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Kashmir

Economy is the Real Need

By C. Subramaniam
THE DEBATE on the National Conferences autonomy resolution detracts from one thing that is absolutely essential for a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir Issue - rapid economic development in the State. External forces are no doubt seeding. funding and fanning militancy and secessionist sentiments. But more than any other factor, the slow pace of economic development has been providing the fuel for discontent in the Valley especially among the educated unem-ployed
To some extent the perception in the Valley that Jammu and Kashmir has been economically neglected does not tally with facts. Its 4.4 per cent compound annual growth rate from 1991 to 1997 was only slightly less than that achieved by Haryana, Punjab and Delhi and is far higher than the performance of Bihar. Orissa, Uttar Pradesh and most of the northeastern States. The per capita Central assistance to the State In the 1990s averaged roughly 10 times the level of Tamil Nadu.
Nevertheless, the sense of economic deprivation is not without foundation The rise of ..militancy after 1988 has devas-tated the tourism Industry in the Valiev. There is very little of large and medium industry and little sign of new manufacturing activity. Today there are about 1,50,000 educated unemployed youths In the State. For most of them the economic prospects look bleak. This group has been the source of many of today's Hurriyat leaders. By one estimate more than 20 per cent of the educated unemployed are joining militant groups.
The most effective strategy to combat militancy in Kashmir is neither an increase in security forces nor more autonomy. It is to create more opportunities for higher education and better employment.
The challenge today Is to build confidence among the Kashmiri youth about their economic future as part of the Indian Union. The best strategy is to evolve a five-year plan to generate employment opportunities Inside and outside the State for at least 50.000 youths and higher educational opportunities outside J&K for another 25.000.
The right economic goal is integration, rather than autonomy. Kashmir cannot thrive either economically or polltl-callvon its own. Bui it can do so by linking its development potential with the rest of India's rapidly expanding economy.
Thus far. Centre-State relations have fostered economic dependence in the form of highly subsidised transfers, which is both degrading and counterproductive. There is a widespread belief that much of this money has been siphoned off by politicians and bureaucrats. It has failed to release the entrepreneurial initiative of the Ceople or provide sufficient enefits to the community. A strategy that will release local enterprise and initiative is needed.
The IT revolution which has spread like wildfire throughout the south has not even been felt as a distant tremor In J&K. Yet the rapid growth of India's software industry certainly offers attractive opportunities for uncmplowd engineers and science giadiiates The government should < i icon rage the proliferation of private computer training Institutes and software houses for creating at least 10,000 software Jobs within five years.
Considering that it will take time to attract and establish a significant local software industry, a Job placement pro-f'rammc should be launched Io nip qualified trainees find Jobs in software companies outside the State. This will strengthen integration with the Indian economy. Those who get higher education and find Jobs
outside will form a valuable pool of talent from which a local software industry can sprout over time.
The government should also establish major technology parks fully equipped with high speed, broad band telecommunication linkages and provide Incentives to major software companies for opening production centres in the State. The State Government can attract IT firms, accelerating its efforts to computerise government operations and requiring private software contractors to employ a majority of local programmers.
Software represents only the highest echelon of opportunities in the IT industry. IT-en-abled services offer even greater potential. Here the main requirement Is only of English-speaking graduates who can provide back office data processing. accounting, customer service on the telephone and the Internet legal research and medical transcription lor major clients in the West.
Electronics is not the only Held which offers attractive employment. An even greater employment potential Ties in transforming agriculture. The application of advanced farming methods can double or triple yields of commercial and orchard crops. One of the most important areas Is soil im-
provement focussing on ensuring supply of micronutrients. Given the Valley's climate, there is no reason why high yields of a wide- range of temperate fruits and vegetables cannot be achieved for local consumption, domestic sale and export. The key is to induct greater knowledge into the agricultural sector. The right candidates for the Job are unemployed agricultural graduates who have acquired book knowledge but have no experience applying it. An effective strategy would be to establish and conduct a training programme in hi-tech farming methods to produce 1000 agricultural entrepreneurs in five years. After completing the course, each entrepreneur should be equipped to establish and operate a private, for-profit school consisting of 10 acres of agricultural land leased out by local farmers. The entrepreneur could cultivate a range of crops, earning a minimum net profit of Rs. 50,000 per acre per annum. Additional Income would also come as fees from the local youth who Join the school for training.
Our leading educational institutions are a grazing ground lor large Indian and foreign corporations seeking talent. The Centre can also foster economic Integration and enhance youth confidence by earmark
Ing a few thousand seats a year for Kashmiri youth in leading universities and professional colleges and providing special financial assistance as part of the package.
The above measures can be undertaken even In the context of the present stalemate in Indo-Pakistan relations to generate prosperity in the Valley and lay the foundation for peace and stability. But Kashmir possesses a greater potential to transmute itself from a source of conflict into a source of peace. The Kashmir dispute has been a convenient instrument for politicians on both sides of the Line of Control to distract attention from domestic problems and rally popular support against an external enemy. People everywhere are easily aroused by such calls and are ready to support their leaders in the name of national security.
The Kashmir problem has been with us for half a century We are stuck in a syndrome of violence. The human, financial and goodwill costs as well as the lost opportunity costs have been mind-boggling. More of the same will not do. Let us have the wisdom and courage to chart a new course.
Courtesy: The Hindu of Indio.