# THOUGHT OF THE DAY

Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment. | Jim Rohn

SRINAGAR, THURSDAY

10 102013


10 Opinion

Editorial
To splurge at the year-end is the plan expenditure policy of the government
Shed Light on Roshni
The government should make public the identity of all the people who
have received ownership of the land and the payment they have made
Erroneous Expenditure
I
n any other state of India, it could 3.48 lakh kanals of land with an With two thirds of the state economy not amenable With contractors and institutions who are
have become a massive scandal estimated cost of Rs 317.41 crore for development works for the four out of these six executing the plan works not paid till the end of
with a national fallout. But not in have already been disposed off months, what is the efficacy of spending Rs 6300 crores? the year, they debt finance these works. This is
Kashmir. Against the projected under the scheme. What is appall- How will they achieve this feat? To get a sense of bound to cut into their margins making govern-
this, the last two years are a great indicator. ment contracts un-remunerative. To protect their
revenue of Rs 25000 crore, Roshni ing is that there is no credible
In 2011-12, the total plan expenditure was Rs 6,600 margins and make it remunerative, the quality is
scheme has fetched the state gov- explanation for this massive loss. BACK TO BASICS crores. Of this, only 6 per cent was spent in the first compromised and with that the implementation of
ernment a measly Rs 76 crore. JK If 3.48 kanals have been decided quarter, 16 per cent in the second quarter, and 21 per the plan project comes into question.
Government had in 2001 enacted under the scheme, how come only HASEEB A DRABU cent in the third quarter. And, now hold your breath, Second, the economic implication, in terms of
the Jammu and Kashmir Rs 76 crore a staggering 62 per cent of the total plan was spent in growth impulses of autonomous investment in public

M
State Lands (Vesting of Own- If 3.48 kanals have have been the last quarter, i.e January to March of 2012. works, which drives economic growth gets consider-
ership to the Occupants) Act, realized. Y Tarigami, one of the better informed legislators, In the last three months of winter, and techni- ably weakened. The money doesn’t get enough time to
been decided under has got the state government to admit that Rs 1,150 cally not the “working season” in Kashmir and circulate and create absorptive capacities in the system.
also named Roshni Act. The Where has
Act which was amended in
the scheme, how t he rest crore which was supposed to be spent under various Ladakh, the state government actually spent more Further, the growth impulses that a sustained
2006 was billed it as a revolu- come only Rs 76 of money Centrally Sponsored Schemes for the year 2012-13 than Rs 4,000 crore. spend over the years can generate is far more disag-
tionary step like the 1950 Land crore have been gone? And has remained unspent. It gets even better. In the last month i.e March gregated than a bunched payment at the end of the
realized He, it seems, was astonished as to how despite 2012, a staggering 40 per cent of the total expendi- year. It also distorts the “intra-year” investment
to Tiller Act which saw the if this is
the availability of money, the government is unable ture was incurred. So, in March alone, more than and growth relationship.
redistribution of around 4.5 the status to spend development funds. But this is not even the Rs 2,500 crores of plan money was disbursed. The economic activities the planners wish to
lakh acres of land held by around of a small portion of land being tip of the iceberg! The year 2012-13 was no better. In the six months, just influence are year-round activities and cannot wait
9000 land owners among the culti- given away under the scheme, The expenditure mismanagement by the govern- over 15 per cent of the total plan was spent. In the last till the last month of the year. And that too in a highly
vating peasants. Similarly under how will government dispose ment is an all pervasive phenomena that calls into ques- quarter, 43 per cent of the plan with nearly Rs 2,000 crores seasonal economy with a limited working season.
Roshni the ownership of around of the rest. One way to make tion the entire planning and development framework. plan expenditure being defrayed in month of March. Third, is the institutional process. Is there ade-
18 lakh kanals of state land is sense of the dubiously complex Every year, after exercising considerable politi- It is through this bizarre money madness in quate institutional capacity to process this kind
sought to be vested among its operation of the scheme is for cal prowess and administrative energy in getting a March that the state government boasts of meeting of expenditure in one month? It is highly unlikely
occupants. This was done with a the government to make public large plan size approved and financed by the Plan- the 100 plus plan utilization. Indeed, in the presen- that all the requirements mandated to be met in the
view to earn the state revenue for the identity of all the people who ning Commission, no one seems to be focusing on tation to the Planning Commission this was a key process of sending are met. From this it follows that
its development projects, which have received ownership of the how these funds are being utilized on the ground. highlight and achievement! this bunching facilitates and indeed, encourages
The current fiscal, 2013-14 is a classic example. From this data it is obvious that the paradox of leakages, a euphemism for corruption.
was ambitiously pegged at Rs land and the payment they have
After being dismayed by the “small” plan size of Rs developmental spending by the state government Finally, the implication in terms of geographical
25000 crore. But eight years down made. This will instantly bring 7,300 crores, all that the government has managed is that it is the lowest in the working season and distribution. The mismatch of plan funds release
the line, the state coffers could to light the corrupt practices, if to spend till September this year, is just about 15 highest in the “non-working” season! and working season has in the past resulted in real-
raise a meagre Rs 76 crore from any, being perpetrated under the per cent of the plan! It may be argued that the bunching of expendi- location of plan funds towards the Jammu region
the scheme. This so, even when garb of the scheme. In the first six months of the current financial ture is more of a payment problem than the actual where the working season is longer.
year, state government has managed to spend just execution of work. While this may be true in part, So while in the plan allocation, there is seem-
about Rs 1,000 crores out of a total of Rs 7,300 crore. it doesn’t explain the paradoxical spending pattern. ingly a fair distribution across different parts of
This is a shocking state of affairs. The implications of this bunching of govern- the state, it may well turn out that in terms of actual

