms of area, the state has 18.12 kms per 100 sq. kms with 24.37 kms for Jammu division and 15.93 for Kashmir division for 2007-08. The lowest road density is in the districts of Leh, Kargil, Doda (erstwhile) and Rajouri with 3.33 Kms, 6.84 kms, 7.77 kms and 16.31 kms respectively per 100 sq. km of area (The state road density is for roads maintained by PWD only)

ÄThe number of registered vehicles in March 2009 stood at 668427 as compared to 299104 numbers of registered vehicles in March 2000. The number of vehicles available per lakh of population in the state stood at 5342 (March 2009) as against the figure of 6739 at all India level of March 2004.

As a part of national mission, J&K is required to create 50 lakh skilled persons by 2022. The average annual target is 3.85 lakhs.


which inter-alia include agriculture, provides loan/credit facilities to the

horticulture, floriculture, medicinal first generation entrepreneurs

and aromatic plant cultivation and food belonging to the minorities on very low

processing. This scheme too shall be (3-6 per cent ) interest rates. The said

launched on 5th December,2009. Corporation has, for the purpose,

nominated Jammu and Kashmir Women The Government intends to build

Development Corporation (JKWDC) and complete synergy in different Self

Jammu and Kashmir Scheduled Employment Schemes presently in

castes/Scheduled Tribes (J&K SC/ST) vogue and ensure that the first

Corporation as the Channelizing generation entrepreneurs are actually

Agencies in the State. However, the benef ited by these Schemes.

latter has not been able to lift any Reference, in this regard may be made

money from NMDFC for the last five to the initiatives already taken by the

years limiting the opportunities national Minorities Development &

avai lable for the prospective Finance Corporation (NMDFC), a

entrepreneurs. In order therefore to Government of India undertaking under

ensure that the benefits actually reach the Ministry of Minority affairs which


ÄThe total BPL estimated population ratio of J&K has arrived at 21.63% (24.21 lakh persons) with a dispersion of 26.14% (22.00 lakh persons) for rural areas and 7.96% (2.21 lakh persons) for urban areas as per the survey conducted in 2008 by the Directorate of Economics and Statistics. Poverty ratio at all India level for the year 2004-05 was found to be 27.50% with 28.30% in Rural and 25.70% in Urban areas as per NSSO Survey.

ÄOn the basis of BPL Head Count Ratio, the seven poorest districts in the State are Reasi, Ramban, Kishtwar, Poonch, Kupwara, Kargil and Bandipora which have more than 30 percent estimated BPL population ranging between 31.09 percent to 37.93 percent.

An estimated 5600 employees of J&K Government are working either on contractual, Adhoc or on consolidated salary bases. Government has decided to regularize these who have rendered seven years of service and are educationally eligible for the posts.


the identified clientele group, the Horticulture, Floriculture, Fisheries,

Government proposes to nominate JK Health and Sericulture etc where skills

EDI an additional State Channelizing rather than education are in greater

Agency of NMDFC for providing demand.

l o an s / c r ed i t f a c i l i t y t o t he Training of youth who may not be

entrepreneurs motivated, trained and highly qualified but would be suitable

promoted by the Institute. for jobs in these sectors, shall be

The Government proposes to organized by the proposed Agency. All

revamp the Employment Department the trainees shall be provided suitable

and place it under an Employment stipend during the period of training.

Facilitating Agency which shall be The Agency shall facilitate setting

created and placed under the charge of up of Polyclinics and Consultancies by

a very senior officer. The officers shall un-employed and retired doctors and

be hand-picked to take-up the engineers. The government and the

challenge at the district, divisional and financing institutions shall provide

state level and deliver with a package of assistance and loans in a

missionary zeal. There will be a system manner similar to that available for

of award and punishment for good and industrial units, suitably modified to

bad performance of officers. meet specific requirements of such

An Ove r sea s Emp loyment polyclinics and consultancies.

Corporation shall be created to liaise Lot of potential exist for

with the placement agencies, foreign meaningful utilization of knowledge,

embassies, Ministry of Labour and skill and talent of our educated

Department of Overseas Employment unemployed youth under NREGS. Last

etc. The proposed Corporation shall year 350 persons were engaged as

create a knowledge bank for aspirers of supporting staff to work as Computer

overseas employment, particularly on Operators, Accounts Assistants,

matters of legal requirements for Technical Assistants, Rozgar Sevikas as

migration, work environment in various well as Block level Programme Officers.

foreign lands, mandatory formalities With the targeted increase in person-

and formats etc. The proposed days of employment taking it to 5

Corporation shall also handle matters crore, we shall be generating potential

of employment opportunities within for absorption of nearly 3000 persons in

the Country. We hope that its role shall such jobs.

grow further after global recession The government also proposes to starts receding. simultaneously adopt a pro active

The proposed Employment approach for creating service related

Facilitating Agency shall have a self employment units which may be

Governing Body headed by the Chief utilized to meet the requirements of

Secretary to deal with all matters government departments to start with.

connected with employment of youth. Some of the areas coming to mind

It will also oversee the functioning of all immediately are plumbing, electricals,

Employment related organizations and repairing of motors, gadgets,

monitor progress of implementation of electronic items etc which are in

a l l employment schemes and demand in most of government offices.

programmes. The Agency shall also The service units promoted by

identify and create opportunities of technically trained and qualified youth

employment in sectors like Tourism, can be recognized to provide such


ÄThe BPL Survey

conducted by the

Directorate of

Economics and

Statistics in 2008

reveal that the highest

percentage of Urban

poverty is in district

Kulgam with 15.83%

followed by district

Pulwama with 14%

and district Ganderbal

with 13.87%.

ÄThe government has

ordered for

reverification of BPL

lists maintained by the

various departments in

the State. The Deputy

Commissioners and

Tehsildars have been

appointed as Nodal

authorities for carrying

out the reverification

with their respective

jurisdictions. The report

has to be submitted to

the State Planning and

Development

Department within

three months from the

date of the issue of the

order i.e. 25-06-2009.


The society which does not take care of its women folk starts degrading. Amongst

various welfare measures which the government intends to initiate for socio

economic upliftment of women, a special scheme has been devised for their

economic empowerment. Under this scheme, 100 women entrepreneurs shall be

selected from each district taking the total to 2,200 in the first phase. They will be

granted direct loans upto Rs.3 lakh at a very low rate of 6% interest through the

State Women Development Corporation. The scope of the scheme shall be later

extended to tehsil level. For this purpose, the government shall provide a revolving

fund of Rs.10 crore to the State Women Development Corporation, in suitable

installments depending upon the progress of the proposed scheme. The State

Women Development Corporation shall be advised to ensure the techno economic

viability and profitability of the enterprises and develop a scientific monitoring

mechanism for timely interventions to ensure success of the assisted units. The

fields identified for this purpose include health care and pharmaceuticals;

restaurants, computers and information technology, agro based industries,

floriculture, cosmetics, perfumery and parlors; hosiery, ceramics, tailoring, leather

and food products etc.

Nearly 3300 agricultural graduates incentive of Rs.1500 per month payable

have been engaged as Rehbar-e-Zirat. through the DRDA or Panchayat, to such of

However, it is learnt that the services of the Rehbar-e-Zirats who would move

this technical human resource have not down to the panchayat level and work in

been properly utilized. One of the factors the field alongside the farmers, to serve as

responsible for this is the reluctance of the a meaningful link between them and the

appointees to move to the field on one concerned departments for popularizing,

pretext or the other. In order to implementing and monitoring the

meaningfully utilize the services of the progress of various agricultural related

Rehbar-e-Zirats, I offer an additional schemes.


ÄUnemployment rate in

respect of J&K State,

has been worked out to

be 5.2% (5.4% for

males and 3.5% for

females) which is on

higher side when

compared to All India

figures of 3.1% (3.1%

for males and 3.0% for

females) as per Usual

Principal Status as per ndfindings of 62 round

of NSS (July 2005-

June 2006) report.

ÄIn J&K inflation rate

on all the series i.e.

Consumer Index of

Industrial Workers,

Agricultural Labourers

and Rural Labourers

was less as compared to

relative rate of inflation

in the country during

2008-09

ÄAggregate Technical and

Commercial (AT&C)

losses in power are very

high in the state and

have been put around

72%.

Agri Technos To Get More If They Work

services to government departments on government departments against clear

charges per visit basis, actual cost of vacancies. Their present number is

replaced parts plus wages at notified reported as 5,656. These appointees

rates. It is hoped that in due course of have been continuing in service for

time, private sector and the general considerably long time. As per the latest

population shall come forward to Apex Court rulings available on this

utilize their services. The requisite subject, a one time regularization of

support for setting up of such service service can be resorted to by the

units as also a transitional support government to deal with such situations.

mechanism for sustaining them during The government has accordingly decided

the initial years shall be worked out by to regularize all such persons who have

the government very soon. already completed 7 years of service

and who are academically qualified to A large number of contractual,

hold their respective jobs as prescribed adhoc and consolidated-salary

under rules. appointments have been made in various

Gender Care


ÄThe number of registered

illiterate unemployed

youths has increased to

4167 in 2008 from 4030

during 2007, thereby

showing an increase of

3.40 percent in the state.

The number of educated

unemployed had increased

to 89796 in 2008 from

82619 during 2007

showing an increase of

8.69 percent

ÄFM proposed an

employment cess of Rs 1

per litre on diesel. The

current level of

consumption of this

commodity is about 46

crore litres per annum.

Therefore, the proposed

measure is likely to yield

annual revenue of Rs 46

crore per annum and

additional revenue of Rs

30 crore in the current

financial year.

The over all allocation of the social enhance availability of doctors and

welfare schemes is proposed to be other paramedical persons in far-off

increased to Rs.138 crore in areas of state, the State Government

comparison to Rs.110 crore provided has decided to enhance the wages of

last year. Amounts available from the the doctors and paramedics working in

Centre shall be over and above this these far off areas. This will attract

figure. Special provisions have been qualified medical talent in rural areas

made in the budget for development of with adequate incentives. The doctors

Gujjar and Bakerwals, Schedule Castes employed in NRHM presently get wage

and Schedule Tribes, Women and Child of Rs.8000 per month. Their monthly

Welfare. An allocation of Rs.20.77 crore wage would be enhanced to Rs.16000.

has been proposed under Tribal Sub The paramedics under NRHM are

Plan. The allocations for the two presently employed on monthly wage

autonomous Hill Development Councils of Rs.4000 They would now get a

in Ladakh shall be given due step up monthly wage of Rs.9000.

alongwith other district plans which are State Government has also

being finalized shortly. concurrently decided to sanction

National Rural Health Mission is a special incentive for the doctors

mega national effort at ensuring serving in remote and far flung areas

healthcare through a range of popularly known as difficult areas. For

interventions at individual, household, this purpose, the difficult areas would

community and most critically at the be classified into two categories-

health system levels. The Central category-A (denoting more difficult

Government is using it as an essential areas) and category B (denoting

instrument for achieving its goal of difficult areas). The doctors serving in

health care in the rural landscape. Category-A areas would get additional

Under NRHM, the Central Government Rs. 8000 as special incentive while as

provides 85% of the financial assistance those serving in Category-B areas would

leaving 15% to be raised from out of the get additional Rs.4000. This financial

State's own resources. dispensation will surely attract more

and more qualified medics to serve in State Government is committed to

rural areas and lead to tangible make the most of the financial

improvement in a rural healthcare handholding provided by the Central

system. The aggregate financial Government under NRHM and

implication involved in the provision of the supplement its health effort in the rural

above financial dispensation would be of areas. In order to provide better health

the order of Rs.4.30 crore per annum. care for our rural population and


Inclusive Development

Rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandit migrants Rehabilitation of our Kashmiri Pandit brothers and sisters and bringing them back to the social mosaic of Kashmir continues to be

of prime importance for the coalition government. That would be like a dream fulfilled for all of us. The package of 15000 jobs in

the State and private sector has been approved for them. Kashmiri Pandits who have been leading the life as migrants in various

parts of Jammu Division have been facing many hardships even though the government has taken various initiatives to ameliorate

their conditions from time to time. One of such hardship is the medical care needed in critical illness cases. The registered

migrants whose family heads are in State Government employment, are eligible to benefits under the medical scheme applicable


to the state government employees. Those not falling in this

category have been hard pressed for want of any

comprehensive, regular and satisfactory mechanism. For such

category of registered migrants, who are in receipt of cash

relief, announce 50% grant from the government subject to a

ceiling of Rs.5000 per family, for meeting cost of premium for a

year, if they enlist themselves under the mediclaim policy of any

recognized Insurer. The exact requirement for such financial

assistance shall be assessed in due course of time. To start with,

I announce a budgetary allocation of Rs.10 crore for this

purpose. A budgetary allocation of Rs. 130 crore for

construction/completion of 5242 tenements for Kashmiri

migrants under the Prime Ministers Reconstruction Plan has

been proposed so that the difficulties faced by the families of

our brothers in distress are mitigated at the earliest possible. A sum of Rs. 3 crore is being additionally allocated to complete the

road to village Jagti near Nagrota where new tenements are under constructions.

