Achievements and difficulties in development administration in Jammu And Kashmir: An analytical study

1. Introduction

Development Administration combines “Development” and “Administration.” Before proceeding further, these two words must be defined. Brundtland report: “Development will never be universally satisfying.” Different fields define “development” differently. Due to disciplinary prejudice, “development” may be regarded as “economic growth,” “modernization,” “nation-building,” “social change,” etc. Economists define it as economic productivity or growth, political scientists as democratization or expansion of government functions, sociologists as social change, psychologists as a progressive change in the mind, environmentalists as sustainable development, and administrative thinkers as administrative efficiency or capacity. A developed country is one that uses all its resources efficiently. Development is relative, comparative, and ever-changing based on needs, possibilities, and desires. When two men roll a stone that neither could have done alone, administration begins. This simple task involves moving a stone and cooperating. Herbert Simon defines administration as organizations cooperating to achieve common aims. This definition broadens administration. Administration covers public and private. We’ll focus on public administration, of which Development Administration is a subfield. Edward Weidner, George Gant, and Fred. Riggs are Development Administration pioneers. Their definitions best explain Development.

Administration maximizes innovation for development, according to Edward W. Weidner. “Innovation for development” means planned or deliberate change toward modernity, nation-building, and socio-economic advancement. Development Administration is integrated, structured, and adequately directed government action, said Pai Panandikar. The 1940s and 1950s Development Administration aided rising countries. At independence, its reach and relevance were unparalleled. Famine, unemployment, illiteracy, poor healthcare, injustice, and resource shortages plagued India. Only the state can promote economic growth and nation-building. State planning facilitated development. The colonial administration lacked a focus on growth, legality, and revenue. To foster development, the independent Indian State had to create new institutions and reform old ones.

2. Methodology

Development Administration’s achievements and problems are measured by the effectiveness of its policies, programmes, and initiatives on qualitative terms. Other variables like corruption, law and order, and political instability have a huge impact on government efficiency and effectiveness, but they are qualitative since they include people’s emotions, judgments, attitudes, and ideas. All these variables aren’t quantifiable. Qualitative research dominates. This study uses analytical and descriptive methods. Thematic analysis tool MAXQDA was used to examine and analyze the data. Furthermore, secondary data were collected from books, websites, newspapers, Indian reports, and international journals and magazines.

3. Research objectives

To demonstrate and assess the successes as well as the challenges that have been encountered in the management of development administration in Jammu and Kashmir.

4. Significance of the research

This study is an honest, fair, and unbiased investigation that will serve as an invaluable resource on development administration for researchers, policymakers, analysts, and students. This study is also the first of its type to apply the idea of development administration to improving the governance of Jammu and Kashmir and solving challenges related to the socioeconomic growth of the region. This study highlights the function and significance of the Development Administration as well as the part that public administration plays in socioeconomic development. As a result, this study is significant in a variety of ways.

5. Discussion and result

5.1. Development Administration in the contemporary world and Jammu and Kashmir

Numerous individuals believe that the notion of Development Administration is no longer appropriate in the modern world. However, this is false; the concept is not outmoded. Riggs states, “It is impossible to communicate with phenomena without concepts.” The issue is therefore not to avoid notions, but to choose those that organize experience in a meaningful manner.” Although there has been a great deal of change in the definition of development, the means to attain it, and the technique to be used for this aim, there has been little change in the concept of development itself. However, the necessity for development will always exist. Rich or poor, no nation in the world can claim to have reached the highest degree of development. As long as there is a need for development, development Administration will be relevant. The government’s role in the administration of development is the second most influential factor in the rise or fall of Development Administration’s relevance. As a result of liberalization, privatization, and globalization, a significant number of nations have outsourced the execution of their development plans and projects to private companies, reserving for themselves just the planning or formulation of their policies. As regulators rather than service providers to the public, they have fewer direct obligations in terms of development administration. Nonetheless, as welfare states, they bear political, legal, and moral responsibility for the socioeconomic development of their citizens. In countries/states where the private sector’s contribution to the economy is negligible and where the administration of development and provision of services is the direct duty of the public sector, the importance and scope of Development Administration expand. And Jammu and Kashmir is one of these locations.