How does a rupee fall?

Equally amazing is the flip side to this. In the
remaining six months, from October 2013 to March
2014, the state government will spend Rs 6,300
crores! That is 85 per cent of the plan.
The question need be answered in a simple language If this doesn’t look absurd enough, factor in the
fact that out of these six months, four happen to be
ment plan expenditure are wide ranging: from the
macro-economic to the social.
First, the operational implications of bunching pay-
ments are very serious in terms of the private entrepre-
neurs and government contractors in the state.
To the extent that these are year-end bunched
utilization it is fairly skewed. This can causes inter
regional economic disparities and political tensions.
With this the futility of the plan exercise comes a
full circle. It starts with the size that bears less relation
to the absorptive capacity of the economy and more
to the political ego. It is approved with major funding

W
winter months. As such, these are not the “working payments, it amounts to private financing of the gaps, and is disbursed in the last quarter and that too
hat’s meant by the fall in Rupee? season” in a major part of the state; i.e Kashmir state plan! This may be a very unique contribution when the working season is well past! How, then, do
How’s the Rupee-Dollar rate Valley and Ladakh. of J&K to the planning process! you expect to see the fruits of development spending!
fixed? What’s meant by this rate?
The jargons like “Dollar-Rupee
exchange rate” are nothing but
it simply means how much money is
required to buy a Dollar. Therefore, Both are smiles and part ways. One towards Ghanta Ghar and REFLECTIONS
ABRAR UL MUSTAFA when we say that the Dollar-Rupee the other towards Amira Kadal Bridge
abrarulmustafa@gmail.com Exchange Rate is 60, it means that Rs