The government is extremely keen that the state as well as private sector join hands in discovering hidden talent of our society

engaged in solving local problems without any outside help. It will not only encourage creativity and innovations but will also

generate tremendous economic activity and increase our productivity. The Finance Minister has proposed to institute an award to

recognize five best innovations every year in identified fields with a prize of Rs. one lakh each. The state will also take every

possible step to get these innovations patented and popularized for the common benefit of the Society.

The militancy of last two decades has deprived a large number of families of their bread earners. Rehabilitation of widows and

orphans is a big challenge. The government has provided 825 jobs during the last 6 months to a member of the effected family

wherever feasible. To take care of the cases where cash relief of Rs. 4 lakh in lieu of a job has been preferred, about Rs.50 crore

have been spent so far to rehabilitate 1233 families.

All our development programmes and 2009 in the new pay scales. Sanction of the moving employees. A demand has

regulatory functions are being DA in the new pay bands has also been been made to the government by our

preformed by the government agreed in principle and the rates of DA lower grade employees to increase the

employees and, as such, their welfare effective from various dates starting same. I find the demand is genuine. I

too is a legitimate concern of the from 1.1.2006 have already been announce a new rate of temporary Move

government. Against serious constraints announced. I further announce increase Allowance at Rs.650 PM which shall be

on our resources, the government has in the rate of DA w.e.f. 1st. effective from August, 2009. This

announced adoption of the pay scales January,2009 to 22%. The increased measure will involve additional

recommended by the Sixth Central Pay amount of DA at 22% shall be paid in cash expenditure of about Rs.50 lakh per

Commission retrospectively from Ist from the first of July,2009. annum.

January, 2006. We have also authorised Temporary Move Allowance was 116. Serious misgivings appear to

them drawal of enhanced pay of July, fixed at Rs.550 PM a few years back for have unnecessarily arisen on account of


Awards for Innovation

Rehabilitation of Victims of Militancy

Employees and Pensioners


payment of arrears of pay and

p e n s i o n r e v i s i o n a n d

implementation of the Sixth Central

Pay Commission Award. As the

Hon'ble members already know, the

requirement on this account is over

Rs.4000 crore. The demand for

allocation of this amount has been

already projected to the Thirteenth

Finance Commission who have to

take a view on this demand, for all

States, before finalizing their

Award. If this amount is made

available in one go, I would be the

happiest person to release 100%

arrears in cash. I appeal to the good

sense of State government

employees to maintain their

patience on this issue for a little

more time till the picture become

clear with the Thirteenth Finance

Commission Award.

One of the causes of growing concern in of increase DA rates as well as post this account. The Central Government

budgetary management lies in the ever retirement benefits payable at the and several states have introduced a

i n c r e a s i n g e x p e n d i t u r e o n time of superannuation. Keeping in New Pension Scheme where under, the

disbursement of pensions in respect of view the exponential rate of growth in government as employer and the

government as well as autonomous annual pensionary outgo, it is not concerned employees make monthly

bodies, statutory organizations difficult to see that an off budget contributions to a pension fund. The

operating on the Grant-in-aid of the solution to the problem is essential as incidence of payment of pensions will

government. The annual increase on after some years, may be a couple of get shifted to this pension fund. The

this expenditure is not within the decades, it will become absolutely scheme becomes mandatory for all new

control of the government. Unlike impossible to meet such expenditure recruits after it is notified. The new

gradual increase in the salary bills, out of budgetary provisions. As this is a pension scheme can be created under a

usually on account of increase in DA universal phenomena, the matter has proper statute. I propose to bring a bill

rates and normal annual increments in been discussed time and again at before this House accordingly so as to

basic pay, the increase in pension bills national level with a view to protect the enforce the New Pension Scheme from

takes place simultaneously on account posterity from a financial calamity on 1st January, 2010.

There has been a long pending demand from Hon'ble Members of the Legislature increasing Constituency Development Fund from

the existing level of Rs. 35 lakh with the approval of Hon'ble Chief Minister, I announce increase in Constituency Development Fund

from existing level of Rs.35 lakh to Rs.50 lakh. Modified guidelines in this connection shall be issued very soon.


New Pension Scheme

Legislators get more to spend



nnouncement of taxes always sounds harsh. The Finance Minister, however, had a collection of sayings to soothe the Aeffect. He said, “I am reminded of several quotes about taxation. One of them says that, “taxes, like Mothers-in- law, are

often misunderstood”. The other quote says “taxes are your contribution for living in a civilized society”. Be that as it may,

no budgetary exercise can be completed without resorting to some taxation measures. However, with a few exceptions in

mind, I do not intend to indulge in any substantial tax revenue raising venture for the time being”. The proposed taxation

measures are expected to yield additional revenue of Rs.69 crore in the current year. An ARM, figure of Rs.100 crore has

been kept in the budgetary document. “I propose to attain this target by making improvements in recovery of arrears or by

improved collection of current dues”, said the Finance Minister.

Liquor

Poultry

Liquor is an area which automatically comes to mind both on

account of the principles of State policy enshrined in the

constitution as well as a measure to raise additional revenue. The

rate of GST on liquor is currently 20%. I propose to increase the

same to 25%. I will be happy in case the consumption of liquor

goes down somewhat because of my proposed measure.

However, it is more likely that lovers of this commodity may take

the proposed measure sportingly and willingly contribute a little

more to the state exchequer. As such, estimates of expected

additional revenue on this account are placed at Rs.21.50 crore

per annum and Rs.15 crore in the current financial years.

Nearly 1.32 crore poultry table birds are being brought from

outside the state annually. They are subjected to a toll tax at

Lakhanpur @ Rs.2 per bird. If the poultry bird is reared within the

state, many people shall get employed in poultry farms under self

employment programme and also in cooperative sector. As adequate

numbers of day old chicks are not available within the state, the

poultry rearing units are also importing around 2.38 crore day old

chicks which are again subjected to toll tax at Lakhnapur @ Rs.1 per

chick. I have already explained that the government intends to

support local production of eggs, day old chicks and poultry. As a part

of the strategy, I propose to exempt import of day old chicks from

payment of toll tax and increase the rate of toll tax on poultry birds

from existing Rs.2 per bird to Rs.5 per kg. The net additional revenue

on this account is expected to be around Rs.4 crore per annum

which will be utilized for development of poultry sector within the

state.

Petrol Petrol is a commodity

which is used generally

by economically better

off people in our society.

The rate of tax on this

commodity in our state

is 20% with a cess of Rs.1

per litre which was fixed

many years ago. The

rate of taxation on this

item in respect of some

states goes as high as

35%. The current level of

consumption in our State

is over 14 crore litres. I

propose to increase the

cess to Rs. 3 per litre and

name it as employment

cess. I am sure this

increase is not likely to

burn a hole in the pock-

ets of those who are con-

suming this commodity.

This measure is likely to

yield additional revenue

of Rs.28 crore per annum

and about Rs.18 crore in

the current financial

year.

Diesel Similarly, the rate of tax on

diesel is 12% in our State some

of the other states have gone

to the extent of charging

more than 20% tax on this com-

modity. I am conscious of the

fact that this item involves a

larger number of persons from

the public who could be

d i rect ly and ind i rect ly

affected by any increase in

the rate of taxation. There is

no cess on diesel. I propose to

charge an employment cess of

only Re. 1 per litre on diesel,

which will make a marginal

difference in the cost of ser-

vices being made available to

the beneficiaries who would

be ultimately bearing the inci-

dence of the proposed mea-

sure. The current level of con-

sumption of this commodity is

about 46 crore litres per

annum. Therefore, the pro-

posed measure is likely yield

annual revenue of Rs.46 crore

per annum and additional rev-

enue of Rs. 30 crore in the cur-

rent financial year.

NEW TAXES The misunderstood mothers-in-law



All of us who are present in this August House shall be no

doubt having a vision of their own about the future of

Jammu And Kashmir State. I too have a vision of an ideal

society which will consist of magnificent human beings

who are equal to the glory of this beautiful land,…… who

will be filled with spiritual endowment and in which the

skilled and the intelligent citizens will earn their

livelihood by honest means. Whatever be the way to

describe our individual vision, the fact remains that the

socioeconomic and spiritual upliftment of all men and

women, belonging to all castes, creeds, religions and

regions is our common goal. We can jointly turn our

vision into reality by pulling our heads together, plan

for the welfare of the people objectively and

implement all the agreed programmes in a transparent,

unbiased and judicious manner in due regard to

economy in cost, speed in time and optimizing the

peoples' satisfaction as our ultimate and joint goal. All

of us have to work in that spirit. Today we have a

golden opportunity to prove that given the financial

resources, we are collectively capable of delivering and

turn our state into a model state during the coming years.

This golden opportunity should never, never be lost.

“

“- ABDUL RAHIM RATHER,Finance Minister

EXCERPTED FROM FINANCE MINISTER’S BUDGET SPEECH

[email protected]



Between 2002 and 2008 but they (Finance Ministers) fudged the

you remained a most figures to show their budgets with Zero

vocal critic of your Deficit. Besides a slew of differences,

predecessors, how your the key feature of my budget is that

budget is different from clearly shows the financial position as it

their? You have shown a exists. We have a deficit of Rs 2600

deficit of some Rs 2600 Crore and this is clearly reflected.

Crore while in last six years we have seen as The previous government many budgets with Zero set a precedence of Deficit. presenting separate

Yes, it is fact that I had serious budget for Power reservations about budget proposals my Department and it predecessors but that criticism was continued for three always healthy and based on facts and years. You have reversed figures provided by the previous the case. Any strong government itself. My main challenge reasons? was to their Zero Deficit budget. The In fact there was no reason at all for document s p re sented by the presenting separate budget for Power government clearly reflected shortfalls Department. See, Power is just one of

Soon after presenting

annual budget for 2009-

10, Finance Minister

ABDUL RAHIM

RATHER tells AHMED

ALI FAYYAZ that

unemployment problem is

being addressed in a

practical manner.

Excerpts of an interview:

INTERVIEW

'There are no quick fixes; we are working on a workable employment policy’

JULY 2009

Budget 2009-10I N F O C U S

the various departments like Health, realities. We are already largest Here is an example. The previous

Education etc. Do we have separate employer among all states in the government engaged more than 3000

budgets for all departments? The country. Take, for example, the case unemployed agriculture technocrats at

argument of my predecessors was based of Gujarat. They have a population of Rs 1500 per month without any actual

on the premise that separate power 5 Crore and total strength of requirement on the ground. These

budget shall streamline the financial government employees there is 4 youths did not have any work to do for

management. But that was a gimmick lakh. In Jammu and Kashmir we have months and now they are asking for

(though I should not say like this). The a population of little over 1 Crore and regularization. How can we do that

fort falls, in any case, remained. n u m b e r o f o u r g o v e r n m e n t without provisions and requirement?

employees is more than 5 lakh. Well, I have proposed in my budget

You changed the We are already working on speech to enhance their honorarium by

Economic Advisor to creating employment avenues and another Rs 1500 if they associate

Government. Was that will continue to do more. In our short themselves with the field work.

done to make a span of over six months, more than

difference? 12,000 recruitments have already Look at the level of

been made and towards the end of injustice. You have We didn't remove the Economic Advisor

this year the number will go up to enhanced the daily (Dr Haseeb Drabu, also Chairman of J&K

around 35,000. But these measures wages of NREGS workers Bank). He resigned and we accepted the

will not help for long. We have from Rs 70 to 110 per resignation.

proposed innovative measures. The day, which means a

most important thing is to have a labourer takes home Rs But you did not ask him to

reliable database of the kind of 3300 a month but a stay

skilled and unskilled workforce post-graduate in Why should we. If somebody does not

available so that a policy can be Agriculture or want to work we can't force him to

formulated keeping in view demand- Horticulture is getting Rs work.

supply in different sectors for 1500 a month? These

facilitating employment of these youths have Levying small taxes here youths in state, country and beyond. expectations to the and there is not going to We are also planning to gather details government. They say make a big difference. on the nature of job market. We are Chief Minister is of their Your party (National creating an employment fund to train age and he can Conference) was quite the unemployed youth for enhancing understand their clear and explicit in their employability. Other measures problems. making a promise on include exploring self employment You can't undermine the efforts of employment during your avenues. However, I can assure on NREGS workers, they participate in election campaign. Your this occasion that in next couple of nation building. At the same time we election manifesto also years we will be in a position to a re se i zed o f the p l i gh t o f outlines definite address the unemployment problem unemployment technocrats but the measures. How far have to a large extent. government can't go beyond a point in you been able to go in

offering white collar employment. Our fulfilling this promise?

