Editorial . . . . .
Democracy needs improvement to function well. How the fundamental concerns of the populace are accessible, evaluated, and addressed is the most crucial aspect of any democratic system. The UT of Jammu and Kashmir has been most negatively impacted by this issue. Undoubtedly, officials have a duty to act in the interests of the public, but over the years, this has been neglected for various reasons. This crucial idea of connecting with the general public is the basic parameter of democracy. The JK UT’s current chaotic position may have developed as a result of this gap. UT’s core democratic foundation is seriously threatened by this situation. It is a reality that democracy entails paying attention to the people who are right in front of them, comprehending the conditions in which they live, sensing the pinch of the challenges that affect their lives and figuring out a solution to overcome them. This entails paying attention to everyone, even those in remote villages and towns as well as those who live alone in the district headquarters. This is true because there are numerous issues in rural areas. Area- and demographic-specific issues can arise, especially for residents of distant locations where connectivity issues are more severe than in other places and where access to health and educational resources is limited. However, there are also some widespread issues, such as a consistent lack of power and water. Although there may be plenty of success tales in the secretariat and other government departments, the reality is quite different on the ground. The bureaucratic system wants to cover up a number of difficulties in order to disguise its shortcomings, but when forced to visit the communities and report on their challenges, there is little room for manoeuvring left. In addition, hearing people out about their issues helps them feel as though they have a voice and are taken seriously. All of this provides the populace a feeling of empowerment, which is a vital component of grassroots democracy. And there is no question that the reason why our UT is engaged in a severe economic crisis is that there is a gap between the general populace and the governing, development administration. Consider UT’s agrarian economy, which has notably contracted and is unable to produce wage-employment or stable earnings to the point where it is now a losing endeavour. The structural change reflects the steady fall in the average size of holdings that cannot support agricultural households’ basic needs. It seems sense that huge numbers of rural residents are moving to urban regions in pursuit of work, but this has led to greater issues both in urban and rural communities as well. It is a known truth that one of the key economic indicators, employment, is poorly indexed in our UT. Some of the most obvious causes include a lack of a developed corporate infrastructure, a lack of micro and small businesses, restricted prospects, the spread of corruption in our government sector, job market, and an uncertain political climate. Even while the UT is focused on increasing the number of higher education institutions, the employability of the educated workforce created by these schools continues to be a serious issue. Both rural and urban unemployment is high today. Young boys and girls rush the location in unbelievable big numbers whenever a job vacancy is published, be it in the private or governmental sector, as a result of the chaos and confusion that this unemployment scenario has caused among our educated youth. Doctorate degree holders have been observed applying for small and lower-level administrative positions. All of this is a result of the lack of employment options; given the current labour shortage, a candidate with a doctoral degree and a number of publications may not be able to secure a position in a university or college. On the other hand, the training and encouragement of entrepreneurship rarely provide tangible results that can be seen in real life.
The people in charge and at the helm of affairs must take action before things spiral out of control. Frequent daily protest on the roads is a clear reflection and manifestation of public anger for various issues and reasons and it needs to be resolved on a priority basis for a healthy democracy. Further, Jan Abhiyan and the upcoming “Back to Village” programme phase IV (B2V4) across Jammu and Kashmir is a welcome step to connect with the public and their issues.