Kashmiriyat at a Boot Shop

Mail your articles and letters at:
60 is needed to buy one Dollar. In other editpage@greaterkashmir.com
words, it means what the price of one Dollar is. “The foreign exchange
market (forex, FX, or currency market) is a global decentralized Government silent
market for the trading of currencies. The main participants in this Apropos the news that Govt breaks silence on spurious
market are the larger international banks. Financial centers around drugs. Breaking its silence over the issue of spurious drugs,
the government Saturday disclosed that only one drug was
the world function as anchors of trading between a wide range of dif- this man”, he thinks again. “I will haz, he me wot haspatale petha found as fake and nobody had died due to consumption of
ferent types of buyers and sellers”, (Wikipaedia). Currency Trading is get off the matador one stop before schrat schrat karaan, me dizou mafi, sub-standard drugs in Jammu and Kashmir. In a written
the world’s largest market consisting of almost trillion in daily volume. the last one”, he plans and executes me wanitov tohi chuwa Shambhu- reply to a query raised by PDP legislator Abdul Gaffar Sofi,
“All trades that take place in the foreign exchange market it without giving him a whiff of it. nathji – from hospital onwards I who sought name and other details of agencies involved
He swiftly crosses the road and have been desperate to know if you in supplying spurious drugs to the hospitals, if these drugs
involve the buying of one currency and the selling of another are sub standard why is government silent.
enters in what was once the KMD are Shambhunathji?”
currency simultaneously. This is because the value of one cur-
rency is determined by its comparison to another currency. The
MUSINGS bus adda, crosses the adda precincts Father confirms he is. No
A Iqbal | aijazsmile@gmail.com
and emerges at Maulana Azad Road. sooner had he confirmed than the
first currency of a currency pair is called the base currency DR SANJAY PARVA
while the second currency is called the counter currency. The
Perturbed by the sequence of events, man comes another bit closer and Serious issue
iknowparva@gmail.com he finds a resting place for himself. holds father in a tight hug and asks: This refers to the death of many Kashmiri students
currency pair shows how much of the counter currency is needed He gets up again, starts walking, “Me zaniva – do you know me?” outside Kashmir. Many students who were outside

