Recently, one of the most reputed news journals, “The Indian Express” (IE) listed Manoj Sinha, the lieutenant governor of Jammu & Kashmir, in 24th place on the list of the most potent Indians. The Indian Express (IE) published the prestigious list in March 2023.
While reflecting upon the published list, people may be searching for the facts behind placing Manoj Sinha in 24th rank in the list of Powerful Indians. Their inquisition may be restless as asking why Sinha? When there are several lieutenant governors in the country in different UTs. They might be curious about the three successive placements of Sinha in the list of the most potent Indians since 2021.
There are several Union Territories in the country administered by the lieutenant governors. But it is important to note that the governance challenges in Jammu and Kashmir are multifaceted and deeply rooted in historical, political and socio-economic factors. Jammu and Kashmir is a complex political landscape, with various ethnic and religious groups and longstanding political tensions.
The region has experienced separatist movements, conflicts, and disputes over issues such as autonomy, self-determination, and political representation, which have posed challenges to governance. It is affected by internal security challenges, including insurgency and cross-border terrorism.
The region has a significant military presence for maintaining law and order, ensuring security, and addressing the concerns of various stakeholders is complex and challenging. J&K’s political dynamics not only include general socio-economic and political matters commonly shared by all the states or the UTs of the country, but in addition to them, it includes terrorism, secessionism, and the rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits.
The extra matters had already made the region extraordinarily fraught. The abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019 and the constitutional change of the state into two UTs further added to the governance challenges. So the withdrawal of ‘special status’, an unexpected and sudden constitutional change, made the region, particularly the valley, more vulnerable than before. Eventually, the state’s political environment was much more challenging when Sinha took office as lieutenant governor. Working on these challenges requires careful consideration of various complex issues and stakeholders and a nuanced and inclusive approach to governance.
Execution: After Satiyapal and Murmu, the most challenging and uphill task was the execution of the policies, laws and schemes on the ground. And for this purpose, Dehli Sarkar chooses Manoj Sinha as Lt. Governor of the state. Amid chaos and confusion, Manoj Sinha, as lieutenant governor of the most chaotic state of Jammu & Kashmir, was supposed to deliver a desired performance on various challenges and fronts. The facts bear testimony to the exemplary performance exhibited by Sinha. Indeed his performance in the tumultuous state of Jammu and Kashmir makes him deserving to be put on the list of potent Indians.
Termination of anti-national government employees: The tough challenge was to break down the nexus between anti-national elements and their supporters. More than 47 big and small anti-national people in government got terminated in the last four years. This historical move disintegrates anti-national elements in Jammu and Kashmir. It is important to note that Jammu and Kashmir have experienced periods of unrest: stone pelting and anti-national activism due to non-action against these anti-national people in the government. This move made them restrained from anti-nationalism and involved them in the campaigning of different national integrity programs.
Forest Rights law: After a wait of more than 14 years, the bill was tabled to implement the Forest Rights Act, 2006, which will elevate the socio-economic status of a sizeable section of the 14-lakh-strong population of tribal’s and nomadic communities. It will also provide one hector for developing government facilities, including schools, prefab toilets, seasonal centres, minor water bodies, and hospitals. It includes Gujjar-Bakerwal and other tribal communities also. This right has provided social equality and harmony as guided by the Constitution of our country and Parliament”. The Lieutenant Governor on 13th September 2021 declared that all scheduled tribes come under Forest Act-2006. They have the right to forest land.
E-Governance: Puts an end to 149 years old biannual “Darbar Move” originated under Dogra rule. It was regarded as the best reform to save more than 300 crores and end 300 truckloads of files between the two capitals after every six months. Under this, a new concept of digitalization got introduced, and more than 3 lakh files got digitalized under the E-office system. The employees moving after every six months wasted time and disposal in the work culture. More than 10000 employees of the Civil Secretariat in Jammu and Srinagar would move between the two cities twice a year because the administration would use Jammu as its winter capital and Srinagar as its summer capital. With Darbar-Move, a businessman in the summer capital got anguished and thus started rebuking. But, today, UT J&K is the most efficient in e-governance among all the UTs of the country.
New Excise policy: New excise policy 2020, in the last three years, opened 77 new shops. It is to make revenue & return efficiently. The Government of UT of J&K, vide notification number 275 dated 31.08.2020, approved a new excise policy in the year 2020-21, which got effect from September 1, 2020, till March 31, 2020. The policy is to rationalize the tax structure to optimize revenues besides encouraging a transition from High to Low Alcoholic drinks.