You had also talked resources are limited. We are heavily Unemployment is a serious problem about stipend and dependent on central funding. Our in Jammu and Kashmir. People look allowances to present resources are not beyond Rs towards the government as their unemployed youth. 4300 Crore (total tax and non-tax natural employer. I don't say that What about that? revenue for current fiscal) and the government should not employ more

We never made such commitment but present salary and pension bill is around people but at the same time we

let me tell you that is not any solution. Rs 8800 Crore. should be aware of the ground



Year After Land Row


respectively, for upcoming campaign. later, to the surprise of all, not only the ever since 1947 was Kashmir summer agitation was nullified by a A year after three month long seen so far from Delhi and N huge public participation in state agitation, thousands of those who Jammu so disconnected from assembly elections but questions also stayed put on the streets day and night Kashmir. Politics, and unfortunately cropped up on two-decade long of pumping their lungs out in slogans have Press too, had drawn clear lines on basis separatist politics when many from the questions for their leaders. Did they of regions and religion was an obvious separatist camps crossed over the fence really achieve what they fought for? undercurrent. The voices of sanity had to either contest elections or campaign Unfortunately, no one is ready to been completely taken over by the for their favourite candidates. If New answer any of these questions. In fact dominant discourse of animosity so Delhi is dilly-dallying in resuming no one is in a position to handle these much so that Prime Minister of India Dr dialogue with Kashmiri separatists, the questions. The coalitions of leaders Manmohan Singh said, “I am deeply answers for this question have to be have broken down. You approach one pained over the situation”. India sought from Kashmir and not New Delhi. leader and he will direct you to the utilized most of its energies over past An article later in this section (Kashmir's other. Moving round and around, the several decades to prevent an democratic catharsis) explains the conclusion is, “the issue is over and so is international reference to the Kashmir dramatic turnaround in the Valley of our role”. issue as Pakistan would always lobby for Kashmir. In Kashmir the game was played such comments. The summer fire of

However, in Jammu, a year after well but it was lost with an equal ease. 2008, however, left the mandarins in Amarnath agitation, disillusionment Towards the middle of August, when New Delhi perturbed when a spokesman and disappointment is much deeper. lakhs took part in a symbolic march of the United Nations said, “we are Jammu's complaint of playing second towards Muzaffarabad capital of watching over the situation in Jammu fiddle to Kashmir has been there for Pakistan administered Kashmir, many and Kashmir with deep concern”. An all-last 60 years now. It was on this felt that Azadi was just few days away. A party panel constituted by the Prime pretext that hundreds and thousands ringside view would show that India had Minister, comprising of leading political of people were mobilized to agitate been completely wiped out from figures of country, failed to break the and oppose a decision (withdrawal of Kashmir's 'national' map. The only ice as the element of religion, the core ownership of land to Amarnath shrine visible symbols of India left in the Valley driving force behind Amarnath land row board) of the government under those days were the security forces and agitation, had spread its message across pressure from Kashmir's political class. c u r r e n c y n o t e s . T h e I n d i a n the country and the election bound Exactly the way a common Kashmiri i n t e l l i g e n t s i a a n d e v e n t h e ruling Congress (and its allies) and foresaw Azadi just few days away, the policymakers admitted that game in opposition BJP (and its allies) saw the common perception in Jammu was Kashmir had been lost. Two months issue as a major spoiler or leverage,

EPILOGUE CORRESPONDENT

Jammu & Kashmir

A Year After Amarnath Land Row

These days last year, Jammu and Kashmir was caught in worst crises of 50 years. In the months of June,

July and August, the State appeared close to a collapse under troika of separatist, communal and regional

politics. Under the garb of regional sentiments, communal passions were touching an all time high and

both regions –Kashmir and Jammu –were pitted against each other in a ball game of hatred.

UMMAJ /V S K A S H M I R

that agitation will settle down the Jammu are again talking about

issues of regional discrimination regional discrimination and the latest

lingering on since 1947. On the issue is about location of Central

midnight of August 30-31 2008, when University. While the Shri Amarnath

Shri Amarnath Yatra Sangharsh Samiti Yatra Sangharsh Samiti, which

–a ragtag coalition of over 70 small described itself as a historical

and big organizations –headed by its popular movement of entire Jammu

convener Leela Karan Sharma, a province is in oblivion, the grouping

Jammu based lawyer, inked an stands torn apart and its then

agreement with a four-member panel convener Leela Karan Sharma, who

of the state government, next would proudly call himself as Gandhi

they are now being led by the peoples in

whichever direction they seek to pull

them. The loss in Jammu has been much

more serious which needs good deal of

time and sustained efforts to repair.

Jammu had a unique culture of unity in

diversity which was completely divided

on the religious and sub-regional lines

by the agitation without gaining

anything substantial except for the

restoral of land to the temple trust, that

too on temporary basis.

morning the people in Jammu hit of Jammu, says “my inning is over”.

streets dancing to the beats of The cumulative loss to the business

drums. It was a victory celebration. and economy during three months of

But victory over what? People were agitation in Kashmir and Jammu has

told that the struggle is for the been officially put at around Rs 20,000

political rights of entire Jammu Crores and the loss of life was not less

province but the agitation was called than 80. As an observer puts it as mass

off only on the issue of so called public hysteria, aftermath of the

restoration of land to the temple agitation of 2008 pushed the separatist

trust. A year later, the issues of leadership of Kashmir to the wall so

discrimination are exactly the same much so that the leaders are no more in

as they were decades back. People in a position to lead the people and in fact


Year After Land Row

EPILOGUE, JULY, 2008

EPILOGUE, SEPTEMBER, 2008

Jammu, July 2008


Year After Land Row


realized that the government of the day What motivated you to launch a

will soon succumb to the pressure and mass agitation in June 2008 and what

revoke the land transfer order. The were the factors that helped you to

sustain the stir for so long? immediate motivation in mind was a

I can recall when allotment of a question: “is it so simple in Kashmir to

piece of forest land to Shri Amarnath brandish Pakistan flags and slogan

Shrine Board was made by the against India to send the government

government; I was in Srinagar on a packing?” I rushed back to Jammu and

holiday. In a matter of days I saw people shared my perception with friends and

in hundreds and thousands spilling over other like-minded persons. I told them

the streets in Kashmir calling for that revocation of land appeared nearly

revocation of the land transfer order. imminent and we should be prepared

They carried green flags, denoting their for a counter-agitation to show the

sentimental inclination towards Kashmiris that we simply won't allow

Pakistan and raised slogans against that to happen. Our apprehensions

India. I watched situation keenly and proved true. Government announced it

Recalling Gandhi of Jammu

During the July-August 2008

agitation in Jammu, some youth

asked a commuter in Jammu

after smashing window panes of

his car “if Leela Karan can walk

on foot to oversee complete

shutdown why can't you leave

your car home”. This scene was

widely televised on the local

cable9 based channels to

personify Leela Karan Sharma,

the convener of Shri Amarnath

Yatra Sangharsh Samiti (SAYSS),

as modern day Gandhi of Jammu.

What does Leela Karan do these

days, many are not aware of. The

SAYSS –a coalition of 72

organisations –he floated to

agitate on the Amarnath land

transfer issue is now in tatters. He

had espoused the cause of alleged

regional discrimination against

Jammu. A year after Amarnath

land row agitation, Jammu,

simmering with discontent, is

again in the agitation mode but

neither Leela Karan nor his

SAYSS is anywhere in picture. In

an exclusive interview to

EPILOGUE, Leela Karan admits

that he has been isolated by the

leaders with vested interests. Here

are excerpts:


decision to revoke the

land allotment order and

w i t h i n h o u r s w e

announced our schedule

of agitation.

Once the agitation

was announced then it

was purely the divide

blessings of Lord Shiva

that the force multiplied

and people joined in

unprecedented manner

to sustain the stir for over

two months. My role was

then limited to just giving

directions and reviewing

progress on daily basis. It

was basically the pent up

anger of the people of

Jammu region against

Kashmir i leadersh ip

which drew elders,

women and even children

out of their homes to

struggle for their rights.

W h a t r i g h t s ?

Several times during agi-

tation you said that it

was a struggle for the

rights of the people of

entire Jammu region.

But at the same time

your agenda entirely

veered around religion.

See, religions (tem-

ple trust land transfer

issue) was a trigger. The

larger issue was, of

course, discrimination

against Jammu region.

Please explain this

logic.

It is very simple to

understand. Every deci-

sion is taken by the State


Year After Land Row

'Yes I am in isolation'


Leela Karan Sharma

national newspapers. The agitation dishonest to their people. These and Central Governments at behest of Kashmiri leaders are chronic enemies of educated the entire country on issues of Kashmir centric political leadership Jammu but they still get warm Jammu region. and keeping in view the sentiments of receptions because political leaders of Kashmiris. People in Jammu are taken different parties have their own vested You remember, during the days of completely far granted and it was a interests. agitation people blocked entry of manifestation of this tendency that

National Conference leader Dr Farooq after a brief protest in Kashmir, the But sir, you had emerged as the Abdullah and Peoples Democratic government of the day succumbed and

popular leader during agitation and Party leader Mehbooba Mufti to the rolled back the land allotment order. your supporters would often call you town they were under a virtual siege We have had enough of such discrimi-as Gandhi of Jammu. You owe an at the airport for several hours before natory decisions and this time we answer for going into hibernation. being escorted under heavy security decided to resist. Why do you blame other leaders when to the airport. Thousands of meters of

you emerged as the most popular Ok. What you got from the leader yourself? g o v e r n m e n t ( t w o - m o n t h

I am not in any hibernation. You temporary use of land purely for must understand that I am a pilgrimage days) was something professional. I am a lawyer by offered to you at the very outset of profession and that is how I earn my agitation. What did the two-month bread and butter. I have hundreds of long agitation achieve? Please see clients who trust me. They suffered this question in the larger context during agitation. Immediately after of what you call as collective rights agitation I got back to my

of the people of Jammu region. professional work and respond to my

Well (after a long pause), our clients. That is my basic engagement

core issue was the protest against and I can not compromise there.

interference in our religious affairs

which we got settled down. Other During agitation, you would

issues constitute a continuous always vociferously assert that you

process and it is long way to achieve have nothing to do with politics and

justice for Jammu region. However, will never join active politics. But it

the major achievement (besides did not take much long for you to

temple land issue) was that we were cross the fence. What brought you

successful in internationalizing the to the electoral politics that you

cause of Jammu. contested Lok Sabha elections on cloth were burnt in the effigies of

BJP ticket? Omar Abdullah for his speech in Internationalizing the cause of

I have always been of the opinion Parliament. But just a week after Jammu? Please elaborate. that issues can be resolved only when agitation was over Omar was brought

In the Indian and international they are raised at appropriate in long procession of enthusiast context Jammu and Kashmir is debated platforms. The leaders of Jammu mostly supporters to his party office and and discussed only for 'Kashmir'. Jammu watched their own interests and never almost same was the reception has its own history, culture and issue talked about issue of the region. I had accorded to Mufti Mohammad Sayeed which were never taken note of in espoused a cause that I will take Jammu on his arrival to Jammu. They were media and political circles. You must issues to the Parliament to seek their welcomed in the same town of Jammu have seen those days Jammu occupying redress. The central leadership of BJP as heroes. How this turnaround? the prime time on television channels also felt that I am the right choice for See, this is the basis misfortune of and getting banner headings in leading the job. Jammu. Our political leaders are


Year After Land Row

I have suffered huge personal

monetary losses during agitation

and later in elections. Right now I

am busy in making up losses,

getting back to my clients and

pleasing their cases in the court.

But yes, let me admit that I often

feel isolated among the politicians

who have their personal interests

supreme.