S
to purchase one unit of the base currency.” (currency.com)
Now the question is: Who or what sets this price? The answer is rinagar. November 2011. There was
Market Forces of Demand and Supply. These terms may seem like a scent of snow in the air and father
Chinese to a layman! Let me elaborate. Demand means the aggre- had sensed it while still being in the
gate of something that’s desired by the buyers of a certain place at bed. “It is late November now, paha-
a certain time. For example, say the current demand for Onions in dan aasi sheen pewaan – it must be
snowing on the mountains,” he
Srinagar City is 500 tonnes. Supply means how much is available
thought, “and nebrae aasi sheen
in market for sale, say 400  tonnes. Now, ‘Market Forces’ refers to
chat chalaan – outside snowy breeze
the aggregate of all factors that influence the Demand and Supply. must be blowing”. Reluctantly, he
These forces may be Less Production of Onions, a rumour about
comes out of the bed and checks out-
a huge foreign investment, etc, etc. Now, to understand the effect side, where Parvez saeb is, as usual,
of Market Forces over the Exchange Rate, let’s carry on with our sifting through Greater Kashmir.
example of Onions. As is clear from our case, there is a gap of 100 “Kya khabar che Parvez saeb – what
tonnes between the Supply and Demand. If you’ve some onions on is the news Parvez sahab”, he asks
him. Conversations begin but all
your shop, you may decide to increase the price for, the Demand is
very good and there is a shortage of Onions! You may do good busi- along something else is bothering
ness out of it. Now, this will ultimately lead to an increase in the him this morning. “I must buy a
price of Onions because all onion-sellers will increase prices. The new pair of shoes at the earliest,”
he thinks. “Nate gachi shuh – oth-
story behind the Dollar-Rupee exchange rate isn’t much different.  erwise my feet might contract chil-
There are many factors that lead to an increase or decrease in blains”, he presumes.
the Demand for Dollars. Let’s take an example: 500 Indian students Waiting for a matador at G.B.
went to US for pursuing higher studies because US universities and
Pant Hospital, all along the incessant
colleges provide outstanding educational facilities. These students ogling by this man of his own age
need to pay their fee, rent, etc in Dollars. Right? Because in US, dol- seems to be disturbing him. He finds
lars are accepted as money. Now, these 500 students demand Dollars. the man looking at him unceasingly,
Similarly, say, many students from other countries too rush to US almost without batting an eye lid.
However, both are dislodged
universities and colleges for pursuing studies. Will the demand for
Dollars increase or decrease? Yes, it is going to increase. So, just like from their places when a matador
arrives and the conductor shouts Lal
Onions, the price of the Dollars will increase. More money will be
Chowk, Lal Chowk, Lal Chowk so
needed to buy US Dollars. This is how, on the basis of many factors, loud as if to confirm that everybody
the price of a currency may rise or fall. waiting at the bus stop is deaf.
(Abrar Ul Mustafa is MBA, NET. He teaches at Greenland Business School, Hawal, Srinagar)
“Why is he stalking me”, father
asks himself. “Let me give slip to
takes a left turn and soon emerges
at the Ghanta Ghar.
Lost in an old story he doesn’t
really realize when he steps into the
intended boot shop. “Salaam–sa-
laam”, the two exchange the greetings
and before father speaks anything, the
shopkeeper asks: “Waniv tav Panditji
kya hukuma chu – honorable Panditji
what can I do for you?” “Garam pahan
boota goch – need a warm shoe”, he
says. The shopkeeper affirms: “Tohi
haz dimo bhe behtareen boot – I will
give you a special shoe”.
The last one he tries is the one
that was on his mind; it has a fur
lining from within, which makes it
an ideal winter footwear. A price is
fixed. “Fit chu – it is a perfect fit”, he
thinks and smiles.
His smile dissolves as rapidly
as a cube of butter on a hot pan.
The stalker is standing there, his
broad smile blocking the entrance
to the shop which, unfortunately for
father, is the exit itself.
The shopkeeper warmly asks the
man to come in. He seems to have
been waiting for just that signal. He
takes long shuffling steps towards
father, and spreads out both his
hands for a hand hug. Bewildered,
father is left with no choice but to
offer his right hand, and as soon
as the man wraps both his hands
around father’s, he asks: “Salaam
Without waiting for an answer the the valley for higher studies, were found dead in their
man tightens the hug a little more; rooms. Moreover, several Kashmiri students were
attacked in hostels by some unknown persons. This all
making both look like Chang and
has led to a fearful situation for those Kashmiri students
Eng Bunker, the famous conjoined who aspire to go outside for studies. Government must
twins of 1836. Father nods in nega- take up this issue very seriously.
tive. “Ahaan hez kati asev tohi yaad,
tana gav wakta, magar tohi haz asiv Bilal Ahmad | bilalnaik100@gmail.com
me ustaad Tarhami – yes you must
not be remembering since it has Electricity problem
been long, but you were my teacher This refers to the frequent electricity breakdowns
and failures in our area .This has sent a wave of
at Tarhama”, the man, who has resentment in the people. The services of electricity
turned as grey as father, informs. are missed during the evenings and night when they
In a matter of minutes father are most required. There is not any proper schedule
and the man–turned–student flip of electricity supply in our area and electricity keeps
through history as if still in one on playing hide and seek during the day and this
of their old classrooms. The shop- continues till late night. Help us.
keeper adds some interesting fill-
Noaman Rather | numanfarooqq@gmail.com
ers here and there, father gets up to
collect his purchase and the pay the Rotten truth
bill. He hands over the money to the This refers to the recent article of Happymon
shopkeeper. Shopkeeper holds the Jacob in which he clearly depicted the truth behind
currency in his hand; takes a few the funds used by Indian Army under the banner of
notes out from it and returns back operation Sadbhavna. This operation is the scheme
adopted by the army to apply healing touch to win the
to father. “Consider me also one of
hearts and minds of people of Kashmir. If the funds
your students”, he speaks emotion- were to be used for the welfare programs of common
ally and adds: “Daikhar hez karizav masses, then why it was diverted and fed to politicians
– please keep me in your prayers”. to buy their loyalties. Kashmir is the place in India
“Me ti hez – me too”, adds the man where the agencies have been engaged in buying and
and leaves the shop with father. selling people. Money has been used by army to cover
up many unpleasant facts.
Just a step outside the shop, he
extends his hand towards father
Mehraj U Din Khan | Kulangam Handwara
one more time, and hugs him once
again. Both are smiles and part
ways – father towards Ghanta (The Organization does not necessarily agree with the contents of the
articles or letters published on our Edit page and Op-Ed page. Ideas
Ghar and the man towards Amira expressed, details mentioned are completely authors’ own)
Kadal Bridge.

