Editorial . . . . . . . . 

Recently, we have heard voices of discrimination coming from several UT regions due to the disproportionate discrepancy in the distribution of funding for development. It is alleged that certain communities only receive plans and funding, leaving other places in the dust. We are aware that human growth affects both the personal and collective well-being of individuals and groups of people. It is not merely an external phenomenon. Because of this, the idea of development is described in greater detail. A concept of equitable development of all the regions of any administrative entity is one of these specifics. The benefits of development should be felt everywhere, regardless of whether it’s a city, town, or village, and the services and facilities that are provided to residents in one location should be accessible to residents of other areas as well. For instance, a particularly unsettling tendency of urbanisation that we are currently witnessing is the constant relocation of residents from outlying villages and towns to Jammu, Udhampur, Kathua and Srinagar cities. Now, this has caused issues on numerous levels. The government’s amenities and the available land are under tremendous pressure. On the other hand, there are societal issues that will provide difficulties not only now but for many years to come. In the big picture, it is the responsibility of the government to make sure that residents do not have to move from their towns and villages to cities like Jammu, Udhampur, Kathua and Srinagar in order to get certain facilities. Why would anyone choose to leave his home and live in an unfamiliar neighbourhood if those amenities are available to individuals who reside in towns and villages? People can avoid the inconveniences of travelling long distances to get such amenities if there are good schools in our isolated towns and villages, good higher education institutions in our towns, and decent healthcare facilities in our villages. Most importantly, it will spread the benefits of development worldwide. Overpopulation won’t have an adverse effect on cities, and villagers won’t have to go through the hassle of leaving their homes. It is true that the people of a J&K provide the final form of authentication for democratic regimes in current times. The fact that the people must be taken care of and that their happiness in matters of governance is always sought remains a fundamental quality of a government, regardless of the state of the systems today and the level of criticism that the declining standard of governance has acquired. In a contemporary democratic government, the well-being of the populace is at the centre of all governance structures. Failure is inevitable if this foundation is weak and the institutions of government do not ultimately satisfy the requirements of the populace. The well-being of the populace is prioritised even in states that do not qualify as democracies. All of this means that if modern states or governments don’t look after people, including their security, healthcare, basic needs, and other issues, they lose their reason for existing. The distance between the people and the systems of governance must be closed in order to achieve this goal. In actuality, the concept of a divide between the people and the authorities dates back to colonialism. So the earlier it gets destroyed, the better. And if it is completely uprooted, it will make people happy. Unfortunately, colonial mindsets persisted in third-world nations long after the colonial masters had left this region of the world.

Even today, officers and many workplaces in our region of the world still exhibit some remnants of the same mindset. It is urgently necessary to alter the environment in which people feel as though they are at the mercy of an official. The fundamental goal of democracy, which nations like India are so proud of, is defeated by this. Bringing the officialdom closer to the populace is one strategy for kicking the colonial hangover. They ought to visit the communities to learn about the issues that the locals are facing first-hand and then convey those issues. This programme should not only complete the tasks assigned to the people but also give them a sense of importance, especially in the remote hilly areas of Jammu and Kashmir.