But this decision was strongly against region. We have not heard Well, it is true that I have not been

resisted by the local leadership of anything from you. visiting the BJP office or attending

Jammu. many of the functions because politics See, on the issue of Central

Yes there were some elements University our people are agitating in is a different game. I told you earlier

with narrow approach but the central their own way. As far exclusion of that my basis engagement is my legal

leadership was convinced about me. J a m m u f r o m w a t e r b o d i e s profession where currently I am

conservation plan is concerned, I am devoting my time. I have suffered huge

not aware of that. I could not see many personal monetary losses during You lost election by huge margin

of the newspapers recently and am agitation and later in elections. Right of 1.22 lakh votes. That is a

hearing this first time from you. I will now I am busy in making up losses, significant margin. It was no direct

issue a statement on this very soon. getting back to my clients and pleasing contest by any means. Months before

their cases in the court. But yes, let the elections you were the leader

me admit that I often feel isolated of masses ; somebody who

among the politicians who have their mobilized lakhs of people. Then in

personal interests supreme. electoral politics, people did not

That is not fair sir. You have a fully trust you. What happened?

mandate of 2.5 lakh people of four Your assessment is wrong and I

districts who voted for you in Lok don't agree with this. The ruling

Sabha elections. You could not reach establishment deleted more than

the Parliament but you are a 1.5 lakh votes, particularly in

representative of 2.5 lakh people. regions of Rajouri and Poonch who

We have not seen you even on the were believed to be my supporters.

thanks giving tour. Had that not happened, I would

Let me correct you. I thanked my have won the elections by a margin

voters through statement in the press of at least 30,000 votes. Then there

and the local television channels. were two other factors –I did not

have the kind of money to face

elections and BJP's local cadre did But sir do you think people

not fully support me. would have voted for you if you had

sought votes by a request through

the press. We saw you reaching out Well, according to you your

to all areas across four districts. loss in elections comes as loss of

Jammu but there are ways of Look I have told you twice earlier

taking up public issues even if you that for being active in politics one

are not an elected representative. needs a lot of infrastructure and

You are no more with Shri For example, Jammu is once again money. You can well understand that

Amarnath Yatra Sangharsh Samiti and agitating on the location of Central one needs at least a good vehicle to

have never been seen at the BJP University as many believe that it is reach out to these far flung areas.

headquarters or at any official being established in Kashmir; Neither have I had the kind of money

functions of the party after recently the Union Environment nor the infrastructure to do that. But

elections. Don't you feel that a year Minister announced a funding of Rs that does not mean that I am keeping

after agitation you stand completely 1700 Crores for preservation of myself completely away from people.

isolated? famous lakes in Kashmir but there I am doing whatever is possible for

I am no more a convener of the was no mention of important water me. Recently I have been to Chhamb

Shri Amarnath Yatra Sangharsh Samiti bodies in Jammu region. These sector (some 40 kilometers from

but I continue to be its member and issues are being seen in Jammu as Jammu City) to thank the people who

have often been attending meetings. fresh onslaught of discrimination voted for me.


Year After Land Row

I am not in any hibernation.

You must understand that I

am a professional. I am a

lawyer by profession and that

is how I earn my bread and

butter. I have hundreds of

clients who trust me. They

suffered during agitation.

Immediately after agitation I

got back to my professional

work and respond to my

clients. That is my basic

engagement and I can not

compromise there.


Year After Land Row


magine what was happening these always remained obedient and humble struggles to conclude. People of Jammu

days last year. Emotions of to his mother, has always accepted all are contented with the licences of B.Ed IJammuites were at the peak. I have the orders or commands of mother with Colleges, Bars and Liquor Shops. This is

not seen freedom struggle but I am sure no fuss at all. Look at the irony the not an anti-national or criminal demand.

that the feelings and sentiments if not mother has never thought. This child is Constitution of India very well permits

greater but must have been at par. What ailing. This child is not well at all. Elder this. New state had been created in the

has happened now situation or feelings brother is not taking care of the younger past and will be created in future as well.

it now are just like a deflated balloon. one and mother has no time or intention Till the time it does not happen we the

We have forgotten every thing so fast. to take care of this ailing child. Why is it people of Jammu will keep as cribbing

Where that energy has gone? Has any so? The reason is, younger child does not whenever we see the lists of P.S.C., S.S.B.

body thought what was the real issue ? cry and remember mother feeds only entrance examinations etc.

You think that piece of land, well I when the baby cries. I have got nothing to do with BJP, strongly contradict that. We all know Problem with us is that we think Congress, PDP or NC etc. I am a common what is the real problem. I have failed everything will happen on its own or man like everybody. I want the answer to understand why no body is airing the why should I do any thing. It's not my from all the common people of Jammu. real issue openly and bravely. I firmly problem. But then will bell the cat. Two Was last year's Sangarsh a fluke. Do your believe in the thought – “Be Bold in generations have gone and they did think there was no spine or bone in the What You Stand For.” Yes, the real issue nothing; ours is the third generation our struggle. If your answer is no then is suppression of Jammu and which has taken this discrimination lying why Jammu centric people were Jammuties. Don't you think so. My dear down. Do you want our children should defeated. My pointer is towards defeat friends land now was not the disease but also suffer because we are sleeping. of Ms. Shilpi Verma in Assembly was jus a symptom. Last year only the elections and Mr. Lila Karan Sharma in Do you remember these names – symptom was treated but the disease is Parliamentary Elections. Again I would Mr. Brij Mohan, Mr. Gulshan Honda and still there. What we got in the solutions like to highlight I have nothing to do Mr. Subash . No even I was made to do of land deal was a symptomatic relief. with any political party. Their defeat some search to get thee names. These Disease is still not cured. Even at that has given the strength to the thought of people are our martyrs. (Shheed of time no body talked about permanent struggle of proverbeat two and half Jammu). These boys sacrificed their discriminations with Jammu and even districts. Such ideas got weightage lives on September 16, 1966 for the today we are sleeping over things. because we the people of Jammu are cause of Jammu. It was their sacrifice

Ours is the story of two siblings. reluctant to come out of the confronts because of which we have Agricultural One sibling has never recognized or of our bedrooms and drawing rooms. University at R.S.Pura. If this is the respected his/her mother, has always Come on friends, if we really think some respect we carry for our Martyrs then been on war path with its own family, thing is got to be done then keep hand we deserve what we are today (Please has always admired or respected the on your hearts and do some soul pardon me if I am getting too harsh)neighbour's mother still the real mother searching and do something for coming There is a talk of creation of some has always prepared or given everything generations. Please think over it.new State in India.There is no Jammu in to this sibling. His all the demands are Author is a doctor at Acharya that list and why Jammu's name should listened with due care accepted or not Shri Chander College of Medical be there? Who has asked for it ? No body. accepted is different issue. On the Science (ASCOMS) Hospital. Views That shows we have not even started other hand is this second sibling who has expressed here are his personal.our struggle. It takes ages for such

KAPIL SHARMA

OPINION

Needed Soul SearchingLife After Sangarsh 2008



significant discourse-changing effect society. What's more remarkable is that he separatists were stunned, as

within Kashmiri politics. Suddenly, the democratic electoral process within were most observers of the crisis

separatist figures who rode high on the the long-running conflict situation in in Kashmir, a state in the throes Tlong summer of discontent were pushed Kashmir has proven therapeutic too. of secessionist violence since 1989. The

to the margins of the state's political life The election in December 2008 same people who fought the system in

and the pro-India mainstream parties isn't the only one that nudged Kashmir the summer voted for it in the winter. along a different track. In 2002, Kashmir like NC and PDP hurtled back to centre-The struggle against Indian rule had assembly polls were held in a situation stage (the NC won the plurality of seats, gone hand-in-hand with participation in of unremitting militant violence. The and formed a coalition government with democratic elections, even though the state was still reeling from the the Congress). It goes without saying former and the latter apparently stood destabilizing consequences of the short that a free and fair election can usher in in opposition to each other. India-Pakistan war in 1999 over the profound political transformation in any The assembly elections had a

RIYAZ WANI

Kashmir's Democratic Catharsis

Local elections in the restive Indian state have reshaped Kashmir's landscape of conflict In the summer of 2008,

Indian Kashmir reverberated with the groundswell of protest. Hundreds of thousands of people took to the

streets, heeding the call of the separatist conglomerate, the Hurriyat Conference. This was the first time after

the initial years of two decades of armed conflict that Kashmiris reverted to the method of peaceful political

agitation, loudly turning their backs on the gun. (The immediate provocation for the protest was the transfer of

state land to a Hindu trust which facilitates the annual pilgrimage to the ancient shrine of Shri Amarnath in the

Himalayas. The decision stirred the deep local suspicion of a larger design to undermine the Islamic character of

the troubled, Muslim-majority Valley of Kashmir.)

To handle the protests, the state government took recourse to curfews and stringent security measures,

which shut the Valley down for almost three months. Yet the most effective way of dealing with the protests -

and the underlying mistrust of New Delhi that they stemmed from - was not through the baton but the ballot.

Elections for the state assembly in December 2008 were revelatory.

Initially, observers feared the worst for the polls. Major regional pro-New Delhi parties like National

Conference (NC - the opposition party at the time), People's Democratic Party (PDP - the then ruling party) and

the Congress itself (India's ruling party) squared up for a tough electoral battle. But the seething "separatist"

summer seemed to have driven these establishment and more conciliatory parties to the fringes of the Valley's

political landscape. Hurriyat, which saw the state polls as designed to strengthen India's "occupation" of

Kashmir, called for the boycott of the exercise. In the lead up to the vote on 17 November, it seemed that the

force of recent popular protest would leave the polling booths relatively empty. Instead, turnout shocked

everybody. Booth after booth, long waving queues of people waited for hours in the winter chill to cast their

votes. An estimated 63 per cent of voters (around three million out of the 4.8 million eligible voters) cast their

votes, which was by far the highest turnout recorded in the Valley in the past 20 years.

Year After Land RowUMMAJ /V S K A S H M I R

Kargil heights. The continuing alliance of largely religious parties led year-old monopoly over Kashmir. And

insurgency inside Kashmir intensified by the Jamaat-i-Islami. The same the beneficiary of this urge for change

with fidayeen attacks and suicide practice was followed in 1996, when the was the PDP - then just six years old - led

bombs becoming routine. But the Indian army coerced people to vote to by a former home minister of India,

election in 2002 - which was the first boost the turnout in what remained a Mufti Muhammad Sayeed. The result

cleanly-held exercise in the state's mostly boycotted election, with less was cathartic for the long pent up

entire democratic history - made a than 20 percent of eligible Kashmiris democratic aspirations in Valley. The

significant, redeeming difference. In a voting. All the polls from 1953 through realization that Kashmiris could

spectacular change in its Kashmir 1975 also share in this history of actually change governments through

strategy, New Delhi finally agreed to manipulation, with local governments the ballot gave the otherwise alienated

hold a free and fair election in the state being imposed and dismissed at the will people a fresh stake in the system.

as an effort to both clear its name of of the Indian government. Such a rich Everybody in the Valley expected the NC

past wrong-doing and to undermine the tradition of orchestrating from New to ride back to power on New Delhi's

ideology and popularity of the Delhi sparked the outrage that fed into support. But relatively high turnout (44

separatists. a violent secessionist movement in 1989 percent) set in motion a sea change in

Democratic processes in Kashmir (which was only abetted and Kashmiri politics.

at the time lacked all credibility. transformed into a more Islamist While the verdict of the election

Successive elections in the state had insurgency later in the 1990s with the came as a relief to Kashmiris, it was

been rigged to suit New Delhi's chosen spill-over of Afghanistan-hardened something of the opposite for many

allies and political outfits. In 1987, the mujahideen fighters after the triumph politicians. Realizing that political

ruling NC was allowed to manipulate the of the Taliban). power in Kashmir was now flowing from

election in its favour when all Yet the effect of the 2002 polls was the people rather than from the will of

indications pointed towards the striking. The election for the first time New Delhi, politicians had to become

triumph of Muslim United Front, an dislodged the NC and ended its fifty more responsive to local issues and


Year After Land Row

Azadi agitation, Kashmir, August 2008


aspirations. Political parties which until Forces Special Powers Act, seeking a weight of increasing democratization

now exclusively represented New Delhi reduction in the security presence of within Kashmir, the hardline positions of

's interests in Kashmir began to better the state and demanding an acceptable several separatist parties began to

accommodate the Valley's grassroots settlement between India and Pakistan crumble. Unnerved by the resurrected

discourse. The PDP, which was part of a over Kashmir. The reconfigured relevance of the mainstream parties,

six year rotational coalition government platforms found resonance with separatists have steadily moved

with Congress, focused on improving Kashmiris, and helped consolidated a towards a more pragmatic articulation

governance and security while deftly mainstream mass base in the state. of their demands.

straddling the Valley's mainstream- PDP rule resulted in the rise of a It has become increasingly

separatist political divide. representative political mainstream common to hear talk of flexible

The separatist strand, as embodied with strong indigenous moorings, that solutions to the Kashmir crisis, which

by the likes of the pro-Pakistan Hurriyat responded to local discussion and accommodate changing global realities

Conference, remained important within debate and helped dissipate the ( including India 's r ise on the

Kashmir's political landscape. But pro- accumulated public anger which international stage and Islamabad's

India mainstream parties, particularly decades of political stonewalling had growing willingness to compromise on

PDP, made deep inroads for the first created. The party worked to make the Kashmir ). And one major separatist

time into undermining the political security forces more accountable for Sajjad Lone, hoping to remain relevant,

appeal of the separatists. They their treatment of civilians. It also controversially decided to enter

incorporated much of the agenda of the reined in the dreaded "Special electoral politics, unsuccessfully

separatists, but stopped well short of Operation Group" of the Kashmir police contesting in the recent national

the conventional rhetoric that calls for which was responsible for gross human parliamentary election.

independence from India. PDP was in rights violations in the state. It released The past seven years of the

the forefront of this new politics, a number of detained separatists as part democratic experience in Kashmir -

criticising the much-loathed Armed of its "Healing Touch" policy. Under the albeit still flawed in many respects -


Year After Land Row

Assembly elections, Kashmir, November 2009


encourages the belief that an made a substantial difference to the more than 60 per cent polling in the

environment of conflict and division affairs of the troubled state. 2008 assembly polls. A democratic

can be improved if a democratic This change was duly noted in the process that has generally made right

o u t l e t i s m a d e a v a i l a b l e . contemporary readings of the poll, and and responsive noises, delivered on

Democratic processes may not a parallel was forged. As Sumeet broad parameters of governance - no

overhaul the fundamental crisis or Ganguly writes in Crisis in Kashmir, "The doubt with some glaring failures now

counter the daily motions of (Punjab) state elections of 1992, which and then - has simultaneously engaged

insurgency and repression, but they followed five years of insurgency and and battled the separatist discourse.

have more subtly softened the direct rule from New Delhi , resulted in This has even caused the separatists to

sources of discord, tempering their extremely low voter turnout but did begin to find their own democratic

intensity. In India's case, Kashmir bring to power a legally constituted moorings and appreciate the new

may not be the only example of the government. The subsequent local ground realities. Now it is incumbent

utility of democracy within conflict. elections produced extra-ordinarily upon India and Pakistan, the state

Seventeen years ago, an election in high turnouts - more than 80 per cent of stakeholders in the conflict, to build on

Punjab - the western Indian state the eligible voters". This is a trajectory these developments and pursue a

that endured an armed, separatist that emerged in Kashmir too, with the meaningful settlement.

