A to-do list for 100 days

Only some weeks old  popular government headed by  Omar Abdullah  is facing far more formidable  challenges than envisaged. The recent upsurge in violence  that resulted in killing of  innocent workers and labourers including  a doctor who provided necessary medical assistance to those working on Zojila tunnel  is highly worrisome  for the government. Notwithstanding the fact  that  maintenance of law and order  as well as issues of security are out of its  domain of activities.

The government has a formidable opposition  which isn't reconciled with the popular decision  of the people  that gave the government a mandate to rule. The dual control over  bureaucracy doesn't in any case auger well for any civilian government least for the present government.  Further, among the present MLAs  we have no technocrats, no economists, no medicos, no academicians,  no environmentalists. So governance is more difficult. Therefore it is essential for the government to identify  different experts to  advise it on policy matters concerning economy, education, healthcare  and overall well being of people.

This government needs to have a team of honest and dedicated people to run the government. The government should prepare a plan of action for first hundred days . To do this, it has to allot priority to the issues on hand.

In terms of priority the issues are:

Restoration of Statehood: Concerted efforts have to be made in this direction at legal and political levels. At legal level  the government has to move the Supreme Court for implementation of its decision in respect of  granting statehood

Resurrection of article 370 and article 35A of the Constitution.

Release of prisoners, not involved in murder, on bail or otherwise lodged in different jails of the country.

Transfer  of prisoners other than those mentioned above  to local jails.

General amnesty to  people involved or implicated in minor cases  to allow them to lead a normal life.

Review of  all cases of termination / suspension  of employees during the last six years; as it is largely felt that it was done without following the rules of natural justice.

Identification of vacancies in different departments  and  filling these on fast track basis  to provide employment to qualified jobless youth.

Devise a strong strategy to fight drug menace  that has eaten into  the vitals  of our society.

Review of working of different departments to identify weaknesses and rectify  the wrongs, if any

We admit that some good things have also happened during the last six years. The government  should retain all that is good. For example punctuality in offices has improved and it has to be further strengthened.

Darbar move practice has been abandoned  and wasteful expenditure saved, the practice needs to be continued and  e-governance strengthened further.

People shouldn't expect too much from this weakened government in too little a time, and instead  support it heartily; whenever and wherever it deserves.

Bashir Ahmad Dar is an eminent educationist