There shall be collective responsibility of the government for all “executive orders issued in the name of the lt. Governor or government of Jammu and Kashmir.” The Finance Department has to give concurrence to the department before it issues orders on proposals/ bills affecting the state’s finances, but it cannot issue orders for itself and the departments (GAD). General Administration Department (GAD) shall be consulted on matters pertaining to the methods of recruitment and terms of service of civil servants, as well as the interpretation of the existing order of such recruitment and terms of service. If the cabinet has made a decision to move forward with a project that requires the Finance Department’s approval but the department has not given its approval, the proposal may proceed. In issues involving legal questions, the concerned department shall also consult the Law Department to examine the legal implications. Consequently, following the government, the General Administration Department (GAD), the Finance Department, and the Law Department are essential for development administration. However, the Planning, Development, and Monitoring department is one of the most essential departments actively involved in the development process. This department is “responsible for formulation of state annual plans, monitoring and implementation of plans, project appraisals, preparation of monitoring reports, conduct of district development board meetings, maintaining liaison with the government of India, and monitoring and implementation of central government-sponsored schemes.” The department’s primary purpose is to rectify disparities between regions and districts in the development process and to ensure equal allocation of resources.

5.2. Development of administration

Ways to increase the capacity and capabilities of the administrative arm of the government in order to realize the government’s developmental goals. The availability of motivation and training infrastructure in Jammu and Kashmir is going to be the topic of discussion in this study on the development of administration.

5.3. Motivation

Motivated people stick to a task long enough to complete it. While education, training, intelligence, and inborn talent define an employee’s potential to succeed, he will only contribute his best when he is motivated. Motivation is one of the most essential aspects determining organizations or administration’s efficiency and effectiveness. Employees (human resources) of an organization will use organizational facilities and infrastructure more productively if they are well motivated toward their work. Employees might be motivated to do their jobs by both material and non-material incentives. The wage scale and other conditions of service such as work atmosphere, working hours, leave, job stability, promotion, and prizes are examples of material incentives. Non-material motivators include recognition, empowerment, job enrichment, and an employee-friendly attitude, among others. How many of these motivating factors are present in Jammu and Kashmir’s administration?

5.4. Job security

Abraham Maslow says that job security is an important part of what motivates an adult (under safety needs). He says, “Most people want a job with security and tenure, a savings account, and different kinds of insurance (medical, dental, unemployment, disability, and old age). Departmental Promotion Committees (DPCs) look at promotion, which is one of the most important ways to motivate employees.

5.5. Buildings for training

Jammu and Kashmir’s Institute of Management, Public Administration, and Rural Development (IMPARD) is the top training center for state government workers. This institute gives training to employees in the state to help them build their skills and improve their abilities. It trains IAS officers of the J&K cadre, Kashmir Administrative Service (KAS) officers, and other officers and clerical staff from different administrative departments, corporations, and authorities. It also gives training to panchayat members and non-government organizations to help them improve their skills. Its training programmes focus on how to manage and carry out projects and programmes from both the state and the central government in a good way. This institute also does the work of the State Institute of Rural Development (SIRD), since J&K doesn’t have a separate institute for that like most other states do.

5.6. Education

The education department is the most important one because it is in charge of making good people. Good educational institutions lay the groundwork for good people to work with. In this way, the role of a teacher is very important. So, building up teachers’ skills is very important. Three departments, the Higher Education Department, the School Education Department, and the Technical Education Department, are all in charge of developing this important human resource. At divisional level, the Education Department has State Institutes of Education (SIE), and at district level, there are District Institutes of Education and Training (DIET). They are in charge of training and other programmes that help teachers and people in charge of schools get better at what they do.