Sikh campaign through the 1980s - middling turnout in 2002 polls leading to (Courtesy : Open Democracy)


Year After Land Row

NATIONAL MEDIA FELLOWSHIPS PROGRAMME 2009-1015th

Giving Print to the Unheart

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The National Foundation for India has a media fellowship Programme for mid-career journalists to research and publish articles and photo essays on a wide range of issues of importance to ordinary Indians, their battle for a better life and covering diverse aspects of gender, social justice and development related issues. This includes Community Health, Elementary Education, Livelihood Security, Local Governance and Peace & Justice.

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FOR PRINT AND PHOTO JOURNALIST



Locating CU, IIM


People are more concerned over where stablishment of two world-class these institutions are located than what premiere institutions of higher E they deliver and how soon they come learning –the Central University up. Unfortunately the line of division and Indian Institute of Management –are between Kashmir and Jammu regions is two fresh cases where the narrow such an arduous and treacherous high division between regions is coming to mountain that vehicles have to sheer disadvantage of the peoples of exchange sides via an underneath 2.4 Jammu and Kashmir. Based on the kilometers long tunnel –nothing can be recommendations of the Knowledge situated atop this mountain to do an Commission and out of award of the equitable justice between Kashmir and Eleventh Finance Commission, the Jammu and people in one region will Government of India (UPA-I) sanctioned immediately point out injustice if 15 new Central Universities and 7 new anything comes up first on the other Indian Institutes of Management to side. Resolving this crisis is always a come up at different places in the major strategic challenge for the country. In a historic decision, of course political establishment. Soon after CU with the efforts of then Chief Minister and IIM were announced for J&K, it was Ghulam Nabi Azad, Jammu and Kashmir given to understand by then Chief was bestowed upon by one each such Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad that CU shall institution. Indeed, not a small come up in Jammu and IIM in Kashmir. achievement for the state. Though in The announcement was welcomed in matters of faculty recruitment and both regions though with some admission of students, the CU and IIM reservations. As the process of are open to a countrywide jurisdiction establishing CU rolled out, the state but their coming up in any region brings government, for its pre-occupations added advantages of changing mindset elsewhere, delayed identification of of the peoples. Therefore, the sanction land for the purpose and in the of such prestigious institutions for J&K meanwhile the Union Human Resource can be described as best thing to have Ministry appointed a Vice Chancellor of happened to the state in many decades. Kashmir accent and ethnicity. The The problem in Jammu and founder VC Prof Abdul Wahid, as a Kashmir is, however, entirely different.

ZAFAR CHOUDHARY

Game is Lost for Now as ‘Divided we Always Fall’

An age old adage 'united we stand and divided we fall' is something taught to the school children in the early primary classes with a pictorial graphic of a bundle of sticks. The tender buds are quick to understand the logic of staying united but in Jammu and Kashmir even generations do not understand this simple ground rule. Divided, as the peoples are on regional lines between Kashmir and Jammu, they are suffering losses but are still not ready to unite for common causes.

matter of his convenience, set up a Jammu region got its first main CUAS, particularly from the Muslim small establishment office in Srinagar University and Agriculture University dominated four of the ten districts in City to initiate some work on the years after these were established in Jammu region. Therefore, even before University. That was enough an Kashmir. SKIMS and NIIT are exclusive Kashmir Valley counters Jammu's indicator for the CU-watchers in Jammu privileges of Kashmir alone. “Hell is not demand for Central University, there is that the campus is now coming up in going to break loose if newly sanctioned an advanced and quick reaction from Kashmir and thus begins the agitation. Central University is located in Jammu the districts of Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban, The state government has, so far, or if first allowed to come up in Jammu Rajouri and Poonch. In Doda district neither clarified nor denied as where it and a similar institute is then alone as many as 35 educational, social, wants to see the Central University to established in Kashmir”, is the common political and religious organizations come up even as much on this account argument in Jammu and is largely valid have come under a single banner to has to be decided by the HRD Ministry of for justice to regional aspirations. The demand the establishment of Central India. There is an obvious reason for approach with which this matter is University in either of the three districts state government's silence on the issue. pursued is grossly wrong and a typical –Doda, Kishtwar or Ramban –that form Keeping two regions pitted against each reflective of Jammu's many failures in the so called Chenab Valley region. other helps the coalition partners the past despite massive agitations. The Given such character and outlook of strengthening their constituencies demand of establishment of Central Central University Andolan Samiti, the –National Conference in Kashmir and University in Jammu has been made by demand coming from Jammu City could

Congress in Jammu. the leaders of the ongoing agitation to have faced a summary rejection at the

completely look like Hindu-centric and very outset if a serious political On locating the campuses of CU

City-centric. Majority of the leaders question of the survival of Congress and IIM, people in Jammu region have a

spearheading agitation have their well party (a partner in J&K's ruling coalition sound argument and a completely

known RSS affiliations and the Central was not involved). Congress and BJP are flawed approach. The argument is:

University Andolan Samiti (CUAS) was the traditional competitors in four name any institution worth naming

until recently headquartered at a Hindu dominated districts of Jammu –Jammu and Kashmir University,

building in Jammu that is called Geeta region –Jammu, Samba, Kathua and Agriculture University, Sher-e-Kashmir

Bhawan, which also houses offices of Udhampur. The Congress feels sitting Institute of Medical Sciences (a deemed

right wing Hindu organizations like idle on the issue it may well further University of repute), NIIT (also a

Bajrang Dal and Vishva Hindu Parishad. loose out ground to the BJP in these deemed University), Engineering

There is no Muslim representative in the districts as it happened during the College –all first came up in Kashmir.


The demand of establishment of Central University in Jammu

has been made by the leaders of the ongoing agitation to

completely look like Hindu-centric and City-centric. Majority

of the leaders spearheading agitation have their well known

RSS affiliations and the Central University Andolan Samiti

(CUAS) was until recently headquartered at a building in

Jammu that is called Geeta Bhawan, which also houses offices

of right wing Hindu organizations like Bajrang Dal and

Vishva Hindu Parishad. There is no Muslim representative in

the CUAS, particularly from the Muslim dominated four of

the ten districts in Jammu region

UMMAJ /V S K A S H M I RLocating CU, IIM

Paviter Singh,

a retired Judge,

is Convenor of CUAS.

A s s e m b l y e l e c t i o n s Jammu and Kashmir seems to

fo l l ow ing l a s t yea r ' s have lost a year even on the

Amarnath land row agitation IIM. Latest reports and

when BJP tally shot up from inquiries from the CU officials

one to 11 seats in these in Srinagar suggest that the

districts and Congress lost HRD Ministry has told the Vice

eight seats it had won in Chancellor to go slow on the

2002 elections. Therefore, p r o j e c t . T h e C e n t r a l

the Congress legislators University of J&K has clearly

from Jammu impressed been put on hold and its

upon the Chief Minister to scheduled roll out of three

lead a delegation to the M . P h i l l f a c u l t i e s – i n

Prime Minister and Human Information Technology,

Resource Development Business Management and

Minister. The delegation English Literature –have been

headed by Omar Abdullah, suspended. Recruitment

indeed, made a stupid process has too been halted.

demand: Give us another So is the case with IIM. In

Central University –“one for August 27 meeting of the

Jammu and other for Central Cabinet nod was given

Kashmir”. Though there was to establishment of seven new

no written reply from IIMs (already announced by

Government of India but the HRD Ministry on March 29,

obvious response is easy to 2008) but three of them –one in

understand. Till 2008, India Jammu and Kashmir and two in

could have only 20 Central other states –were put on hold

Universities and 15 were for next year as the respective

added that year. Is it so state government failed to

simple to sanction another identify the suitable locations

for J&K in just one year just as per parameters set by the

to balance the regional HRD Ministry. The same day,

sentiments? state government told the

Legislative Assembly (currently At a time when UPA-II is in session) that it was for HRD just taking control of things Ministry to finalise the land as and is reportedly in process seven locations (three in of making a fresh blueprint Jammu and four in Kashmir) for its Kashmir dialogue were under consideration for p ro jec t , the Cent ra l both CU and IIM. Government appears in no

mood to burn it hands with Recall the adage “united

the regional fire in Jammu we stand and divided we fall”.

and Kashmir which is out to By staying divided for a month,

be doused by the state Jammu and Kashmir has

government. The message is clearly lost an academic year

clear from New Delhi: set of CU and IIM. It is to be seen

your house in order first and whether people can unite to

then lay claim on the CU and finally have both the premiere

IIM. Leave aside having institutions, though year(s)

another Central University, later.


Therefore, even before Kashmir Valley counters Jammu's demand for Central University, there is an advanced and quick reaction from the districts of Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban, Rajouri and Poonch. In Doda district alone as many as 35 educational, social, political and religious organizations have come under a single banner to demand the establishment of Central University in either of the three districts –Doda, Kishtwar or Ramban –that form the so called Chenab Valley region

**********Given such character and outlook of Central University Andolan Samiti, the demand coming from Jammu City could have faced a summary rejection at the very outset if a serious political question of the survival of Congress party (a partner in J&K's ruling coalition was not involved). Congress and BJP are the traditional competitors in four Hindu dominated districts of Jammu region –Jammu, Samba, Kathua and Udhampur. The Congress feels sitting idle on the issue it may well further loose out ground to the BJP in these districts as it happened during the Assembly elections following last year's Amarnath land row agitation when BJP tally shot up from one to 11 seats in these districts and Congress lost eight seats it had won in 2002 elections

**********At a time when UPA-II is just taking control of things and is reportedly in process of making a fresh blueprint for its Kashmir dialogue project, the Central Government appears in no mood to burn it hands with the regional fire in Jammu and Kashmir which is out to be doused by the state government. The message is clear from New Delhi: set your house in order first and then lay claim on the CU and IIM. Leave aside having another Central University, Jammu and Kashmir seems to have lost a year even on the IIM.



nce again the nasty scenes from

the last years Sri Amarnath land Or o w c o n f r o n t a t i o n a r e

threatening to re-enact themselves on

the socio-political canvass of our state

of Jammu and Kashmir. The conjecture

here is that the replica of the past in the

shape of Central University Andolan

(CUA) might make the present

panorama of this riyasat even scarier

than the previous land row and tenor of

this new disaster a bit redder.

