Mufti scores on security, loses out on governance

SRINAGAR: Tourism in Kashmir may be looking up and government influence over shrines and hospitals may have reduced, but assessing one year of the Mufti government, one cannot gloss over the inept administration.
However, there is a significant improvement vis a vis accessibility of ministers in the Congress-PDP dispensation, even though the state bureaucracy persists in avoiding meeting people to redress their grievances.
The Mufti cabinet also lacks trust and confidence amongst its ministers. Each minister speaks in a different voice. For instance, Muzaffar Hussian Beig, who holds three portfolios besides heading the state finance ministry, is accused of interfering in every ministry.
The much-hyped accountability commission to check corruption at the higher levels has not been constituted, though the government passed the legislation in November, 2002.
Though the government claims to have achieved 91 percent success on the development front, no major road or bridge was constructed during the past year.
But there is appreciation for the fact that the Muslim Aquaf Trust of Farooq Abdullah no longer has influence over Muslim shrines in the state.
On the security front, the situation has improved, and the violence, according to a government spokesman has come down 20 percent. But Mufti has failed to disband the SOG and Task force of Jammu and Kashmir police.
Whether the Hurriyat accepts the Centre''s offer for talks or not, credit must go to the Mufti government for creating conditions for the Centre to initiate dialogue with the separatist leaders.