5.7. Regulation for industrial development

Jammu and Kashmir’s government regulates certain enterprises and economic activities. India’s government has long provided special incentives for rising enterprises and state industrial strategies to help its industries flourish. Recent progress includes the J&K State Industrial Policy. J&K State Industrial Development Corporation (SIDCO), J&K Small Scale Industries Development Corporation (SICOP), J&K Power Development Corporation (JKPDC), J&K Tourism Development Corporation, J&K Handloom Development Corporation, J&K Handicrafts Corporation, and J&K Agro Industries Development Corporation are all public enterprises that promote and develop industries. SIDCO promotes and develops medium- and large-scale enterprises in Jammu and Kashmir.

5.8. What development administration in Jammu and Kashmir has done well

“Level of development” is the way that Development Administration measures its success. As we all know, “development” is a broad term that includes economic development, social development, human development, and development for everyone. In this chapter, we’ll talk about economic development on its own, since it’s a key part of every other kind of growth. Human development and inclusive development will be studied within the framework of social development because they are closely related to it. But social and economic growth wouldn’t be possible without the right infrastructure. In fact, good infrastructure, such as roads, electricity, the internet, and public transportation, is seen as an important sign of development. “Socio-economic development” and “infrastructure for development” are two terms that go hand in hand. They are connected by a chain of causes and effects, which means that neither can get better without the other getting better. So, any evaluation of what Development Administration has done well should include both of them.

5.9. Infrastructure development

When it comes to growth and development, political stability is a must. Stability in politics means that there is peace inside and no danger from outside. Political stability means that there are no strikes, lockouts, mutinies, or unstable governments. This is a problem in the state. But there is no serious strife in the state polity when it comes to how the government works and how power is passed from one person to another. There are professional political parties that run in elections, which usually happen every 6°years. All three parts of the government—the executive, the legislature, and the judiciary—work together in accordance with the law and the constitution. After every election, the losing party or parties usually follow the rules of democracy, which are the same everywhere, and accept their role as the opposition. So, there is a political structure that has deep roots in the state’s political history and gives stability and longevity to the state’s mainstream politics.

5.10. Administrative infrastructure

For administration to work well, it needs to have a good structure. Creating the structure or design of the administration is one of the main ways that the government divides its work among its different parts. For hierarchies to work, communication to go smoothly, and administrative tasks to make sense, they must have the right structure. It is the first step toward giving each department its own tasks and responsibilities. A good administrative structure makes sure there is someone in charge of everything and that work doesn’t get overlapped or done twice. The administrative structure needs to be well thought out and flexible enough to change as the needs of the time do. In Jammu and Kashmir, most government business is done through administrative departments. Public corporations and the regulated private sector also play a small role.

5.11. Buildings, roads, and bridges

Socioeconomic development is directly linked to a good network of roads because it makes it easier to get to hospitals, places of work, schools, tourist spots, and places where people and goods need to go.

5.12. Transport by road

Not just roads, but all kinds of transportation facilities, for both people and goods, are essential for the economy to grow. In remote areas, essential goods can’t get there without road transport. Both private and public transportation have grown a lot in the last few years.

5.13. Railways

The railroad is an important way to get around the world. It’s an inexpensive way to get around, and most of the time it’s used to move heavy goods and raw materials. It is important for industrial growth because it can move large amounts of cargo faster than any other land-based method. The railway connects the plains of the Jammu division to the rest of the country well, but the hilly areas of the Kashmir division and the Jammu division are not fully connected. A big part of the Jammu-Baramulla railway line, from Katra to Banihal, is not done. But in the last few years, the valley’s railway infrastructure has also made a lot of progress. The Banihal–Baramulla railway line has been open since 2010, and trains run on it. More work is being done to extend the railroad to other parts of the country.

5.14. Civil aviation

The fastest way to get somewhere is by plane. Tourists like this way of getting around, especially since the roads aren’t very good. Because Jammu and Kashmir is mostly made up of hills, air travel is even more important there. There are parts of the state, like Tangdar, Leh, Zanskar, and the upper parts of Pahalgam, that can only be reached by helicopter when the weather is bad. Air travel is important in these areas not just for tourism, but also for emergencies like snowstorms and avalanches, when people get stuck and need to be airlifted and given food and other necessities.