The 2008's controversy was

attributed to vertically splitting the

people of Jammu-Srinagar, Jammu-

Poonch/Kishtwar into racial and

communal lines but this year it might

fulfill the remaining 'kasar'. The civil

society of Kashmir may descend deep

into their cocoon of isolation and

repugnance for India while the people super mega institutions the with state- Kashmir (CUJK) is naturally going to

o f Jammu c ry the bogey o f of-the-art study hubs, taught by radically transform the place on which

discrimination into a new building international faculties and open to it will sit and educationally as well as

block. national as well international socially it is going to have the same

undergraduates are going to have on effect which IIT, Delhi or metro had, The biggest tragedy which has each of the selected 15 geographic that eventually changed the face of compounded the gravity of the scenario locations of India. These Central New Delhi. is the inconsiderate handling of the Universities will also support one issue by the daft politicians from Now, if we look at the voices college each in every district under its Congress as wel l as National emanating from both sides of the domain. Hence, the colossal magnitude Conference. Some of them are Jawahar Tunnel it becomes quite clear of this project in all the terms primarily guilty of propagating and easy to understand that everybody imaginable is not difficult to guess.disinformation amongst the masses and wants CUJK at their respective places.

some of them, secondarily for keep Government of India intends to Reading the two famous dailies

their mouths shut. raise the standard of these universities published from Srinagar and listening to

to same level as we already have in the the voices of locals from Jammu makes A very few people in reality know world famous Jawahar Lal Nehru clear the chasm dividing the two what the format and principal idea University or Delhi University. The habitations. behind Central University is and what Central University of Jammu and kind of ramifications these billion dollar At the same time, both the

ANMOL SHARMA

OPINION

CUAS and the Stillborn Wannabes

Locating CU, IIMUMMAJ /V S K A S H M I R

factions are completely off beam. site for the university was

Article after article in Kashmiri local identified in Samba and

dailies is asserting that Jammu already later it was shifted to

has a very modern SMVDU, Baba Ghulam Srinagar, but the way they

Shah Badshah University, so no need for are protesting is a failed

one more. But they must also realize approach which leads to

that first university in J&K opened in confrontation and no body

Kashmir, first Agricultural University wins.

opened in Kashmir so was the case with The '30-35 years old REC, NIT, Islamic University of Science and still a student' aka and Tech in Awantipora and SKIMS is also ' Pa p p u s ' o f J a m m u a super-specialty Hospital cum university who have not University which is functioning there. been able to pass their Nothing of that sorts happened first in exams and in any ordinary Jammu. Is it not? day would have still sat

Moreover, the then Chief Minister near Sharmaji's canteen or

Ghulam Nabi Azad is on record to say roamed idly around the

that two more Universities in Kashmir- campus are all of sudden

an Islamic University funded by various pinching themselves to

trusts and foundations and Sharda Peeth see if it is really they who

University under the aegis of Sri are coming on local TV

Amarnath Shrine Board will be set up doing press conferences

there. and the various print-

press interviews. It is also On the other hand, Jammu is not a hidden fact that unnecessari ly adopting a very some of them have serious aggressive posture and many politicians criminal charges against of the BJP and allied organizations are them pending in the Court adamant and pressuring the CM to shift of Law. It would not be the site from Srinagar to Jammu. But surprising to know that reading sub-section (5) of section 3 quite few of them might makes clear that it is the Central have even prepared their Government which will select the site of s p e e c h e s t o the Headquarters and they have also to NDTV/CNNIBN.publish it in the Official Gazette. Also if

Central University Act, 2009 is to be Going berserk on

followed then the Chancellor, VC etc are streets, shouting abuses,

to be appointed under section 10, 11 damaging public/private

respectively by the “Visitor” i.e., the property, demeaning the

President of India herself. Omar is Government or the Chief

nowhere at the scene here. So why are Minister or for that matter

people not told about this. calling for bandh which

hits the poor badly are all It is probable that keeping the exercises which were masses unaware helps the hardliner and tried last year and yielded separatist of Srinagar in the furthering no good in the end. The the alienist agenda in Kashmir and way of protesting which labeling the government as pro-Kashmir reciprocates a civilized helps communal forces of Jammu in society would be to their 'I told you so' stance. Every person protest in a decent of Jammu has cause for concern if the


What is a Central University?While other universities in the country are

established by the State Governments, a Central

University in India is formed by the Government

of India, by an Act of Parliament. The

Government of India is responsible for

arranging, allocating and distributing financial

resources required by the University Grants

Commission (UGC) for the establishment of

Central Universities in India. Currently there are

20 Central Universities functioning in India and

15 others are coming up.

The higher education system in India being

one of the largest in the world, the responsibility

rests on the Central Government to devise

policies with a view to improving the quality of

higher education in the country. Improving the

quality and access of higher education and

research in India has become all the more

important keeping in view the growing need of

qualified human resources in various sectors of

the economy. Therefore it can only be hoped that

there would be more central universities in India

in the immediate future.

Since the State Governments establish and

plan for the colleges and universities in the states

and the Central Government does it for the

Central Universities, it is essential that there is

adequate cooperation between the State

Governments and the Central Government in the

field of higher education. The Central Advisory

Board of Education (CABE) has therefore been

constituted to assist in the functioning of the two

Governments and ensure that parity is

maintained.

The Central Government has also been

empowered by a special act of the Constitution

to maintain a particular standard conducive to

the educational health of the country. The

Central Government lays special emphasis on

research and development carried out in

technical as well as other institutions.


manner. Petitions should be sent to the

President of India who herself is the

“Visitor” of the central university and

all the matter are under her direct

control. Similarly there can be other

modes of protesting which can be

adopted by the students but in all

respects playing at the hands of the

conniving politicians would be like

fighting a battle which is already lost.

If the bigger picture is to be

comprehended then to a strategic

Analyst of RAW or any department of a could happen. Kashmiris as a matter of that they are becoming more university observing the fact that a fact are living in a closed environment sophisticated in their thoughts, speak diehard anti India newspaper is without a touch of outside world in the English and act proficiently in their encouraging articles which directly sense that they have no opportunity behavior while riding the metro.demand that a university sponsored, mixing with non-muslims or non- The best deal would be to set up controlled and financed by the kashmiris. All the time a single thought two CUJK's, one in Jammu and other in Government of India should be set up in of oppressive India is echoing their Srinagar, and is in consonance with what Kashmir would definitely make him minds. Mr. Pavitar Singh of CUAS said in one jump from his chair. It would be a great If they can come out of their newspaper “…Government should first strategic win for India if such a thing slumber and realize that any establish the already sanctioned

ordinary civilian in UP, Central University at Samba and then

Punjab etc is also the victim explore the possibility of having Central

of the rotten system then University at Kashmir.”

perhaps they can start This makes nobody feel neglected identifying themselves with and economy of the both the regions others too. This world class gets a sonic boost.university will also bring with New Cus coming up in : Bihar, it students and teachers Gujarat, Haryana, HP, Jharkhand, from different parts of India Karnataka, Kerala, Orissa, Punjab, and world, it will also bring Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and J&K.great exposure and open the The author, is lawyer by minds that will make the education and practice is a local students of Kashmir dispassionate commentator also.u n d e r s t a n d d i f f e r e n t

viewpoints. It would not be a

churlish to say that it might

to do India what East India

Co. did to UK but in a good

sense of regaining the lost

faith of Kashmiris.

Just like one professor

of Columbia University did a

research on Metro of New

Delhi and he described in

great detail how the metro is

effecting change in the

mindsets of Delhiites and


Some of the special features of Central Universities are -ÄThe President of India acts as the 'Visitor' for all the Central Universities

ÄThe President has the power to nominate a few members to the Executive

Committee/Board of Management/Court/Selection Committees of the

University in terms of the various statutes and provisions laid down in the

University Act.

ÄThe Ministry of Human Resources and Development (MHRD) assists the

President of India in the appointment of Vice Chancellors, Court Nominees

and Selection Committee Nominees.

Existing CUsÄAligarh Muslim University

ÄAssam University

ÄBanaras Hindu University

ÄBabasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University

ÄEnglish and Foreign Languages University

ÄIndraprastha University

ÄJamia Millia Islamia University

ÄManipur University

ÄMaulana Azad National Urdu University

ÄDelhi University

ÄMahatma Gandhi Antarrashtriya Hindi

Vishwavidyalaya

ÄMizoram University

ÄNagaland University

ÄNorth Eastern Hill University

ÄPondicherry University

ÄTezpur University

ÄUniversity of Allahabad

ÄUniversity of Hyderabad

ÄVisva-Bharati University

ÄJawaharlal Nehru University


AEF T U R E S

Changpas of Ladakh


n Ladakh's portion of the Tibetan

Plateau where temperatures in Iwinter plunge to a sub-zero and the

bare mountainous terrain makes any

movement difficult, the nomadic

inhabitants, the Changpas represent a

unique way of life. Over hundreds of

years, this has allowed them to meet

the challenge of survival through the

institution of 'polyandrous' and not the

more conventional 'monogamous'

marriages.

The children are borne out of

wedlock between one child-bearing

woman and several men, all brothers,

the most famous historical example

being Draupadi. In Ladakh, these many

Draupadis are in a sense the core

strength of the Changpas each family

which owns a large herd of livestock

including sheep, goats, yaks and horses,

which they graze on the vast

mountainous expanse of the Chang- tightly knit together to meet the sustain their levels of income from the

thang. This involves moving the animals challenge. sale of wool and of animals for meat,

throughout the year across a variety of However sparse pastures of low which is becoming insufficient to meet

grazing areas and requires efficient nutritive value prevent families from family needs. What is at stake here is management and high levels of increasing herd size while the family the traditional practice of polyandry cooperation between family members. size relying on livestock has grow. This among the Changpa, which has been of The rugged terrain, limited pastures has led to competition among the significant and practical economic and winter chill makes the family unit families for animal grazing space to importance. Through this it has been

TASHI MORUP

Changpa Tribe’s Identity,Way of Life Under Threat

Tribal communities all over the world are now being acknowledged as playing a crucial role in sustaining natural

resources and protecting the environment. This is simply because unlike urban centers or even agrarian

communities, they live off the produce that nature provides and not cultivated. The fishing communities, forest

dwellers or adivasis, the nomads, the herdsmen all play a role in upholding a way of life that does not strip the

environment of its regenerative power. This, however, is under severe challenge for Changpas of Ladakh where

an enlightened governance is needed to prevent degeneration of a robust mountainous community.

possible for single families to sustain They take turns grazing the young goats mature deliveries. Due to timely

large herds of livestock, requiring as and sheep on alternate days. The two medical help at a hospital in Leh, a

they do, extensive manpower for their fathers Phuntsog and Delden, likewise fourth child survived. During this period

control. It has also been a very practical take turns in grazing the 'demos' or of illness the family had no one to look

way of restricting population growth. female yaks, while mother Skalzang after its livestock, resulting in Sanghe

The break-down of such joint looks after the home. The whole losing his yaks and horses to wolves.

f am i l i e s due to i n c rea s i ng l y household was completely thrown out He among many of the other Changpa

monogamous marriages, has not only of gear when after a long illness who have left the Chang-thang, has

resulted in a considerable increase in Phuntsog lost the use of his legs. Deldan been reduced to buying raw goatskins

the population, but has left the new then walked for several days across the from butchers in Leh, instead of

nuclear famil ies lacking shearing his own animals. From

suf f i c ient manpower to a proud owner of livestock in a

efficiently deal with their region where his ancestors

livestock, which can range from roamed, he has to work as a day

200 to 500 head per family. labourer to feed his small

Whilst families in other herding family of three and to send his

societ ies might turn to 10-year -old son to school.

employing additional help, the Tribal communities all

economic circumstances of life over the world are now being

on the Chang-thang do not acknowledged as playing a

permit what for these families crucial role in sustaining

would be an impossible luxury. n a t u r a l r e s o u r c e s a n d

According to an official in protecting the environment.

the Leh District land records This is simply because unlike

office, revenue record indicate urban centers or even agrarian

that the initial number of only communities, they live off the

eight households in Kharnak has produce that nature provides

now increased to 93. According and not cultivated. The fishing

to the 1993 census carried out communities, forest dwellers

by the Leh Nutrition Project or adivasis, the nomads, the

(LNP), the community at that herdsmen all play a role in

time consisted of 67 families, upholding a way of life that

indicating an increase of 26 does not strip the environment

families in just a decade. As the of its regenerative power.

culture of polyandry declines, T h i s n e e d s t o b e

more families are splitting up respected and they need a snowbound Chang-thang and over the

with the men finding wives. guiding hand to steer them and if 5,600m Taglang-la to reach Leh for

Even in normal times, the few necessary steady them amidst the help. An army rescue helicopter went

surviving families are stretched to their inevitable winds of change in social, out to find Phuntsog, and ferried him to

limits in just dealing with day-to-day economic and environmental processes Leh where he was hospitalised for several

life. This gets exacerbated during that affect them. This necessarily needs months. This small unit was able to

crises like illness and brings to fore, the enlightened governance. It would be a survive Phuntsog's absence by somehow

abominable state of health facilities for shame if we let such a proud and robust pitching in to collectively share his tasks.

this brave and robust community. 25 mountainous community degenerate Others have not been so lucky.

year old Dolma Chondol and her monk into a compromised existence on the Sanghe Palzang (43) in Kharnak was

brother Jigmet Chonjor, age 21 years fringes of society. struck with paralysis for three years and

belong to a smaller polyandrous family. Charkha Featureshis wife Ishey Dolma suffered pre-


What is at stake here is the traditional

practice of polyandry among the Changpa,

which has been of significant and practical

economic importance. Through this it has

been possible for single families to sustain

large herds of livestock, requiring as they do,

extensive manpower for their control. It has

also been a very practical way of restricting

population growth. The break-down of such

joint families due to increasingly

monogamous marriages, has not only resulted

in a considerable increase in the population,

but has left the new nuclear families lacking

sufficient manpower to efficiently deal with

their livestock, which can range from 200 to

500 head per family.

