The year we just left behind can in many ways said to be a better than the year before. As we saw no large scale unrest in the valley last year. Not very many strikes calls, much violence or bloodshed as we had seen in the preceding year. Sudden end to the incidents of large scale stone pelting or indiscriminate firing of pellet gun shots which ruined hundreds of innocent lives. NIA conducted frequents raids and made arrests from all over the places to build effective pressure on the separatist leaders to end the impasse. J&K Police which had gone on the back foot and into the hibernation because of public wrath and onslaught came into the limelight again. Public transport became visible on the roads, commercial institutions were able to run their business as usual and schools began to function again. As a result thereof government was able to breathe in some fresh air and managed to focus on the development of the state which otherwise had come to a standstill position in the year 2016.
But the tourism sector is still trailing behind and is unable to get back its lost glory. Hundreds of hoteliers, houseboat owners, pony walas and Shikarawalas are worst hit because of the several decades of unrest prevalent in the valley. As a result thereof livelihood of thousands of people dependent on it for their sustenance and livelihood are suffering heavy losses. Apart from this militant casualties have gone up and as many as two hundred seventeen highly trained militants have been killed including some top commanders particularly that of Jaish-e-Muhammad outfit, sixty five civilians were killed and eighty nine security personnel lost their lives. All this is an indication of the fact that despite of comparative peace in the valley it cannot be sustained or guaranteed for long. And the situations like that of 2008, 2010 and 2016 are likely to erupt again and again unless some positive measures are taken up to redress some of the long standing grievances of the people.
We need to realise that for a lasting peace and viable political solution engagement of separatist leaders and most of all that of Pakistan is imperative. While as other issues which are of equal importance can be resolved without their coming to terms to find a long term solution to this vexatious problem. All such issues are for the mainstream parties to sort out. For which both centre and the state government have to join their hands and put all their resources and efforts together to address these issues. The two main such long standing issues which can be taken up to begin with as these have not received the attention they deserved in the past and have remained unattended despite lapse of around seven decades. These are power shortage and unemployment amongst the educated youth of the valley.
No government in the world is in a position to provide each and every individual with a government job as that will be simply impossible. However this state can generate more power than any other state in the union of India. Therefore if serious efforts are made to exploit the immense water resources of the state for the said purpose. It can not only go a long way to solve many a problems of the people of the state including the problem of un-employment amongst the educated youth. Who instead of looking towards the government for providing them with jobs can not only generate a lot of work for themselves but they can create jobs for others as well.
This way people of the state at least will be able to live a prosperous and dignified life.