Luckily, hosting G-20 summits in Jammu and Kashmir in the current year is such an exceptional political event that is phenomenally historical concerning the economic and political circumstances of the UT, and it is indeed Sinha’s governance deserving gracious homage because it is Sinha’s governance that makes such a colossal event likely in the region whose valleys have met with horrible terrorism, the terrible echoes of which we still hear.
In 2022, at the Jashne-i-Sehat conclave celebrated at Jammu, observed that “A happier and productive society is our prime objective. I believe public health is fundamental to stable socio-economic growth.” LG fabulously articulated that a correlation is between health, economy, and happiness at the collective level.
Under Siha’s governance, since 2020, 2742 health and wellness centres have been established; 207 advanced Life Support Ambulances and 286 Basic Life Support Ambulances have been dedicated to the health care of the general public. e-SAHAJ, an online appointment with doctors, got launched. In his commitment, Sinha’s governance is strengthening the health sector with 350 modern health infrastructure projects in the coming future. He has genuinely substantiated the value of a citizen by saying that our biggest asset is the citizens’ health. True, citizens’ sound health is a guarantee of a healthy society.
Among one thousand one hundred tasks to be taken care of as a state head, what is of paramount importance after the state’s security is the health of citizens of the state? Manoj Sinha proved that as a state head, he is not oblivious to the health of the citizens. He didn’t send empty claims into the air to fill the atmosphere at the public gatherings with excitement. But what he is committed to, he is making that appear on the ground of reality. Healthcare in the UT has seen a noteworthy change during the last three years.
Education: Isn’t it true that education in modern times is the soul of a nation and pride for the state? A state emerges exceptionally brilliant and productive as it invests remarkably in the educational domain. Manoj Sinha is upgrading UT’s educational set-up.
Besides signing MoUs like Samarga Shiksha J&K and HCL for the TECHBEE program for students of 12th grade, LG inaugurated 84 school buildings, laid foundation stones for sports infrastructure in 100 schools along with two residential for tribal students in Rajouri and Shopian and further rolled out NIELIT courses for six to 12 grade.
The revolutionary initiatives in his credit are Smart Schooling for tribal communities and scholarships to 21,000 children of tribal societies, 500 Atal Tinkering Labs and 188 model kindergartens, and 1935 pre-primary sections. Seeds sown today will bear fruits tomorrow.
Tourism: Jammu & Kashmir is a tourist destination on the world map. People from all four corners of the world visit it because of its enchanting and exquisite natural beauty.
Besides being a vital ingredient in the state’s GDP, tourism in Jammu and Kashmir is an indicator. It indicates its bad and good political conditions concerning safety and security.
The heavy footfall of visitors in the state, particularly in the Kashmir Valley, reflects a peaceful political environment. Terrorism and tourism cannot go hand in hand. In the previous year, 2022, over 1.8 crore tourists visited UT, among whom 20,000 were foreigners.
According to official resources, it was a record-breaking footfall. Had the state’s political atmosphere not been considerably congenial, the arrival of tourists in such a bulk quantity was unlikely. To whom will the credit go?
Transformation
Policy making, funding and execution play an all-important role to change the violence-hit or poverty-stricken area. But the execution is the soul of policy or a scheme. Otherwise, the plan or scheme, or policy without execution is uneconomical paperwork. Surrendering of grants is the yield of mal-execution.
In the last three years, what has played a prodigious role in transforming the worst violence-hit area, Jammu and Kashmir, is the execution of projects. Land digitization was ordered and rigorously followed up, focusing on sports stadiums and GMCs; degree colleges in each district are the set targets. Much has been achieved on the front. Similarly, roads under PMGSY have provided financial support to the underprivileged. It also developed a road network in a short time.’’
The complete projects: The Jammu-Udhampur road, Qazigund-Banihal Tunnel, and the substantially completed Uri-LoC road and Srinagar-Banihal Road are the credits to Sinha’s executive dynamism.
The state of Jammu & Kashmir, where terrorism had planted its deadly roots for three decades and had entered into a political volcano after the central government withdrew statehood and special status, was a region susceptible to chaos.
Uncertainty had engulfed the region, especially the valley! The grievous concern for young and old was that, at any moment, something obnoxious and deadly seemed to transpire in the valley. But Sinha’s governance dealt with the stressful uncertainty with courage and insight.
Sinha’s governance indeed deserves commendation for its developmental work. However, dealing with the uncertainty that had entirely overwhelmed the valley after the repeal of 370 is enough to place the Captain, Manoj Sinha, of the J&K administration, on the list of Hundred Potent Indians. Sinha’s name in the history of Kashmir is of a hero who fought terrorism and brought tourism: the ambassador of peace and prosperity, back to the UT.
DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this article are the personal opinions of the author.
The facts, analysis, assumptions and perspective appearing in the article do not reflect the views of GK.