The Central Govt through the Act of Parliament, two years back, in August reorganised erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated it into two Union Territories, the UT of Jammu and Kashmir and the UT of Ladakh. In the respective UTs, the Lieutenant Governors have been appointed by the Union Govt of India to replace old system of governance with a new one thus to make both UTs to become functional entities. The UT of Jammu and Kashmir has inherited certain infirmities from its very inception both at political and Administrative levels. The task before new LG was gigantic and difficult to pull UT of J&K out of morass and confusion. Two years have gone but UT of J&K continues to be in turmoil and trouble, both from within and without. The new LG has to work on a multi-prong policy, as on one hand he has to ensure insulation of J&K border with help of Armed Forces on other hand the proxies and sympathiser of enemy across the border, who are hell bent to cause disturbances within the UT must be dealt with iron hands by security forces. The LG should also work on both political and Administrative reforms in the newly created UT of J and K. The UT of J&K has inherited a political system which is based on multi party system, contesting elections on their respective political symbols to get elected as member of legislative Assembly. Although new setup of LG Administration has gone for Panchayat elections and DDC elections to empower people at grass root level but till date elected representatives are without power and almost non-functional. LG needs to address this vital political aspect immediately before it back fires. Other important issue before LG is conduct of fresh elections to J&K legislative Assembly. But prior to elections the task before LG is to effect delimitation of the constituencies in the UT of J&K on the equitable and proportionate representation so that the demand of left over people’s and area finds its genuine redressal. The genuine and long pending demand of Kashmiri Pandit community for political empowerment and rehabilitation of KPs back to valley needs sympathetic and humanitarian consideration as KPs are victim of Islamic fundamentalism and were forced to leave their homes and hearths in mass exodus of January 1990. The political empowerment of aborigine Kashmiri Pandits by way of reservation or nomination at least three to five seats in vale of Kashmir must be considered which would ensure the survival of the miniscule community on lndian landscape. The process of delimitation has already commenced with the visit of delimitation commission in J&K but the moot point is, should the delimitation commission go with census of 2011or with the newly conducted census of 2021? lf delimitation of the constituencies is carried out at least 10new constituencies can be constituted for JK legislative Assembly and one to two parliament constituencies can be carved out as well, the newly constituted constituencies can usher a new era of peace and development in the region. This exercise must be carried out as early as possible so that Assembly elections are held at the earliest and political leadership is placed at the helm of affairs. Political parties especially Kashmir centric must revisit their ideology and readjust themselves in changing political and social milieu in the region to pull out JK out of uncertainty and confusion. The enemy across the border has already caused havoc in the erstwhile state of J and K and is hell bent to destabilize and disturb the newly created UT of J and K with its proxies and mercenaries backed by Pak Army and ISI. It is time for political spectrum of the UT of J and K to rise to the occasion and accept the ground realities and march on the path of peace and prosperity shunning the violence in all its forms and manifestations for the sake of coming generations without further hoodwinking and misleading the people of the UT especially youths. The political parties must come out with nationalist agenda guide and infuse the spirit of well-being in youths. On administrative front, a lot more is needed to be done, to make the Administrative machinery more accountable, approachable and transparent Ever since the UT of J&K has come into being everything is in flux, the corruption has gone up to all times high, the accountability level of the official dome has come down to all times low. The land mafia is hyper active, the encroachment of Govt lands and loot of public funds is rampant. The Administrative machinery has become more apathetic and unaccountable taking the advantage of chaos and confusion. LG needs to restructure the Administrative setup by revamping and reviving the defunct system. Although previous LG has wounded up several unnecessary commissions and departments which were created by the erstwhile State Govt for rewarding and adjusting their blue eyed bureaucrats and likes. J&K suffered mostly because of the governance deficit therefore the revival and restructuring of the Administrative set up is the need of the hour especially the institutions which have direct public dealing People of J&K, by and large, except capital cities lack basic amenities like electricity, water supply, healthcare etc. LG must focus on issues raised above in order to put the system back on the rails to restore the confidence of common man in the system The new LG administration must show the apparent difference in governance and delivery to the people. The bureaucracy must shun the policy of adhocism and reflect the transparency, accountability and corruption-free atmosphere so should be the role of police and other allied agencies. Otherwise the entire exercises carried by the Central Government would be a failure.The LG must not solely depend upon the team of advisors but needs to get direct feedback from people by visiting all districts of UT of Jammu and Kashmir. For putting J&K on front seat of development and progress huge investment is required to provide employment to the educated and professional youths. All those measures, if taken with sincerity, shall restore the confidence of the people both in central and UT Governments and would usher an era of peace and tranquility in newly created UT of J&K. Reforms at political and Administrative levels are of paramount importance and need of the hour.
