
Tarun Kapoor’s visit to Kashmir , first by any advisor to Prime Minister in the history of J&K, is potentially a pivotal moment for it gave territory a big thumb up in development and strengthening of Delhi-Srinagar relations. The advisor travelled on the pathway laid out by PM Narendra Modi since he took over 11 years ago.
It was a first of firsts . Never before an advisor to PM had visited J&K to do what Tarun Kapoor did- reviewing the developmental works and laying out plans for its progressive future integrated into the overall idea of bringing J&K and the rest of the country closer to each other.
Two major aspects can be ascribed to this visit ; post abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019 , the government of India has embarked on two pronged strategy – one to combat terrorism in an aggressive manner , and initiate the development in the territory that people always aspired for but was not delivered to them. Second , was to infuse a sense of confidence- self-confidence to the people that normalcy can be brought about on real-time basis , and alongside it would fill the gaps between Delhi and Kashmir. In the Valley , Delhi represents everything that India stands for – government of India and the idea of India.
Tarun Kapoor reviewed developmental scenario and explored what all could be done in future . It was an extraordinary development ; it is for the first time in the history of J&K that an advisor to Prime Minister was taking stock of the things . This extraordinariness matched the unparalleled landscape of Kashmir in more than one ways . Kashmir is at the cusp of history where it wants to retain its traditional cultural ethos as also to embrace the futuristic vision that can propel it to the next level , becoming a model for the rest of the country . The GoI is also facing a task of showing Kashmir as a model of solution of conflict through people-oriented development . The real task is to ensure dominance development over all other narratives .
It is here where Tarun Kapoor’s visit has shown the way .
During his meetings with the officials , Kapoor, a seasoned bureaucrat who in his career has surmounted so many challenges and made mark in the energy sector , , his approach was scientific and area-specific . His in-depth knowledge of the energy sector was quite a learning experience for the officials with whom he interacted .
J&K is a big power hydro-power reservoir. Its importance has gone several notches up with the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty .
The Centre has many ways to monitor and expand the developmental scenarios in J&K, especially when it is a Union Territory – and most of its affairs under the control of Delhi – yet Advisor to PM’s visit has scripted a new chapter of utmost synergy that Centre wanted to forge with the local government.
Kapoor, it is believed, delivered a message that nothing should come in between the development as per aspirations of the people which has been underlined by Prime Minister Narendra Modi time and again . He has been stressing on synergy between the Centre and the UT government . He meant both within the institutions in Jammu and Kashmir, and between Delhi and Srinagar..
The task before the Prime Minister’s Office, is to monitor and expand development across the country , assessing how the Centre can fill the gaps. Tarun Kapoor, as advisor to PM, plays a very critical role in overseeing the developments and planning for the future projects . It may seem to be a technical assignment but in the country that is tuned to “ Viksit Bharat,” by 2047 , is an anthem .
J&K’s hydro-power potential is legendary . The problem , however, remained that this could not be channelized into real-time flow of power, which would have been helpful in pacing up the transformation . The reasons are known – the conflict through which J&K underwent for over three decades , and the superimposition of Pakistan on the river waters because of the unfair clauses in the IWT, coupled with an all-time inertia in the system. There were big talks about using the hydro-power potential but there were little efforts in translating that vision into reality.
At the moment , J&K is sandwiched between two crude realties – climate change that has reduced the waters levels in the rivers and constrained time space in which these projects are to be completed . It is here that vast experience of Tarun Kapoor can be used and he shared that with the local system. He has outlined the guidelines . Rest of the work is to be done by the local system . This time Kapoor would be monitoring the progress . That’s where the things are expected to move at rapid speed .
This is crucial to enable J&K to pick up speed in its all-round development . Several issues plaguing the place and people can be taken care of – power scarcity , unemployment and investment in industries . It will bring real change on the ground.