AEF T U R E SChangpas of Ladakh


s we strolled along the Abi-Guzar

bund on the bank of river Jhelum Awe caught a glimpse of a shop -

“Fine Art Furriers”. This struck us as

strange since we know that Fur has been

banned a long time back under the Wild

Life Protection Act 1978. The term

'furriers' clearly applies to a person or

organisation, which sources, and

markets furs In the current context,

how was it possible that such a shop

exists in Kashmir? Peeping through the

window pane what we see is a

septuagenarian man stitching a leather

coat, his frail hands moving effortlessly

over the garment. A while later we are

in conversation with this old man who

uncannily seems has been waiting for

many years for us to come, to share his

woes.

Gulam Hassan Pandit, with a frown

on his face and a stiffening of his body

initially hesitates to speak to us. It

almost seems as if he feels betrayed.

The first thing that he tells us is that yearning for a time when life was full of the name of the shop he says , “The shop many people have interviewed him in hope. The fur jackets hanging around has a history of more than 98 years and the past but his words and feelings have are the testimonial of the fact that this that the name was given almost 51 years always been misrepresented. old man has dealt with fur business, back, when the fur business existed.” Glancing round the shop, we see which has all but closed down. After the prohibition on Fur, he has now that the shop is quite messy, with the

While there is a hesitancy to open taken to the leather business which leather jackets scattered all over the up, there also is an eagerness to talk, though has not showed any progress in floor, the walls are cracked and a dirty share his experiences. Responding Jammu & Kashmir. The reasons are mannequin dressed gorgeously in long quickly to a spontaneous question about manifold. According to the statistics, fur jacket. There is pathos in the air, a

BINISH GULZAR & SYED RAKSHANDA SUMAN

The Fur Traders and The Lost Avenues

Kashmir has a place of its own in the Fur trade before it was banned in 1978 rendering hundreds of artisans jobless. The next best thing the furries could have done was the leather work which too is dying due to official apathy.

AEF T U R E S

Changpas of Ladakh

Kashmir Leather Industry has a Kashmir however pushes up the leather shop has already taken up a new

potential to generate revenue of $ 1 production costs and on the other hand business. Few of them have begun to

billion, annually, but unfortunately this forces local artisans and traders to sell shift to other states to earn their

industry is losing its niche. Says Gulam these products at a very low price to livelihood. There are several others

Hassan, “Since we don't have leather t r a d e r s o u t s i d e t h e s t a t e . with a similar tale like Gulam Hassan

factories here, we have to import the Environmentalists have always been and Mehrajuddin. All the people who

raw material from Chennai and other against setting up tanneries in Kashmir, dealt with fur had to abandon the work

states of country at a very high cost as it produces highly toxic effluents. in the wake of the ban imposed by the

every year”. Therefore, the government. Sadly those who

production of the leather took to the leather business may

products has reached its have to leave it in the light of

minimum level. Our artisans are government apathy. An industry

famous all around the globe, the that is well suited to the region

reason being that most of our and could provide livelihoods to

products are handmade and thousands within Kashmir is

foreigners in large numbers are gradually being snuffed out.

attracted to these. He informs us If the leather industry has

that more than 5000 Kashmiri shown the potential to generate

artisans are working with various huge revenue annually for the

leather industries outside J&K state's economy, then what is

because of their proven superior stopping the government to

craftsmanship. After a long pause revive and boost this home-

he says “If they can generate grown industry? Why is it only

value for the whole country, why concerned with the raging

no t f o r ou r own s t a t e , political issues and controversies

Government is doing nothing for and turning a blind eye to the

us”. Because of the neglect by the developmental needs of the

state government, the industry people? With an environment for

loses billions every year. the raw material already in place

Warming up to the subject, and a pool of local craftsmen and

he tells us that sheep leather is traders, it needs to take the step

the highest quality leather and to set up tanneries here so that

because of its climatic conditions entrepreneurs like Gulam Hassan

Kashmir provides one of the best and others of his ilk do not need

environments for this leather. to waste their resources at

Expanding on the theme, he goes sourcing leather from other

on to say that since Kashmiris states at a high price. The fur

consume meat voraciously and industry is long gone, a relic of The answer to this could have come statistics reveals that on an average 3.5 the past, one that is clearly out of sync from the Government, which is not million sheep and goat are slaughtered with current thought on society and showing any interest in setting of an ETP annually for our consumption, the skin environment. The leather business does (Effluent Treatment Plant). This could can be utilised for production of leather not carry this burden and can grow into have solved the problem and pacified provided there are tanneries. The a profitable activity for many Kashmiris. the green lobby.absence of tanneries is pushing the The onus is squarely on the government

Tired of the official apathy, many artisans to work outside the state and so that a promising industry like the aspiring businessmen have already traders to seel the skins as throw away leather business does not sink into given up and many like trader, prices. atrophy. Mehrajuddin who used to have his own The absence of a tannery in Charkha Features


Leather Industry has a potential to

generate revenue of $ 1 billion, annually,

but unfortunately this industry is losing its

niche.

*******

More than 5000 Kashmiri artisans are

working with various leather industries

outside J&K because of their proven

superior craftsmanship.

*******

Since Kashmiris consume meat voraciously

and statistics reveals that on an average

3.5 million sheep and goat are slaughtered

annually for our consumption, the skin can

be utilised for production of leather

provided there are tanneries. The absence

of tanneries is pushing the artisans to

work outside the state and traders to seel

the skins as throw away prices.

AEF T U R E SChangpas of Ladakh


remains a distant dream... he more-than 60-years-old tug of For the women of Kashmir, the war between India and Pakistan T impact of the tragedy has been doubly over the mountain state of

fatal, as they have not just borne the Jammu & Kashmir has resulted in wrath of the conflict but have also been tremendous destruction, preventing treated as objects of use and both countries from realising their full amusement, both by the militants and socio-economic and political potential. the Indian security forces. Over the Other than the loss of human lives, the years, the women have tried hard to c a s u a l t i e s h a v e b e e n t r u s t , douse the fires of the violence, brotherhood, and, to a large extent, the simultaneously keeping the fires in their entire ethos of Kashmiriyat.houses burning. Each has emerged a While the men from Indian-winner in her own right, though administered-Kashmir have crossed somewhat bruised and shattered. over to Pakistan-administered-Kashmir

The image of Kashmiri women has to receive training in arms, and have changed drastically over the last few come back to 'liberate' their motherland decades. In the early Nineties, from India, the women have been at the newspapers were splashed with forefront of protests and rallies, and images of burqa-clad women flocking have provided psycho-social support to the streets of Srinagar in protests for their men folk. In turn, the men have one thing or the other. For the been killed and the women have borne numerous mothers, wives, sisters and the brunt of it in the form of the most daughters in Jammu and Kashmir, gruesome violations. 'Azaadi', however,

MANISHA SOBHRAJANIAuthor is a Delhi-based independent researcher working on the various aspects of the Kashmir conflict. She can be reached at [email protected])

Kashmir ki kali... bruised and shattered

C O L U M N

Reports from Ground

negotiating space for their men-folk population was allegedly raped in the men. During the seven-year waiting

during the two-decade-long conflict initial years of insurgency. period, the women's rights to their

has become a way of life, whether it is husbands ' property are often Dardpora, the village of widows, taking up the issue of missing sons and threatened.in Kupwara district, is nestled in the husbands or hiding militants in their mountains, and is very close to the Kunan Poshpora was raided on 23-homes. Kashmiri women have been Line of Control (LoC) between India 24 February 1990, by soldiers from the

thtargeted both by the militants as well and Pakistan. Almost all the men-folk 4 Rajputana Rifles, during a counter-as security forces, and have borne in the village have been killed either in insurgency operation. Women were more than their share of the brunt of fratricidal wars or by the Indian mass-raped, and the village was nick-the political unrest. security forces in the early years of named as the 'village of raped women'

Sexual exploitation has been a key militancy. Those who haven't been after the incident got highlighted in the

feature in Kashmiri women's lives in the killed have gone 'missing', and their international media. Till date, most

past 18 years. Indian security forces and women from the village remain

militant forces in Kashmir have been unmarried because of the stigma

using rape to punish, intimidate, attached to this gruesome violation of a

coerce, humiliate, and degrade their woman's body.

female victims. The psychological toll This is the village and the women of rape includes anxiety, depression, on whom video films have been made, nightmares, social phobias, physical where numerous national and complaints, and post traumatic stress international teams have gone, where disorder (PTSD). George Verghese conducted an

One of the impacts of the investigation for the Press Council of

protracted armed conflict has been the India, spent 15 minutes, and concluded

increasing number of widows and half- that no rape had taken place because

widows, and the shockingly increasing the raped girls had been laughing. The

number of women who have been Press Council of India dismissed the

physically violated by the personnel of allegations of the victims, while their

the armed forces. Thousands of women medical reports were withheld. The

are going through an identity crisis report said that when investigators

owing to the phenomenon of enforced went to Kunan Poshpora to find out if

disappearances, which leads them to the mass rape had actually taken place,

the status of half-widows (whose they found that all the women were

husband's death is not ascertained). For giggling and laughing. This led them to

such women, each day begins with the believe that such a heinous crime like

hope of their men returning, and ends in rape could not have been committed

despair. The armed conflict has also there, or else the women would not wives are called 'half-widows'! What affected women physically. have been laughing!remains in this village is women and In Kashmir's troubled history of the The question of the future of children. Widowhood has become the past 15 years, two villages have grabbed raped women, widows and half-dominant marker of these women in newspaper headlines but little by way widows presents a challenge to the Dardpora. of help out of their predicament. Both Azaadi movement. These issues have

Needless to say, the widows are Dardpora and Kunan Poshpora fall in the not gained the attention of the leaders harassed by the security forces and the border district of Kupwara, situated on who seemed to be concerned about militants, not to mention the daily the Line of Control in the north of the everything else. The civil society, too, struggle of having to fend for state. While Dardpora has the dubious leaves a lot to be desired. Though themselves and their children. The distinction of being the 'Village of there is no lack of sympathy for Indian government does not provide any Widows' because there aren't many men Kashmiri women, but building a local relief to half-widows before seven years left, Kunan Poshpora's plight came to support structure requires organized from the date of disappearance of their the fore when its entire female effort.


Thousands of women are

going through an identity

crisis owing to the

phenomenon of enforced

disappearances, which leads

them to the status of half-

widows (whose husband's

death is not ascertained).

For such women, each day

begins with the hope of their

men returning, and ends in

despair. The armed conflict

has also affected women

physically.

C O L U M NReports from Ground

C O L U M N

History


construction and their maintenance as orts were one of the most the most powerful measure of the e f f e c t i v e a n d p o p u l a r F defence of their own empire. Kautilya's components of the defence Arthashastra records four types of forts measures of India during ancient and such as water or river fort (audaka or medieval period. The construction of nadi durga), mountain fort (Parvata fort was understood one of the Durga), desert fort (dhanvana durga) dominant features of the state and forest fort (vana durga). Some formation and its strength. The other literature of the ancient India archaeological remains of the different mention six to eight kinds of forts. The parts of India show that fort maintenance of the forts by the rulers of construction had become one of the the early medieval India is mentioned main duties of the ruling class, since by the Turkish historians of the they exist in all states of ancient and Sultanate of Delhi. The Turkish medieval India. It could be either the historians' works show that they were Mauryan rulers such as Chndragupta very much impressed by the Rajput forts Maurya or Ashoka of ancient India or the

th thth th of the 12 and 13 centuries northern Mughal rulers of 16 and 17 century India. Hasan Nizami, a court historian of A.D., all of them treated forts

PROF JIGAR MOHAMMEDAuthor is Professor of History at University of Jammu. He is associated with Epilogue as Editorial Adviser on History of Jammu and Kashmir. He can be reached at [email protected]

History of Forts in Jammu Hills

Aerial view of Bahu Fort

Qutubuddin Aibak (1206-10) and lofty mountain, and surrounded by a to keep these route secure. One of the

Shamsuddin Iltutmish (1210-36) has all wide moat boundless like an ocean, its most effective security measures was

praise for the some of the Rajput forts ramparts were high that even fast flying the construction new fort and

of the north India. Describing the falcon could not soar over them, and its maintenance of the old forts.

