Empower the DDCs

The editorial piece titled “Disband the DDCs” by former Finance Minister Haseeb A Drabu published in Greater Kashmir on 19th December 2024, suggesting that District Development Councils (DDCs) have circumscribed the functional outreach of the J&K Legislative Assembly, overlooks the critical importance that this part of the Panchayati Raj Institution has acquired over the past five years in Jammu & Kashmir.

Consider the case of Nazir Ahmad Ganie, a Sarpanch from Goripora village in Beerwah with only a middle school education. Since his election in 2019, Nazir has managed to channel over ₹1 crore into his village. His efforts have transformed an area that once struggled with underdevelopment in sectors like health, rural infrastructure, and education. Thanks to the financial independence granted by the government, and the collaborative support of the Block Development Council (BDC) Beerwah and District Development Council (DDC) Budgam, Nazir has tiled every path in his village and macadamized major road links. Additionally, he has upgraded the power infrastructure by installing new transformers and poles. For the people of Goripora, this is a remarkable achievement, especially when compared to earlier times when even securing a transformer required the recommendation of a local Halqa president just to meet the MLA.

There are countless such success stories across Budgam, showcasing the tangible impact of this governance model, which empowers Panchayats, BDCs, and DDCs to work together for the development of rural areas.

The essence of the DDC model lies in nurturing leaders who have no political legacy. Hundreds of Sarpanches, BDC chairpersons, and DDC members have been elected across Jammu & Kashmir. Today, these grassroots representatives sit in air-conditioned conference halls at district development commissioner offices, deliberating on developmental plans and providing feedback based on their firsthand experience of ground realities.

This model of participatory governance should not be viewed as a mechanism to overshadow the role of MLAs. Instead, it legitimizes government policies by incorporating wider consultations and feedback from the grassroots. Particularly after August 5, 2019, the DDCs have played a pivotal role in keeping participatory democracy alive in Jammu & Kashmir. A democracy cannot achieve its full potential or legitimacy solely through the election of 90 MLAs. True democratic vitality comes from the involvement of hundreds of elected representatives at the Panchayat, Block, and District levels. This broader participation makes the governance model both unique and effective.

Through this system, even bureaucrats stationed in secretariats have been motivated to visit Kashmir’s villages, learning about the real challenges faced by rural communities.

As Rajiv Gandhi aptly said, with the introduction of the 73rd and 74th Amendments to the Constitution of India, the nation stands on the threshold of a mighty revolution that brings governance to the people’s doorsteps. In Budgam, this vision became a reality not through decades of successive MLA elections, but through the advocacy of the DDCs.

For instance, the active involvement of the DDC Council in Budgam led to the Lieutenant Governor visiting the district to lay the foundation stone for a 125-bedded district hospital in Reshipora. Recognizing the consistent advocacy and cooperation of the DDC Council, the Lieutenant Governor later sanctioned an additional 100-bedded intensive care unit for Budgam. This is the legacy of DDC Budgam—an institution that has worked to address historical injustices and developmental deficits.

The DDC model in J&K may differ from Panchayati Raj systems in other parts of the country due to the use of adult suffrage in electing its members, but this makes it even more participatory and vibrant. Rural Kashmir faces unique challenges, such as waste management and illegal mining, which require localized solutions. Instead of viewing DDCs as rivals, MLAs should collaborate with them to create sustainable and resilient villages.

For instance, such collaboration can lead to the establishment of infrastructure in rural areas to address critical issues like waste management. If the DDC model were truly flawed, why would the Panchayati Raj system continue to exist nationwide? There is a pressing need to further empower this institution by providing adequate financial support and enhancing its operational scope.

The dream of fostering sensitive political leadership—leaders who are intimately familiar with the challenges faced by rural communities—can only be realized through the DDC model. Disbanding this institution would mean dismantling a system that has brought real governance to the people of J&K.

Shakir Parray, a final-year law student at Kashmir University, also works with the Chairman District Development Council, Budgam.