5.15. Communication

Communication is an important part of both economic and social growth. People can also talk to each other through different ways of communicating, which lets them share ideas and learn about each other’s cultures. Communication that is faster and more reliable also makes it easier to get reliable information that can be used to make and carry out policies and programmes for development. People usually talk to each other through the mail, phone, cell phone, and internet. In the world of information technology we live in today, these ways to talk, especially cell phones and the internet, are used everywhere. Students, teachers, doctors, engineers, scientists, businesspeople, and a lot of other people can’t live without them anymore.

5.16. Power

Power is what makes progress happen. “The state is thought to have a hydropower potential of 20,000 Megawatts, of which about 16,575 Megawatts have been found. A total of 3363.46 megawatts, or 20%, have been used so far. This includes 1241.96 megawatts from the state sector, 2009 megawatts from the central sector, and 46.5 megawatts from the private sector. In the state sector, there are also 208MW of thermal power plants that are already set up. The Jammu and Kashmir State Power Development Corporation (JKSPDC) is a public sector company that is in charge of making electricity in the state. Some of the corporation’s most important power projects are Lower Jhelum (105 MW), Upper Sindh-II (105 MW), Chennai-I (23.30MW), and Baghlihar (900 MW). The National Hydro-electric Power Corporation (NHPC) is in charge of making electricity in the state’s central sector. A total of 14% of the power that NHPC makes is given to the state government for free as a royalty, and another 2% is used to improve the area around it. Salal (690 MW), Uri-I (480 MW), Dul-Hasti (390MW), Uri-II (240 MW), and Sewa-II are some of the most important power projects that NHPC runs (120 MW).

5.17. Banks

As Morstein Marx said, “Finance is as important to administration as oxygen is to the air.” Banks are in charge of giving out financial services. The Jammu and Kashmir Bank Ltd is one of the best banks that people can use. As the government owns more than 59% of J&K Bank, it is used for almost all of the state government’s financial transactions. Based on information from the Reserve Bank of India, there were 240 SBI & Associates offices, 12 Nationalized Banks, 482 other Public Sector Banks, 343 Regional Rural Banks, and 898 Private Sector Banks in Jammu and Kashmir that were open and running at the end of June 2018. After article 370 was thrown out, all of these banks are now run by the central government. So, Jammu and Kashmir no longer has any special or domestic laws like it used to because of Article 370.

5.18. Critical evaluation

When it comes to good infrastructure, Jammu and Kashmir is behind most of the rest of India. Connectivity has been a problem for the state’s growth for a long time. Over the years, India’s road network has gotten better, but an all-weather road still hasn’t been built to connect the Kashmir division, which includes Ladakh and hilly parts of Jammu, to the rest of the country. National Highway-1A (NH-1A), which is the only road that connects Kashmir and Ladakh to Jammu and the rest of the country, is closed when it rains because it can’t handle the growing amount of traffic. National Highway 44 (NH-44) is also not finished. It runs next to the old National Highway. The roads between Tehsil and district headquarters and villages are in bad shape, especially in hilly areas. The state also has bad railway infrastructure. Trains can only go as far as Udhampur. Many parts of the Jammu division and all of the Kashmir division, including Ladakh, are not connected by train. From Katra to Banihal, a stretch of 129 km is being built. Srinagar Airport, which is the only international airport in the state, only has a few flights to a few places outside of India. There are also things that need to be fixed up at the airports in Jammu and Ladakh. The state could make a lot of electricity, but it only makes a very small amount. Only 22% of the 16,000 MW of hydropower that has been found has been used. Most of the power is made in the central sector, and the only thing the state gets in return is a royalty. Also, the state has the most electricity loss during transmission and distribution of any state in the country. There are often power outages in the state. Lack of electricity is a big problem for the state’s industrial growth. Another thing that worries us is that the state is socially and economically backward. Jammu and Kashmir has a very low per capita income, a high fiscal deficit and revenue deficit, low agricultural production, high unemployment that is getting worse, high illiteracy, a low number of men to women, few hospitals, and a very low ratio of doctors to patients. Among other things, bad leadership is to blame for this situation. So, the problems with how development is managed outweigh the successes.