strength and attraction of Delhi fort on battlements were invisible to the naked However, in the Jammu hills

the eve of the Turkish invasion, Hasan eye of someone watching them from the construction and maintenance of writes, “ As the imperial flags (May God the ground.” The forts of Kol, Gwalior forts were understood as the most

keep them aloft) reached Delhi, the and Kalinjer are also find huge space in ef fect ive means of both the 9 first thing to be visible was the rampart Hasan Nizami's work. maintenance the sovereignty of the

of the fort, which, like the dignity of the ruling king and maintenance of law and The contemporary sources of king, rose higher than the top of the order in the region. Since the states of both the Sultanate of Delhi and Mughal Saturn, while to foundations were as Jammu hills were closely linked with empire given considerable space in strong as the basis of the great empire. both the Punjab and Kashmir, their terms of their location, their use for The Engineer of the reason was unable rulers were conscious of the security security purpose and historical to attempt its mensuration, and measures of their states. It is evident background and maintenance. observers of eyes had not seen the like from the fact that the modern Jammu Moreover the ruling dynasties of of it in the length and breadth of the region was studded with the forts during medieval India treated the construction whole world. From its top the condition the medieval period. Recently, Shiv of the fort as one of their prerogatives of the cluster of Pleiades in the casket Nirmohi, a historian Jammu, made a and parts of their cultural life. For of the skiy could be seen, and the true survey of the forts of Jammu and security measures the Sultans of Delhi form of the chess-piecesof the stars on produced detailed study on the forts of generally repaired and constructed

the white chess-board on the firmament Jammu. .forts on major routes. Sultan could be observed at close quarters.” It Ghiyasuddin Balban built a fort at The remains of the forts of

is important to mention that when Gopalgir to strengthen security of Delhi Jammu hills show that the ruling 10Shibuddin Muhammad Ghori attacked against Meos menace. Similarly, he dynasties of the region had associated

Delhi its ruler was Prithiviraj Chauhan. built forts at Kampil, Patiali and the construction and maintenance of The fort of Meerut attracted the Bhojpur to supress the robbers and the forts with their socio-political life.

attention of Hasan and it strength rebels.More importantly, Balban got the They treated forts as symbol of their inspired him to pen down its military fort of Lahore reconstructed to defend their political grandeur. Though during significance. Describing its strategical north-west frontier the Mangol the medieval period all the ruling

12importance and the Turkish imvasion on dynasties of India treated forts as the menace. Abul Fazl's Ain-i-Akbari it Hasan Nizami writes: “…the fort of prime mover of their military activities, records the forts of the Mughal empire Merut…is the famous fort of this the existence of large number of forts in at the Pargana level. It is important to celebrated city, well known for the Jammu hill states establish that besides mention that the sources of the Mughal firmness of its foundation and the military strength of a state, forts were empire not only mention the forts builts strength of its pillars, a company of the major architectural activities of the by the Mughal ruling class, but also built soldiers (Turkish), reputed for their region. Shiv Nirmohi's Duggar ke Durg by the local rulers. It is well establilshed matchless valour and remarkable consists of the description of 128 forts. fact that Punjab was the region devotion to duty started the hostilities. It is understood that construction of the through which generally the foreign Awe-struck by the valour of the king in forts became a major security measure invaders, particularly Cental Asian, the battle-field, the inmates of the fort in Jammu hills from early eleventh Iranian and Afghans, endagered the

found themselves in a miserable century onwards. Frederic Drew security of India during the Sultanate condition, and when it came to actual witnessed a series of the forts in the and Mughal period. Since different fighting they realised that they were Jammu hills in the nineteenth century. trade routes of Punjab were utterly helpless before the royal troops. His findings show that most of the forts instrumental in maintaining trade Thus was captured the impregnable of Jammu hills were constructed by the commerce between India and foreign fort, an inaccessible stronghold, the indigenous ruling dynasties. According countries, the rulers like Sher Shah and ramprts of which firm and solid like a to him, “All over the low hills, on both Mughal emperors took various measures


C O L U M NHistory

sides of the Chinab, they (forts) are in built before eleventh century. The of these states. It is evident from their

extraordinary number. They were built Mughal sources from Akbar's period policy of making alliance with the

at the time when each little tract had its onwards give information about Jammu Rajput rulers of Jammu hill states from

own ruler, and each ruler had to defend hill forts in better way than other Akbar's period onwards. One of the most

himself against his neighbour. These sources. effective security measures of the

forts are commonly on the summit of Mughals was to construct forts at Abul Fazl records some of the

some rocky hill, with naturally scarped strategic places of the Jammu hills. It is forts existing in Jammu hills. Jammu

face; by their position, and by the way an established fact that generally the fort has been shown as the biggest fort

they were planned, they are well Mughal emperors visited Kashmir from of the region. He mentions Jammu fort

protected against escalcade. Though the period of its annexation to the constructed on the top of the hill with th Mughal empire in 1586-87 onwards. now (second half of the 19 century) huge army. This fort is shown with 1000

They followed the route of Rajouri and they have all come into the hands of one cavalry and 20000 infantry. Manhas are 22 Punch. To strengthen the security of this ruler, they are still kept up, that is so far shown as the rulers of Jammu. Abul

route Akbar constructed a fort at that a small garrison-may be only of a Fazl's description of the establishment Naushahra. Alberuni's account shows dozen men- is kept in each. Some of the of the Mughal sovereignty in Jammu

that a fort of Loharakotta was built in most kown are Mangla, on the Jhelam; under Akbar shows that Jammu fort was Punch by its rulers in early medieval Mangal Dev, near Naushahra; and Troch, treated as the main source of the

period. The fort of Loharkotta is known near Kotli; these are each on the defence of the state. Consequently, the to be gate way to Kashmir during the summit on a rocky preciptous hill most Mughal army besieged the Jammu fort

medieval period. difficult of access.” Frederic Drew's to compel the ruler of Jammu for the 23mention is concerned with the areas of The tradition of constructing acceptance of the Mughal sovereignty.

east and west of the Chinab river, which forts for defence purpose and as a Mankot state of Jammu hills has been consisted of Basoli or Bilawar, Mankot or symbol of political grandeur were shown with four forts by the Ain-i-

24 R a m k o t , R a m n a g a r, A k h n u r, continued by the rulers of the Jammu Akbari. It also shows that there was 30 BhimbarRajouri ant Punch etc. Though hill stated till nineteenth century. It is cavalry and 1200 infantry soldiers in

history of these forts in chronological understood that the fort of Mahoregarh Mankot state, and the ruling class order is not known because of the was also built during fifteenth or belonged to the Manhas clan of the

25absence of indigenous historical source sixteenth century. The fort of Rajput. Mankot is known as Ramkot in in the hills, non-indigenous sources, Kapurgarh was built in the sixteenth modern period. It ia understood that particularly Mughal sources, attest the century by Raja Kapur Dev (1530-71), the ruling dynasty of Mankot was an

historiocity of these sources. the ruler of Jammu. The fort of Dansal offshoot from Jammu and it started to was built by one of the sons of Raja It is an established fact that be known as Mankotia.It is said that

Kapur Dev during the sixteenth century. the Mangol invader Timur invaded Manak-Dev, a descendant of the ruling The fort of Samba or Nandini Durg was Jammu in 1398-99. When he wrote his family of Jammu founded the Mankot

built in early medieval period. The fort autobiography or Memoirs he state and build a fort there. Jasrota was of Lakhanpur also belongs to the incorported some places, structures another important state of Jammu hills medieval period. It is understood to and topographical features. It is which finds mention in the Ain-i-Akbari.

have been built by its ruler Sangram Dev important to mention that his It is shown with 400 cavalry and 5000 thautobiography is the first literary source during the 14 century. According to infantry soldiers and Malanhas (Manhas)

which mention the nomenclature Hutchinson and Vogel, “The alternative as the ruling family. Abul Fazl menions Jammu. When Timur invaded he Jammu name (of Lakhanpur) was Thain as found the existence of a fort in Jasrota in the

he found a fort in Jammu in which the in some of the records, from the name Akbarnama. Though Abul Fazl mentions ruling king of Jammu resided. This of a strong fort on a lofty cliff it a small fort, the remains of a this fort

shows that Jammu had a strong overhanging the right bank of the Ravi, show that it was a big fort constructed tradition of the maintenance of the fort where the Rajas seem often to have by its own ruler. Since Jammu hill states

during the medieval period. For, resided.” The Ain-i-Akbari mentions were buffer states between Kashmir Hutchison and Vogel the oldest fort of Lakhanpur as Lakhnor. The forts of and Punjab, the Mughal emperors were

Jammu was the Bahu fort, which was Bilawar and Bhadu were constructed very much concerned with the security


C O L U M NHistory

during medieval period. Though exact up to nineteenth century. Mian Gulab Chinab) and hills of Kishtwar to check

dates of their construction are not Singh contributed to the expansion of the advancement of the Mughal army.

availvable, these states find mention in this fort and constructed an entrance Jahangir also appreciates the

the Ain-i-Akbari. According to it, gate and a wall for making it stronger specilization of the Kishtwaris in rope

Bhadu's military strength was very and more secured in the early bridge building, which was very useful small. It consisted of 30 cavalry and nineteenth century. The fort of for defence purpose. Regarding the

1200 infantry. Its zamindars belonged to Sanalkot at village Pauni, district expertise of the Kishtwaris in rope Jat and Bandwal castes. The military Udhampur was constucted during early building Jahangir writes, “From the…

strength of Bilawar state was also small. medieval period. It is known as one of river (the Maru) to the Chinab, which

During the sixteenth century 50 cavalry the oldest forts of the Jammu hills. strong support to these unfortunate

and 3000 infantry were maintained by According to the folk tradition it was people (Kishtwaris), is a distance of two 40 built by a king Shalbahan. Ganeshdas bow-shots, and on the bank of Chenab its ruler. The fort of Sunderikot in

Badehra quotes an oral tradition about there is a lofty hill. The crossing of the Bilawar Tahsil, Kathua district seems to th the coming of Raja Shalbahan to Pauni water is a difficult matter, and, with a have been built in the 17 century.

from Sialkot. According to it, “…during view to the coming and going of people According to the folk tradition, it was

the last days of his life Raja Shalbahan on foot, they attach strong ropes, and built by the rulers of Bhadwal for the

left Sialkot and came to the hills near place planks of the width of a cubit shelter of the people during the natural 41 Pauni and founded a city on the spur of a between two ropes, and fasten one calamity. The fort of Kohag or Mandali

mountain on the bank of Chinab river rope's and fasten one rope's Zampa in was built in the late sixteenth or early th and named it Sanalkot. He took his the language of the people of the hill 17 century. It was built by the ruler of

residence on the peak of that country.”the Bandralta state for the protection of mountain.” The fort of Battal seems to The forts of Jammu hills not the frontier of his state. The fort of

thhave been constructed during the 17 only strengthened the military power of Thial in Tahsil Ramnagar, district century. the states concerned, but they also Udhampur, was constructed in the last

b e c a m e i n s t r u m e n t a l i n t h e The fort of Kishtwar was one of the most decade the sixteenth century.

flourishment of the building industries. famous and oldest forts of the Jammu According to an inscription of a well,

Moreover, with the construction of the hills. It is understood that it was built situated outside the fort, it was built in

forts, the rulers of Jammu hills during the seventh or eighth century A.D Samvat 1541. A oral tradition tells that

enhanced the historical importance of . by the successors of the Raja Kahn it was built by one Thial Singh, a 49 their states. Though ruling dynasties jagirdar of Bandralta state. The fort of Sen , the founder of the Kishtwar state.

emerged and declined, the forts Landar was built in the village Landar, in K a l h a n , t h e a u t h o r o f t h e

constructed by them speak of their modern district of Udhampur. It is Rajatarangini, mentions Kishtwar as

existence and constructive activities. understood that it was built in the Kashtvata. Abul Fazl mentions Kishtwar

The remains of these forts in Jammu seventeenth century by the Butiyal as one of the important regions of the th 50 region tell the story of the security kings. Therefore, it is also called the 16 century India. The Mughal

measures taken by the ruling classes for fort of Bhutiyal. The mention of the empreror Jahangir was very impressed the protection of the interests of their Bhutiyal state is found in the Ain-i- with the expertise of the Kishtwaris in own states. These forts are living Akbari. According to it, Bhutiyal state military affairs and the popularity of its heritage of the Jammu region. These was situated in sarkar of the Bari Doab, ruler. He found that the Kishtwar army forts also tell that the ruling classes of Suba Lahore. Its ruling class has been used its topographical features, Jammu were followers of the work mentioned as the Bhutiyalah. Its specially hills and rivers for defending culture. The existence of these forts military strength was 30 cavalry and its territory against the outside

establishes that construction was the 1000 infantry. The fort of Bhimgarh, invasion. Even Jahangir's army received major trend of the Jammu hills during situated in Riasi state, about sixty four tough resistence from the Kishtwaris ancient and medieval period, k.m. from Jammu, was built by Bhim, a when it attacked Kishtwar for the obstruction and destruction were not local chief of the area during medieval e s tab l i shment o f the Mugha l appreciated socio-politically in Jammu period. It was used very effectively for sovereignty there. For Jahangir, the hills. military purpose by the rulers of Jammu Kishtwaris used both rivers (Maru and


C O L U M NHistory

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öMOU with SMVD University and BGSB University for Joint Collaboration in Research

epilogue september 2009

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