STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Regretting that the administrative system has collapsed in Jammu and Kashmir due to ‘bureaucratic’ oligarchy, former minister and Senior Vice President of Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC), Raman Bhalla said that observations of Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs are eye-openers for those who are claiming that everything has improved in the Union Territory during the last three years.
This was observed by Bhalla while interacting with aggrieved people of Old Satwari area of Gandhi Nagar constituency on Thursday.
“The all-party Parliamentary Panel has exposed all tall but fake claims of J&K administration”, Bhalla said and pointed out that the panel, after concluding a week-long tour has raised serious concern over prevailing red-tapism in the bureaucracy.
“It is high time for BJP controlled administration to connect with the masses because prevailing anger of the people likely to be burst very soon because the system has collapsed”, the former minister observed and pointed out that masses are struggling to get basic amenities like drinking water and power during summer.
Pointing towards reports published regarding observations of the Parliamentary panel, Bhalla said that most of the delegations informed the panel that developmental activities have stalled due to red-tapism in the bureaucracy.
He said that it was all due to prevailing red-tapism that developmental activities have been hampering in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
Quoting the panel’s report, Bhalla said that both the Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh are waiting for development that has been hampered by the bureaucratization of the process and a monopoly over releasing funds.
“The developmental works started by the previous regime have been stopped mid-way without any reason and the common masses were struggling to get basic amenities,” Bhalla said and charged the present dispensation with undermining all democratic institutions by demonizing peoples’ representatives.
“The present regime has failed to bring transparency and accountability in the government,” he said.
Ridiculing the government’s claims of giving powers to the Panchayats, he said that except making promises nothing has been done in this regard.
Bhalla reiterated his party’s resolve to treat all regions and sub-regions equally and said Congress has earned the credibility of the people because of its good works.
Asserting the commitment of Congress to regional and religious unity in Jammu and Kashmir, Bhalla said that the party cadre was prepared for any sacrifice to nurture and sustain this glorious legacy.
He said that the “2014 euphoria is terribly missing with disillusionment growing among people due to policy paralysis of the BJP-partnered Government which is struggling to put its act together after plunging the state into unprecedented political and administrative crisis.
The people want development, employment opportunities, better infrastructure and other basic requirements like adequate water and power supply.