A letter to heaven An untold story of emotions, attachment, separation and pain. Life and death
MUSINGS long dream. I wanted to preserve it forever ask. Silence. I complain. Silence. Despite all filth. My soul has been engulfed by worldly miss me. But, I miss you more. You happen When I was about to leave, a known face
in my memories. my efforts, it is a monologue. I meet a deep desires. My eyes have been blinded by a web of to be someone who means more to me than he caught my eyes. Yes, my heart skipped a
HISHMA NAZIR Remember how anxious you were on get- silence from the other end. selfish ambitions. I am all unclean. I am await- means to the world. People have this world. beat. It had been a really long time, afterall.
ting my bones strong? The sunbaths when I It has been a long time since I saw you. ing a pat on my back, a few words of advice or I have you, even when I can’t see you. I can I neared close and pulled the Phiran of this
was merely two? You alone used to sit in that But, I very neatly remember your face; the that bright smile of yours. feel you. And that is all I need. man. He turned around. He resembled you.
Abba, chair under the noon sun only to watch your black, bushy eyebrows on the top of a young, Everyday, when I look at the sun setting, I still remember how you used to hold I thought it was you. He gave me a wretched

I
s it a surprise finding my note this early
a morning? I have been thinking of writ-
ing to you, since long. They told me I
wouldn’t be replied. I believe, I would.
I missed you. When I passed my 10th
grade exams, people came to wish me.
They congratulated and hugged me. There
was a bustle at home. With that door open
across my eyes, I silently expected you to
arrive. I don’t know why but a part of me
said that you can’t stay away from me at
this occasion. Even when the sun went
below the horizon, it refused to accept that
you weren’t going to come. You weren’t
going to wish. And like always, you didn’t
let me down. You did come. That was a
own skin turn blacker day by day. Let me com-
plain that you addicted me to a very strange
habit; rubbed my back until I fell asleep. Let
me inform you that I no longer fall asleep.
You were the one to call me ten times
a day when I had just turned two. Let me
remind you that you called to hear how
much progress I had made in pronounc-
ing ‘Abba’. Let me tell you that I now have
no one to talk to. I shut the door and draw
the curtains to ensure it is a conversation
between just you and me. Dark and hollow,
I pick up the receiver of the telephone in the
far corner of my room. I speak; my feelings,
my restlessness. I call your name. I believe
you are hearing. I can even feel your nod. I
bouncy face, the gentleman’s eyes and that
ever bright smile. I know your remember
mine too. But, mine has changed. Because,
if you visit me now, you are going to see me
exactly after 11 years, 8 months and 16 days.
Oh my God! Isn’t that too long?
I have grown a lot of hair. Mamma
draws that into two plaits. My hands have
grown and they are no longer chubby. How
you used to caress these. Oh! You must
have missed me.
Yesterday, I saw a young lady giving her
little son a nasty look. His nose was dirty. I was
immediately reminded of how you cleaned
my nose, hundred times a day. Being a young
girl of eighteen, I believe I now live in dirt and
I hold on and ponder a while. It goes to some
unseen, unknown world. You are in some
unknown world too. I wish the sun would
bring you with itself every morning as it rises.
How I once burned your hand with the
kangri and you held me back with the same
hand to keep me from sitting on a wet blanket.
Let me tell you that I now fall everyday. I fall
to the force of the storms of life. I fall because
of my own scary reflection in the mirror. I fall
because of the shrieks of its silence.
They say he’s dead. I know you’re alive.
How shall I believe them when you are living
within me, every second of every minute? I
am living you. I know your eyes are already
wet by now. And so are mine. I know you
my hand and ask me to choose my favou-
rite biscuit from Mushtaq uncle’s shop.
The shop is still there and so is Mushtaq
uncle. But, where are you?
The family picture down the wall has
turned foggy. As I turn to look at it, I can
find your ever cheerful face at the very
front. The picture now is a clear blur. It
inhales a deep air.
It stares. It hollows.
Its silence silences.
It was the grand parent’s day of my
school. I was lost in a crowd of people. There
were young children holding hands of their
grandfathers and mothers. I looked around
myself and slowly closed my hollow fist.
look and shook me away.
I write this because I believe you can read
this. I speak to you in that dark corner of my
room because I believe you can hear me. I look
at the far end of the street during the grandpar-
ent’s day of my school because I believe you will
appear. I believe because you made me believe.
And now I can’t stop these tears wash-
ing down my faith and optimism. You cre-
ated these. Life erased these. I know you
will come back to bring these to life again.
Bring me to life again.
I am waiting.
Waiting.
Yours little,
Hishma

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