5.19. Problems with the way Jammu and Kashmir handles development

We all know that development administration has goals, and in the world we live in now, those goals are administrative development and socio-economic development. Without political will and initiative, administrative change is not possible. Politics and administration can’t work without each other. To solve their problems, they have to work together as a single unit. The second goal of Development Administration is for socioeconomic development to happen. It includes everything that has to do with the economic and social well-being of people.

5.20. Safety and peace

Progress requires? In 2015, violence cost the global economy $17.3 trillion, or 15.4% of global GDP, according to the World Bank (GDP). Violence affects a family’s diet, income, assets, and livelihoods, and pushes them to move. Violence and fear inhibit trade, investment, and prosperity by creating uncertainty, distrust, and division. Jammu & Kashmir’s law and order can change swiftly. In the state, individuals often clash, protest, get killed, and strike. Tourism may be most affected. Between 1989 and 2005, J&K lost 27 million tourists. This caused a loss of Rs. 230.8 billion in tourism revenue, which harmed tourism workers in unimaginable ways. Jammu & Kashmir reportedly lost 16,000 crore. Kashmir turmoil (Business standard.com).

5.21. Mis-governance

The state fared poorly in governance-related areas such as openness and accountability, economic freedom, basic infrastructure, and helping people develop. Corruption ruins society. Political and economic systems, institutions, and leaders lose faith. Freedom, health, money, and life can be lost. Jammu & Kashmir is corrupt. People think a minister or government worker won’t be honest or legal without a reference. In 2020, 40.9% of corruption cases remaining in court nationally were found guilty, but just 9.1% in Jammu and Kashmir (NCRB).

5.22. Low growth in farming and related industries

Agriculture is one of the most important parts of the state’s social and economic growth. If the agriculture and related activities sector grew, so would the 70% of the population that gets its living directly or indirectly from it. Also, most of the people who depend on agriculture to make a living live in rural and tribal areas and are socially, educationally, and financially poor. So, good growth in the agriculture sector is important for development that helps everyone, as well as for reducing poverty and unemployment. But over time, the rate of growth in agriculture has been steadily going down.

5.23. Industry falling behind

Realizing how important industrial growth is for economic growth, the state government has said that the “industrial sector is the main way to speed up economic activity and give jobs to educated, unemployed youth of the state.” But unfortunately, it hasn’t done either of those things. It hasn’t helped the economy grow or created jobs.

5.24. Unemployment

Unemployment is a big worry for the government. It has reached alarming levels because the number of people working reached 58,000 in FY 2019. The Centre for Monitoring the Indian Economy (CMIE) said that the unemployment rate in Jammu and Kashmir was 16.37%, while the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) said that at its worst, the unemployment rate in Jammu and Kashmir was 25%.

5.25. Public companies don’t do a good job

Public enterprises are important for economic growth and activity because they are run by the government. Since the private sector isn’t well-developed in the state, public enterprises have a bigger role to play in the state’s growth. But unfortunately, public enterprises haven’t done well. Most of them are losing money, and some of them are almost out of business.

5.26. Taking care of the problems mentioned in the study

The Study suggests the following steps to deal with the problems of Development Administration:

Even though the immediate expenses of a fight are huge, they’re only a small part of what people pay. Conflict’s institutional costs can limit a society’s growth. Damaged roads and structures can be repaired or rebuilt, but it’s expensive. The breakdown of institutions, loss of mutual trust and understanding, and trauma inflicted on society’s most vulnerable individuals make it likely that bad blood will persist and disputes and violence will recur. Law and order is Jammu & Kashmir’s major development obstacle. Bad law and order affects every aspect of state life. Uncertain law and order must be resolved permanently for lasting peace.

Governance means “the process of making decisions and the process of carrying them out (or not carrying them out).” Good governance is based on participation, consensus, accountability, transparency, responsiveness, effectiveness and efficiency, fairness and inclusion, and the rule of law. Some of them, like accountability and openness, the rule of law, efficiency and effectiveness, and being open to everyone, are more important for Jammu and Kashmir’s social and economic development.

Jammu and Kashmir is the only Indian state that makes saffron for sale. A lot of land in the state, about 4,500 hectares, is used to grow saffron. Saffron, which is also called “Red Gold,” is very popular in India and around the world, both as a spice and as a medicine. Again, Jammu and Kashmir has a natural advantage because it has the right climate for growing saffron. But farmers are tired of growing saffron because it doesn’t make much money. The current yield of saffron in the state’s traditional saffron-growing areas is 2.6 kg/hectare. Rejuvenating these areas with modern production technology, micro-irrigation facilities, post-harvest management, and a market intervention system is expected to increase this yield to 5.5 kg/hectare. This will raise the average annual income from growing saffron from about 45 crores to 85 crores, which is a lot of money. Also, saffron can be grown on tens of thousands of acres more of land all over the state, especially in the Kashmir valley.

Heavy industries can’t do well in Jammu and Kashmir for many different reasons. Heavy industry is not a good fit for Kashmir in particular. People in the state are aware of this limitation, which is why they put most of their attention on light industries. One of these is the handicraft industry, which has been around for a long time in Kashmir. Handmade goods from the state have carved out a special place for themselves in the world over time. Jammu and Kashmir is known for its handicrafts like Kashmiri carpets, namda, paper mashie (kani shawls, pashmina shawls, and gabba), and wood carvings. The state’s handicraft industry is known for its beautiful designs, high-quality materials, and unmatched skills in making things. Handicrafts are also a good fit for the state because they require a lot of work and not much money. It can be done at home, which is why women do a lot of the work, especially when making shawls and carpets.

Everyone knows that Jammu and Kashmir has a lot to offer in terms of tourism. God has given Jammu and Kashmir a lot of opportunities for almost every kind of travel. The state has a lot to offer tourists, including the temples of Jammu, the high mountains of Ladakh, and the beautiful scenery of Kashmir. Tourism is a big source of foreign exchange, but it also has a big impact on other industries like hospitality, tour and travel, handicrafts and handloom, and shops. The most important thing stopping tourism from growing is that law and order are not very stable. Once tourism picks up, more people will know about it and more infrastructures will be built.

6. Conclusion

When a reader looks at the main research question, “How can the idea of “Development Administration” be used to help Jammu and Kashmir’s social and economic development?”, the first thing that might come to mind is that the answer is “in a lot of ways.” Why is Development Administration the only one? So, let me tell you in a few sentences what I mean by “reason for the selection.” In the 1950s, the idea of Development Administration was created to help third-world countries improve their social and economic situations. In this way, the idea is still useful as long as there is a need for social and economic development, especially when it isn’t being used to its full potential. Jammu and Kashmir is also a great place for Development Administration because of the way things are there. Because Jammu and Kashmir has seen very few of the changes that are thought to be incompatible with the idea. Liberalization, Privatization, and Globalization (LPG) doesn’t have much of an effect here, unlike in most other Indian states. The private sector is very weak, and the state’s administrative machinery is the only one responsible for putting development plans, policies, programmes, and projects into action. It can be said with confidence that the research would not only be a useful and trustworthy document for everyone involved, but it would also lead to more research in the same fields. The research is also expected to renew academic interest in Development Administration, which has the potential to be a useful tool for dealing with socioeconomic problems, especially in developing countries. The study results listed above are good news for getting Jammu and Kashmir out of its backwardness. Nature has given the state a lot of good things. Without law and order, even some industries, like tourism and horticulture, could bring about a new era of growth and development on their own.

Acknowledgments

Without all of our classmates’ assistance and support, this research manuscript would not have been possible. We truly appreciate the efforts of all the researchers who toiled endlessly to write articles related to the article and who worked to create a plan for efficiently monitoring work. We want to thank each of them personally.

References